In Weeks 8 and 9 this term, our Year 9 students completed the ETA Program—a one-and-a-half-week, cross-curricular project where they identified and solved real Auckland community problems using skills from Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, and Health.
Why This Mattered
The ETA Program connected classroom learning to real-world impact. Students developed essential Āheitanga skills—communication, collaboration, cultural responsiveness, and adaptive thinking—while discovering that their ideas can create positive change. Through empathy, research, and evidence-based problem-solving, students prepared for both academic success and active citizenship.
The Student Experience
Working in teams, students explored UN Global Goals and Auckland census data to identify local issues. They conducted community interviews, analyzed data, and used empathy diagrams and root cause analysis to understand their chosen problems deeply. The program culminated in a Golden Hour Exhibition on 2 December, where teams presented their solutions, demonstrating the critical thinking and creativity developed throughout their journey. The experience showed our young people the satisfaction of applying their learning to make a tangible difference in their community.
Congratulations to all participating students and staff on a successful program!
~ Shraddha Sharma, on behalf of the ETA team