PAC in the Community
Service is an important part of a Prince Alfred College education, helping to foster empathy, instil a sense of social responsibility and shape compassionate young men who will make a positive contribution to the world around them. At all year levels across the school, students have opportunities to make a difference through service.
“Walk a Mile in My Boots”
Our Early Learning Centre children put on their boots and took up the Hutt Street Centre’s ‘walk-a-mile’ challenge during National Homelessness Week to help people doing it tough in our community. As part of our Father’s Day celebrations, the children walked a mile around the College grounds with their dads to raise money for this very special cause.
Solar Buddies Program
In 2022 and 2023, the Preparatory School supported the SolarBuddy program – an initiative that is designed to educate students about, and address energy poverty in developing countries by providing solar lamps to the children of Vanuatu and Timor.
Over the past two years, students and staff have engaged in a series of sausage sizzles, fancy dress days and other events to raise $13,000 to purchase solar lights for children in these two island nations. The benefit of this program is that the boys were directly involved in raising the money, assembling the solar lamps and then sending them off with letters to the children who would be receiving them. This campaign has been an excellent opportunity for our students and one that has been greatly supported by the Preparatory School community.
Childhood Cancer Association (CCA)
At the start of 2023, our Secondary School staff and students set an ambitious target of raising $50,000 for the Childhood Cancer Association (CCA), which provides vital support services, including professional counselling, hospital visits, accommodation for country families, education and bereavement support, for families affected by childhood cancer.
During the year, individual classes planned and undertook various activities to raise funds towards their goal. The boys also heard first-hand of the challenges and emotional journey faced by many families when given a cancer diagnosis.
Our boarders braved arctic conditions to take part in the ‘Relay for Life’. Staff and students from PAC & Seymour College, ran in teams to complete a 160km sponsored run, ‘Project 160’, taking the total funds raised to over $73,000 in 2023.
Other multi-year service projects have included participation in the Forktree Project, and environmental program, and the significant number of recycled clothing items donated to those in need through William’s Wardrobe.
Empathy, compassion, and care are long-held traditions at Prince Alfred College and we are proud to serve those in our community. Well done boys!