A student and a teacher at a Tauranga primary school are going to great heights to help give back to the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s life skills and values programme, Kiwi Can.

Brookfield’s Te Kura o Manunui recently won three regional awards: it was named top Kiwi Can school; student Caleb Samuels was named top Kiwi Can pupil for integrity; and top Kiwi Can leaders.

Now Te Kura o Manunui Matua (teacher) Kaydin Budd and 11-year-old Year 6 student Asher Matthews will skydive from 3657m in mid-December with Skydive Tauranga, hoping to gather $3000 for the annual fundraising initiative Drop for Youth.

“It was an opportunity given to our kura [school] so I thought I’d jump in and support our Kiwi Can leaders,” said Budd. “They’ve done a lot for our kura. They work with our tamariki [children] to promote leadership. It’s great when those lessons are coming from someone you respect and admire.”

Asher said: “Kaydin asked me to skydive so I said ‘Yes’, but I think it will be a bit scary”.

Te Kura o Manunui Matua Kaydin Budd and Year 6 student Asher Matthews try out the gear at Skydive Tauranga ahead of their jump. Photo/Debbie Griffiths.

Kiwi Can leader Ayla Dellaway said her organisation’s role is to support students to learn values to thrive and find their path. “These programmes have an awesome effect. You could walk in and ask any 5-year-old about positive communication, for example, and they know and understand.”

Profits from Drop for Youth Western Bay of Plenty 2024 go towards continuing the Kiwi Can programme that benefits 3800 kids around the region.

To donate to Kaydin and Asher’s skydive fundraiser, visit: givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/kaydin-and-asher-drop-for-youth-wbop-2024