Hillary sports centre makes for outdoor fun

The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre (OPC) offers a new five-week programme providing a learning journey with outdoor experiences.
The programme is closely aligned with the NZ school curriculum providing relevant content and a stronger approach to target areas of NCEA achievement and unit standards.
OPC chief executive Graham Seatter says, “We believe in 21st century education and have aligned our education philosophy to keep us more relevant.”
Kelvin Whiting, principal of Hillcrest High School in Hamilton, which will be piloting the programme on Great Barrier Island in 2012, says parent and student support made the school sign up for the programme.
He says the students will gain “incredible educational benefits” on the trip. “From developing their spirit and stamina to having to make joint sustainability decisions on how many showers can be taken before the generator is switched off for the night,” he says.
Worldwide CEO Kevin Roberts says educating young people through experiences in NZ’s great outdoors is beneficial to student development.
“OPC is underpinned by physical, outdoor learning experiences that foster an understanding of self, others and place in our young people,” he says.