Genevieve’s new journey
Genevieve MacDonald will be missed by many people as she steps down from the Life Education Trust. Photo: Supplied.
She has helped hundreds of primary school children develop life skills, always ready with a smile and a kind word.
Life Education Trust Marlborough’s Genevieve MacDonald has been helping her good friend Harold the giraffe for 12 years.
Now she is ready to let someone else help the popular figurehead and friend as she moves on from the role she loves.
It’s been an experience she will always treasure, Genevieve says, adding her favourite memories are of the children and Harold.
“It’s the children. The children who sometimes come and think they’re too old for Harold but then want to know when they’re coming back. It’s their sense of humour, their willingness to learn.
“When I went into the mobile classroom for the last time and said goodbye to Harold it was sad.”
The Healthy Harold programme supports children to make good decisions relating to their health and welfare.
Teaching covers content including food and nutrition, human biology, , identity, resilience, and substances.
Genevieve, a registered teacher says she spotted an advert for the role and knew it was the job for her.
“It [the programme] looked like a lot of fun and so I applied and low and behold, I got the job.”
Making the move to a new home her and her husband have built just north of Kaikoura marks a new chapter for them both.
While she is not retired, the time is right to make a change, Genevieve says.
“We’re shifting angles a bit as it was getting hard to enjoy our lifestyle.
“It’s exciting, we have the most amazing views of the mountains and sea. We’ll enjoy our time but I’ll probably teach again one day.”
Since commencing in May 2006, Marlborough’s mobile classroom has visited about 99 percent of the primary and intermediate schools in the Marlborough region, including Rai Valley, the Marlborough Sounds and Kaikoura.
Harold has always struck a chord with the children who meet him, Genevieve says.
"He’s really cheeky and he makes mistakes and isn’t afraid to admit that. He has a big heart, giraffes have a heart the size of a basketball.
““It’s been an absolute great run but things change, don’t they?”