Fatal car crash on Kopuarahi School doorstep drives campaigning
10 Mar, 2021 05:31 PM
5 minutes to read
Chris Patel and Karma Vitasovich where debris was sent flying after a road accident outside the Kopuarahi School. Photo / Alison Smith
Chris Patel and Karma Vitasovich where debris was sent flying after a road accident outside the Kopuarahi School. Photo / Alison Smith
In both directions looking out from the playground of Kopuarahi School are reminders to the staff, students and families of the fragile line between life and death.
On two occasions the school community has lived through the trauma of car accidents - one fatal - on their doorstep.
KidsCan/Supplied
Schools are preparing for the start of term to be tougher than ever. “It’s a genuine struggle,” Jan Love, a social worker at Mana College in Porirua, said. It’s rare for students to bring lunch with them – if they do, it’s a bag of chips. The food the school gets from KidsCan is a huge help, she said. “You always really feel it when you see a kid stuffing it in their pocket. “You know the difference between someone being greedy and someone being genuine – you feel it and it’s hard.” The biggest challenge at the start of the year is getting students back to class. There is always a handful who get stuck in Auckland or Rotorua over the holidays, she said.