Hamper project has everyone rapt

By Sarah Schwager
A LYNDHURST Secondary College girl has taken her goodwill to the next level in a school project.
Year 9 student Nicole Monnery, along with her fellow classmates, was asked to take part in a community health activity. The 14-year-old decided she would spread the Christmas cheer and so got busy rifling up donations to make hampers to give to charity. Nicole said she decided to fundraise for the Salvation Army after finding out there were 280 children in Cranbourne and 260 families in need of help.
She along with two friends put signs up around the school and notes in the school bulletin encouraging students and teachers to donate.
They collected canned food, cereal and snacks to make eight hampers for the charity, packaged in boxes wrapped in Christmas paper and then wrapped in cellophane.
Salvation Army minister Karen Walker visited the Cranbourne North school on Tuesday to collect the hampers.
Nicole said they were really pleased and thanked her for all her hard work.
Year 9 teacher Melanie Mattsson said the school project had been a fantastic experiment.
She said other students made possum boxes which they donated to animal aid organisations, put on a morning tea for staff, fundraised for the Breast Cancer Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, donated potting boxes to the Room to Grow community garden, built garden beds at the school, taught primary school children about fire safety, ran sports clinics and First Aid skills to preps, developed a road safety campaign, organised a safety audit in relation to fire hazards at the school, and organised for the CFA to come out and give a class for the teachers.
“This term the students worked in community groups of their choice,” Ms Mattsson said.
“They first learnt the skills then went out into the community to deliver them.
“I am so grateful to the students for all their hard work and generosity in the community.”