Sherryll's Update

What a great night we had at the AGM. It's always such a pleasure to have (almost) everybody together in the same room for our regular AGM and as we celebrate the #BetterBecause Values Awards. I look forward to catching up with the Central Otago and West Coast teams very soon. They were so well represented in the awards, and some even managed to zoom in for the evening and share the excitement! 

The standard of entries is stronger every year, and it is also pleasing to see the number of entries increase, too. I very much enjoy the judging process, and the entries provide us with a tangible snapshot of the wonderful mahi happening around the network. 

This year, we had Community Champion awards for the first time, recognising the important role that whānau and community play in the day-to-day life of our kindergartens. Our Champions were certainly proud of their awards, and it is wonderful to have the opportunity to thank them. These two are just the tip of the iceberg, though, and we do want to continue to highlight those special people who contribute so much in terms of time and resources. So please do keep sending in stories that can be featured on Facebook and on the website so we can celebrate them. Community connection and participation are such hallmarks of kindergarten. 

What a pleasure it was to see the Kaiako Māori group perform publicly for the first time, bringing their mana to Kidsfirst and role-modeling our commitment to te Tiriti. My thanks for all the hard work that is going into this evolving initiative, and ka pai to those who have joined the waiata group! 

I want to express my deep gratitude to all of you for the very special Mana Tiaki award that was presented to me on the night. I was humbled and honoured by the gesture - it reflected so many of our shared values and brought to life in a very tangible way just how special Kidsfirst people are. We have been through so much together, but our sense of connectedness and manaakitanga towards one another bring such collective strength. Thank you. 

And finally, I would like to recognise the efforts of Kathy Harford in weaving the absolutely stunning Pāke that made their debut at the AGM. I was so privileged to be gifted one and will treasure it always. It is a true taonga.

In honour of Cook Islands Language Week (2-8th Aug),  

Kia manuia e kia orana

Sherryll