Children at Altona Gate Kindergarten in Altona North are getting a backyard blitz thanks to local high school students.
Bayside P-12 College students are revamping the kinder’s Walker Close playground as part of a project aimed at making a difference in the community.
Program co-ordinator Tracy James said year 9 students, under the guidance of teacher Jenny Tzikas, were visiting the kinder fortnightly to do gardening and other work.
“The program focuses on developing student leadership capacity and a culture of caring and responsibility,” she said.
“The kindergarten was originally located in Blackshaws Road but moved to the current premises in 2004.
“Since then, there have been only minor works to the playground, such as removing a vegie patch and replacing it with a wooden deck in 2013.”
Bayside students will sand and paint wood surfaces, clean the sandpit, replace an old bamboo fence-screen with shade cloth, create mosaic wall hangings and build an outdoor kitchen-type play area.
The students organised an “out of uniform day” and sausage sizzle to raise funds for mosaic tiles, sandpaper, paintbrushes, shade cloth, a sink and wood for the outdoor kitchen area, new sand for the sandpit, and child-friendly plants such as olive trees.
