From Kimbolton to Michigan

IT’S a long way from Kimbolton, Manawatu, to Michigan, United Sates, but that’s the journey that may be undertaken by members of the Kimbolton School’s community problem solving team next year.

As a result of the team’s dual restoration programme of the historic Kimbolton Library with the Kimbolton Community Committee, it has been selected as a New Zealand representative to the international community problem solving finals in the United Sates next year.

Principal Linda Campbell is extremely proud of the team’s achievement but said the school now faced a challenging decision as to whether to take up the invitation in view of the cost involved, believed to be in excess of $40,000.

She plans to hold a meeting later this month with parents and school board members to discuss the possibility of the team appearing at Michigan State University in May 2009 with up to 2000 other competitors from around the world.
Future Problem Solving New Zealand’s Administration Director, Julie Styan, said it had been an amazing achievement for the school, which was one of the smallest at the New Zealand finals.
“The judges were most impressed with the way the children had got the whole community on board and with the amount of work they were prepared to put in and the commitment they had shown,” she said.