Our girls were highly enthused and motivated at the opportunity to prepare their displays for the wider community. PTC in collaboration with the Hastings District libraries had organised for all the learnings to be showcased and the girls set on task to do so.

The messages they were aiming at communicating included:

• Rivers are valuable. They are a source of mahinga kai, hāngi stones and cultural materials, as access routes and a means of travel.

• Description of a range of Indicators of the health of a river system derived from the experiments conducted in order to provide a tangible representation of its mauri.

• Do not dump rubbish. This helps to reduce pest and nuisance problems.

• Don’t pollute our rivers. Water is our fundamental essence, akin to the blood of Papatuanuuku (Earth mother) who supports all people, plants and wildlife.

Our girls are proudly displaying their work at Flaxmere libraries, Havelock North and Hastings District libraries.