Kindergarten celebrates 20th

Wakatipu Kindergarten head teacher Sally Hogg gets a helping hand to cut the cake from pupils Scarlett Rose (4), Rachel Scobie (4) and Sam Staples (4) during the kindergarten's 20th anniversary on Wednesday. Photos by Felicity Wolfe.

The day was as much about the service of much-loved head teacher Sally Hogg, who has been the kindergarten's mainstay over that time.

"She was the head teacher when the kindy first started," committee president Sonja Kooy said.

"She takes a huge interest... I'm sure she remembers all of the names of the past kids."

In fact, several former pupils were at the celebration - two from the first intake, Laura Chisholm and Rachel Jackson, are now working at the kindergarten and credit both the place and Mrs Hogg with making it a wonderful experience.

Mrs Hogg also keeps up with her former charges long after they graduate from the kindergarten.

"It doesn't stop when they walk out the door," Mrs Kooy said.

"She does a lot for the community and puts heart and soul into what she does."

Another former pupil, Olivia Hill, who has nearly completed a medical degree, presented Mrs Hogg with one of her own kindergarten paintings.

Former colleagues said Mrs Hogg was the soul of the kindergarten and an exceptional teacher.

Part-time Frankton Kindergarten teacher Gill Wikstrom, who worked at Wakatipu Kindergarten in 1993, said Mrs Hogg was "one of the best kindergarten teachers in the country".

"She is able to bring out the best in children, parents and teachers and is also a great deal of fun," Mrs Wikstrom said.

The kindergarten itself had been well supported by the Queenstown community since its inception at a meeting in 1986.

Much of the money raised to build the kindergarten was raised through a plan to build a house in just one day - a project which Queenstown rallied around and hundreds of builders and trades people worked on.

Former Queenstown Rotarian Alex Dickson, who managed the project, said the cottage on Kelvin Heights was built in 19 hours and is still in top shape more than 20 years on.

The cottage was then sold at auction for $80,000, which was given to the kindergartenThe kindergarten - designed by Queenstown architect Michael Wyatt - had become "a great community asset", Central Otago Kindergarten Association president Belinda Crichton said.

The kindergarten also held its annual fundraising bottle auction on Friday evening, raising over $10,000 towards expanding the building.