Lana Kiddie-Vai and Mele Fetu'u, the SEHC students who were selected for the 2019 Antarctic Heritage Trust Inspiring Explorers Expedition, shared their Antarctic experiences with young school leaders when they visited the House late last year. Senior teachers at Holy Cross Catholic School, Papatoetoe saw the experience as so valuable they brought their entire Year 7 cohort to visit the House that Ed built.
Motivated by the workshop visit, students’ follow-up comments on what leadership looks like included considering leadership in the school and in the community. When students reflected upon leadership at school they identified important values such as ‘being a good sibling’, ‘showing that you care’, ‘encouraging those who feel insecure about themselves’ and ‘respecting others, so they respect you.’
While these values also apply in the community, students could see that a greater commitment to giving of their time would be fundamental to achieving their goals. Students are always impressed with how Sir Ed returned to support the communities in Nepal through such a long period of his life. These opportunities to learn about Sir Ed’s life and reflect upon his values are an important part of our Student Leader Visiting Programme.
August 2020