Dunstan High School High Ropes Course

Funding Stories

For 26 years Dunstan High School has had a fantastic teaching and learning resource in the form of a high ropes course. In August 2019 the complete structure was blown over in a storm. It was a devastating loss for the school, pupils and the wider community. It had been for 26 years a fantastic teaching and learning resource.The new course is now complete, the measure of success can clearly be seen in the faces of the participants when they have successfully supported each other to reach the top!

Keri Barnett coordinated the replacement project and explains how this has been a very rewarding project.

The students desire to get amongst it and challenge themselves is proof enough of the value of the project. The course has only had one full term of usage but we will continue to monitor numbers and gather participant voice.

It is very rewarding to see our young people out there challenging themselves and working together to support one another. A number of people in the community have commented positively on the course and are enjoying seeing it in action.

2020 was a year that took a lot away from young people so it was nice to be able to give something back to them. The course was to have been constructed in April 2020 but due to COVID-19 and the lockdowns the build was delayed until October 2020. Fortunately construction was on target and we were operational in term 4. In 2021 we hope to see our reach extend to other users, we already have enquires from Queens High School and Journey's Central Otago are booked to use the course in early April 2021.

The new high ropes course cost approximately $170,000, with funding drawn from not only Otago Community Trust via a $41,650 grant but also Central Lakes Trust and Alexandra Rotary.