"We wanted the chairs to make the area more social and comfortable and they look great," Hanwood's vice captain Jayda Cook said.

Students in year six decided they wanted to leave their mark on the school by creating a relaxing space for students to study or enjoy with friends. After approaching the school principal, Monica St Baker with their idea, they were encouraged to put together a proposal that pushed students to understand all the details that goes into making a big purchase. Sourcing the chairs and some alternative options from Griffith businesses, breaking down the overall costs and putting together a timeline were just some of the tasks the 11 year old students took responsibility for.

The Student Representative Council (SRC) was approached to get involved to help raise funds for the chairs and they got the Parent's Committee (P&C) on board too.

"The SRC came to us with a letter they had prepared explaining what they wanted to do for the year six area and we put their proposal to a vote and we thought it was a fantastic idea," Karen Woolnough, committee member of the P&C said.

"The students wanted two chairs but could only raise enough for one so we have matched the money they raised to give them another one."

Students organised various 'fun days' and candy guessing competitions over roughly half a term to successfully get the money together, a feat that didn't surprise their principal.

"The school was going to chip in if the students couldn't raise the whole amount, but in the end we didn't need to," Mrs St Baker said.

The collaborative, Project Based Learning approach at Hanwood Public School encourages students to take responsibility for decision making processes and acquire valuable life skills for their future along the way. Mrs St Baker said the approach builds children's self confidence and personal resilience as they learn the intricacies of how to cooperate with others towards a common goal.

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