The great Term 1 road trip
Now that we are a good chunk of the way through Term 1 and our Term 1 workshop series, we thought it would be a great time to check in with the Delivery Team and see how they have found it so far! This blog post is a collection of their workshop wins, travel adventures and highlights from their collective nationwide road trip!
What has been your favourite part of this year’s Term 1 workshop?
Mark: CONFERENCE!! I love talking about it, all I want is for as many people to join us as possible because it's such a great time!!
Bobbi: I love running through an activity with students to help them realise just how easy it is to create awareness around road safety
Mel: Believe it or not activity - it brings up lots of laughs with valuable facts
What has been your favourite town to visit so far and why?
Lauren: I really enjoyed my time in Oamaru, a very special community with so much heart and connection. I also visited Nelson and Blenheim for the first time in my life which was awesome.
Kerry: I have really enjoyed connecting with all the towns/cities in my region as they all have their own unique diversity to each other that make all of them great in their own ways.
Mel: Gisborne - The students at Campion College were full of life, passionate, fun and were really supportive of each other. They also had awesome support from their Deputy Principal Karyn Sadler.
What has been your favourite travel snack/meal?
Bobbi: Always Hichews! Best meal was granola in Masterson! Trocadero coffee bar.
Lauren: I got a very delicious Kebab in Gore for dinner one night - will definitely be going back on my next trip!
Mark: I exclusively snack on almond chicken sushi from Mr Sushi at The Colombo
Has anything interesting/quirky happened during your travels or workshops?
Kerry: When visiting my old High School and doing a workshop there I ran into one of the students I used to teach when they were in primary school a few years ago and got to catch up with them briefly. I also was able to connect with an old teacher from High School that taught me, as she is the teacher contact for their SADD group.
Mel: Not quirky but I would say heartfelt - A caretaker at one of the schools I visited came up to me and shared a very personal story about a drunk driver. He said the work that SADD does is really good and to keep it up. It was really nice to hear some positive feedback.
Mark: I ran a workshop recently in a hall that was also running a children's gymnastics class. I was slightly worried my students might think I was going to make them do gymnastics so I made sure to clarify that this was not the case quickly!
What is the best/coolest idea that a school has come up with so far?
Lauren: I have really enjoyed hearing students get creative with ideas for speed challenge obstacle courses to engage their peers in a fun way to think about road safety and speed
Kerry: Cardboard Car Race - Make and decorate their own cardboard cars and then race them as a part of their awareness week (Road Safety Week or SADD Awareness Month)
Bobbi: Getting a teacher to do the vision impairment goggles obstacle course in assembly.
Any last comments about our Term 1 workshops or your experience so far?
Bobbi: I've had a huuuge turn out this Term with some of my bigger workshops getting up to 27 and 19 students attending!
Mark: I'm really excited to run a term 1 workshop for Christchurch schools as well as my planned visits to Kaiapoi High and Rolleston College. It's always an exciting time of year getting to meet the new groups.
Lauren: I am incredibly appreciative of all the students, teachers and community partners who have welcomed me into their space. Term one workshops were my first experience of this part of my delivery role and I had an absolutely awesome time!!!
Mel: Have really enjoyed meeting all the students and hearing why they want to be in a SADD Committee. Hearing about their experiences and their ideas for new activities.
Kerry: The workshops in the Upper North have been amazing with so many wonderful ideas flowing. I have really enjoyed getting to connect with all the students at the workshops.
Big thanks to our awesome Delivery Team who take time out of their lives to travel the country bringing workshops to communities all over! We would also love to shout out all of the engaged and passionate students who make it all so worth it, as well as the amazing teachers and community supporters who help it all come together!
Just a few more weeks of Term 1 to go and then we’re off to conference! See you there!