10 teams – including a teachers’ team – have signed up to take part in the challenge to follow the steps of former Syrian refugees, the Tamim family, who now live in Palmerston North.

Lead learner of social science and community partnerships, Bronwyn Hoy, says she heard the campaign advertised on the radio and was inspired to contact New Zealand Red Cross to see how their Year 9 students could be involved.

“This term we’re focusing on movement, so this fundraiser fits in perfectly,” Mrs Hoy says. “It fits in well with our school’s values and encourages the students to think of others and live a healthy lifestyle."

They’re quite engaged with it and will stop me in the hallway and ask ‘are you keeping your steps up, miss?’

Members of the ‘Rolleston College A Team’ are even going above and beyond their required 10,000 steps a day by each trying to complete 13,000 every 24 hours.

‘A Team’ member Kayla Purvis, 13, says they’re on track, but the extra 3,000 steps has been a challenge.

“I have to walk to and from school, at lunchtime, and then after school, to make the targets, but it’s a lot of fun and for a good cause,” Kayla says.

Her biggest day was a whopping 21,000 steps, with her Year 9 team-mates Ruby Fleckney and Belle Fenton clocking up an impressive 16,000 and 19,000 steps respectively.

Mrs Hoy says that the regular video updates on the Tamim family’s story have brought home the reality of the struggles refugees face. 

"Since the earthquakes, a lot of the students have had first-hand experience dealing with significant hardships.”

How you can help

You can donate to a Rolleston College team by visiting http://www.redcrossjourney.org.nz/ and entering Rolleston College in the search bar.