Ukraine supporters – students and staff at Te Miro.
Inspired by the generosity of Tauranga construction boss Sid Carter, Te Miro school children have done their bit to help the victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A Rep group, comprising year six to eight students shared their concerns about the Ukraine situation with principle Michaela Phillips and a plan was draw up.
“We talked about the different ways that we might be able to help,” she said. “When we found out what Sid Carter was doing, we decided we wanted to help out with this Ukraine Refugee initiative. He was our inspiration for what we ended up doing.”
Carter had no ties with the Ukraine until earlier this year, when he became friends with a Ukrainian economist he met on holiday. 
He helped her escape with her father to Bulgaria and then with help of friends he assisted a further seven Ukrainian families to safety.
We hoped to raise $450 for a family so they would be able to escape the towns they lived in to get to a safer place,” Michaela Phillips said.
“We had many ideas of how to do this but ended up having a dress-up day at school where people came dressed in blue and yellow to support Ukraine. Our generous community smashed our goal of $450 and we ended up raising $1032.
“It rained all day but we had a big shared morning tea, did sunflower art and organised games.”
She paid tribute to her students.
“They are empathetic and collaborate well with each other. They have organised and orchestrated the whole thing and are now communicating with the two families they were able to help”
“We have pictures of them and their children and we can communicate with them through WhatsApp,” student Ari Suter said.
“We just hope they all make it out safely”.
Elliott Axcell said the community deserved a “massive thank you” for being so generous with donations and for caring.
“The collaboration at Te Miro primary was amazing and we raised a lot of money considering we are just a small school with 58 students”.
