The photos were taken yesterday at two of the four schools involved in the Country Schools Daffodil Challenge which is in its fourth year of operation. The schools are in a “cluster” and are about four miles from each other. They are located in the North Island of New Zealand and are close to HamiltonCity which is 60 miles south of our largest city, Auckland.
The Northern Daffodil Club is the organizer. They provide $500.00 which covers a participation grant and prizes for each of the classes in a relatively simple schedule. The schools are also provided by the Club with good exhibition variety daffodils each year and these are grown in the school grounds. Each school receives exactly the same number of each variety, thus ensuring an even playing field. Each school has a mentor from the Club who visits the schools regularly to provide advice and information on topics such as daffodil culture, judging criteria, breeding daffodils etc etc. The children develop written material around the project and have displays of their reports plus photos at the concluding show. One school even developed an excellent DVD based on photos taken in the course of the project. Learning goals in the National Curriculum are therefore met. Last year a class for daffodils grown at home was added and this was very well supported. There is always a good turnout of adults at the concluding show.
The enthusiasm and interest of the children is wonderful – indeed quite infectious. And there is a bonus for our Club – we now have children as members, as well as one of the teachers and a parent. They have been supplied with a bulb collection and have begun exhibiting at local shows.
Well, I must conclude this E Mail – I am due at one of the schools today! There is a minor panic as we are having a very, very early season and the flowers may be finished before the Show. Some lateral thinking may be needed.
Peter
PS As mentioned earlier there are details of the project on the NDSNZ website – http://www.daffodil.org.nz – under “Daffodil Initiatives.
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Great work with the schools and children, Peter! The future of our clubs and societies depends on this, I think. No doubt the children will lose interest as they reach their teen years, but they may be able to be dragged back as adults later.
Bill Lee
Hell Betty and all,
The photos were taken yesterday at two of the four schools involved in the Country Schools Daffodil Challenge which is in its fourth year of operation. The schools are in a “cluster” and are about four miles from each other. They are located in the North Island of New Zealand and are close to Hamilton City which is 60 miles south of our largest city, Auckland.
The Northern Daffodil Club is the organizer. They provide $500.00 which covers a participation grant and prizes for each of the classes in a relatively simple schedule. The schools are also provided by the Club with good exhibition variety daffodils each year and these are grown in the school grounds. Each school receives exactly the same number of each variety, thus ensuring an even playing field. Each school has a mentor from the Club who visits the schools regularly to provide advice and information on topics such as daffodil culture, judging criteria, breeding daffodils etc etc. The children develop written material around the project and have displays of their reports plus photos at the concluding show. One school even developed an excellent DVD based on photos taken in the course of the project. Learning goals in the National Curriculum are therefore met. Last year a class for daffodils grown at home was added and this was very well supported. There is always a good turnout of adults at the concluding show.
The enthusiasm and interest of the children is wonderful – indeed quite infectious. And there is a bonus for our Club – we now have children as members, as well as one of the teachers and a parent. They have been supplied with a bulb collection and have begun exhibiting at local shows.
Well, I must conclude this E Mail – I am due at one of the schools today! There is a minor panic as we are having a very, very early season and the flowers may be finished before the Show. Some lateral thinking may be needed.
Peter
PS As mentioned earlier there are details of the project on the NDSNZ website – http://www.daffodil.org.nz – under “Daffodil Initiatives.
Hell Betty and all,
The photos were taken yesterday at two of the four schools involved in the Country Schools Daffodil Challenge which is in its fourth year of operation. The schools are in a “cluster” and are about four miles from each other. They are located in the North Island of New Zealand and are close toHamilton City which is 60 miles south of our largest city, Auckland
The Northern Daffodil Club is the organizer. They provide $500.00 which covers a participation grant and prizes for each of the classes in a relatively simple schedule. The schools are also provided by the Club with good exhibition variety daffodils each year and these are grown in the school grounds. Each school receives exactly the same number of each variety, thus ensuring an even playing field. Each school has a mentor from the Club who visits the schools regularly to provide advice and information on topics such as daffodil culture, judging criteria, breeding daffodils etc etc. The children develop written material around the project and have displays of their reports plus photos at the concluding show. One school even developed an excellent DVD based on photos taken in the course of the project. Learning goals in the National Curriculum are therefore met. Last year a class for daffodils grown at home was added and this was very well supported. There is always a good turnout of adults at the concluding show.
The enthusiasm and interest of the children is wonderful – indeed quite infectious. And there is a bonus for our Club – we now have children as members, as well as one of the teachers and a parent. They have been supplied with a bulb collection and have begun exhibiting at local shows.
Well, I must conclude this E Mail – I am due at one of the schools today! There is a minor panic as we are having a very, very early season and the flowers may be finished before the Show. Some lateral thinking may be needed.
Peter
PS As mentioned earlier there are details of the project on the NDSNZ website – http://www.daffodil.org.nz – under “Daffodil Initiatives.
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Hell Betty and all,
The photos were taken yesterday at two of the four schools involved in the Country Schools Daffodil Challenge which is in its fourth year of operation. The schools are in a “cluster” and are about four miles from each other. They are located in the North Island of New Zealand and are close to Hamilton City which is 60 miles south of our largest city, Auckland.
The Northern Daffodil Club is the organizer. They provide $500.00 which covers a participation grant and prizes for each of the classes in a relatively simple schedule. The schools are also provided by the Club with good exhibition variety daffodils each year and these are grown in the school grounds. Each school receives exactly the same number of each variety, thus ensuring an even playing field. Each school has a mentor from the Club who visits the schools regularly to provide advice and information on topics such as daffodil culture, judging criteria, breeding daffodils etc etc. The children develop written material around the project and have displays of their reports plus photos at the concluding show. One school even developed an excellent DVD based on photos taken in the course of the project. Learning goals in the National Curriculum are therefore met. Last year a class for daffodils grown at home was added and this was very well supported. There is always a good turnout of adults at the concluding show.
The enthusiasm and interest of the children is wonderful – indeed quite infectious. And there is a bonus for our Club – we now have children as members, as well as one of the teachers and a parent. They have been supplied with a bulb collection and have begun exhibiting at local shows.
Well, I must conclude this E Mail – I am due at one of the schools today! There is a minor panic as we are having a very, very early season and the flowers may be finished before the Show. Some lateral thinking may be needed.
Peter
PS As mentioned earlier there are details of the project on the NDSNZ website – http://www.daffodil.org.nz – under “Daffodil Initiatives.