Tom Maulio has been a member of our Tourism Academy program for 2 years. Back in 2021, he expressed an interest in working in the Adventure Tourism Industry. Tom liked the idea of working with people, working outdoors, being active and being paid to do this. He attended a course at the New Zealand School of Tourism, where he was introduced to one of their tutors, Detroit Gerrard, who just happened to have previously worked for AJ Hackett Bridge and Bungy. Tom mentioned that this would be the sort of career he would love to get involved in.

Fast Forward a year and Detroit remembered this conversation when AJ Hackett were looking for new recruits. Tom had made such a good impression on that one-day course, that Detroit got in contact.

We are delighted to introduce to you AJ Hackett’s latest recruit. Tom spent the recent school holiday being trained as an instructor and now is a fully-fledged member of the Bridge and Bungy Team. 

In Tom’s words “It is so much fun, I work with lovely people, the tourists are amazing you forget it is actually work!” “It has also been a cool experience meeting people from all over the world”.

We are so proud of you Tom! What a perfect end you have had to your academy journey.

Level 3 Tourism Plus – Eco-Tourism Projects

On Wednesday 24th of August the Level 3 Tourism Plus students presented their Eco-Tourism Projects at Auckland Zoo. With a classroom leading straight out into the tropical bird aviary, this provided the perfect backdrop to showcase projects that have encompassed environmental sustainability and community engagement. Our students have demonstrated the highest levels of our school values; Rangatiratanga, Manaakitanga and Whanaungatanga in developing their own environmental community-based projects. Students have worked with Lincoln Heights Primary School sourcing and planting native trees. They have worked to establish a vegetable garden at Arohanui School. They have worked with Massey Playcentre to create a butterfly garden. They have upcycled tyres from the School’s Automotive Academy to create vegetable planters at Te Piringatahi o te Maungaarongo Marae. Other groups have helped source toiletries and make homemade soaps for Give a Kid a Blanket and another group has worked to upcycle coffee grounds for compost for our own school garden.

Claudine, who oversees Environmental Education at Auckland Zoo was blown away with the quality of the projects and the students’ passion for all they had achieved. Our students spoke openly about problem solving, communication and being so proud of the legacy they have created in this community. The Eco-tourism short course is run in conjunction with The International Travel College and is one that Massey High School has developed with them. It has certainly become the highlight of the Level 3 course.

A huge thank you to all the community partners that have worked alongside us and a huge congratulations to: Jay Rielly-Wolfgang, Sarah-Jane Crone, Shyla Dutt, Jessy Edwards, Tom Maulio, Javahn Tuitama, Kahn Wilson, Siena McKay-Matthews, Paige Knauf, Destiny Mongpraneet and Penny Edwards for all your hard work and brilliance with these projects. We are very proud of you.

Level 3 Tourism Plus – Eco-Tourism Projects

Our Level 3 Tourism Plus students are undertaking community projects based around the concept of the Tiaki Promise (Keep New Zealand Clean, Protect New Zealand Nature and Show Respect). Destiny Mongpraneet and Paige Knauf made use of the Teacher Accord Day on Wednesday to visit Lincoln Heights Primary School. Here, they worked with a group of 20 Year 5/6 students to help plant some native Psedopanax bushes. As the bushes grow, they will help provide more privacy to this area of the school as it is very close to nearby houses. In addition, the Psedopanax is a fantastic native for attracting a multitude of insect species, which is great for the school and great for NZ wildlife. This project also provided a fantastic learning opportunity for the Lincoln Heights students and despite the drizzle, they enjoyed every moment of being out of the classroom learning how to plant seedlings. Destiny and Paige will be presenting their project at Auckland Zoo next Wednesday. Congratulations girls, what a fantastic project you have completed.

Tourism Plus Project Establishing Garden Beds for our Arohanui Special School at MHS.

As part of the community initiative from our Tourism Plus Academy students, Jay Wolfgang, a student in the above academy and one of our Gold Badge Prefects, is planning and enabling garden beds to be built.  This will allow students to have the experience in growing plants and maintaining a garden. Jay’s aim and thoughts are below.

"In establishing a formative initiative, I took the opportunity to open Massey High School’s aroha to the Arohanui Disability Satellite classes based here on MHS campus.

As part of my Tourism Plus Academy sustainability project, together, in conjunction with the building academy, we are creating a vegetable garden for the students of Arohanui so that they can have the learning experience of gardening and vegetable growing. 

Supporting our disability community within our school, through this project and developing a relationship between MHS and Arohanui Disability Satellite Unit has been an honour.  This has been an incredible opportunity to bridge the two schools and showcase our Academies which I am proud to be a part of."

- Jay Wolfgang 

We are very pleased to see our Tourism Plus Academy students involved so deeply with our local communities. Well done to all.