Annually, one Year 12 student and five Year 10 students from each school in our network volunteer to participate in a 105-kilometre relay run along the Whanganui River (Te Awa Tupua), from Raetihi to Cullinane College in Whanganui. Over three days, the students run 50 kilometres in 5-kilometre increments, with local marae providing hospitality and accommodation.
In addition to providing an excellent platform for education on topics related to Te Ao Māori, social justice, and leadership, the run also serves as a fundraising event for the Young Neighbours Charitable Trust. This trust supports teenagers from our Neighbour’s Partner Communities, who live in isolated areas across Aotearoa with limited access to secondary schools, enabling them to attend a school within the Marist Network.
Donations are currently open for Awa Run 2025! Click here to find your favourite school and donate to them (it’s definitely not a competition, we swear).
