A bilingual storybook about a little HireWays digger has been created by a collaboration of high school and tertiary students.
The book will be launched at the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games in Palmerston North this weekend. The book is a result of a competition run by Talent Central, HireWays and The Design School.
Talent Central Chief Executive Margaret Kouvelis said the idea came about after witnessing the queues of preschool and primary school children lining up to have a go on the Hireways SelfDrive Digger at last year’s Hilux New Zealand Rural Games.
“We came up with the competition to connect students with business and develop a concept into a marketable product. It was open to Year 12 Business Studies students in Manawatu, and was won by two students from Freyberg High School in Palmerston North.
“We are delighted with the standard of the script and the quality of the illustrations. As a former bookstore owner, I can say this is pitch perfect for preschoolers, both in its story and illustrations,” Mrs Kouvelis said.
The students have experienced what it takes to write a book, research a business and to develop a business opportunity.
Firsttime authors Paige Linneweaver and Caleb White from Freyberg High School said: “We wanted to show how the Little Digger does a lot of work and most of it goes unnoticed.”
“The whole experience was great fun and very inspiring,” Caleb said. “It gave me confidence to write my own book with Paige through competing in the young enterprise competition.”
The Design School Director Mike Saywell said it was a fantastic collaboration between the Freyberg High School students and a group of design students from Whangarei.
Once written, the book was translated into Te Reo Maori by Helen Parker.
HireWays has paid for the printing of the books, which will be on sale at the Rural Games this weekend.
And, as for that queue, Mrs Kouvelis said this year HireWays will have three diggers at the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games, so everyone who wants to should be able to have a go.
For more information:
Margaret Kouvelis
021 556 383
