Students buoyed by gym grant

MARANATHA Christian School students will be jumping and rocking to the news of a $69,000 grant to upgrade their campus gymnasium and music block.
The Endeavour Hills campus will undergo the transformation at the end of year and will be ready to use at the start of school in 2008.
The school community will contribute just under $6000 with the rest being picked up by the Federal Government through its Investing in our Schools program.
Principal Andrew Mackenzie said the school’s 1100 students, from three different campuses, would make great use of the new facility.
“The funding is very welcome. What we are going to do is build a mezzanine floor to the gym. We will also be making new office areas for the PE staff who are currently not working from the gym,” Mr Mackenzie said.
He said the gymnasium was one of the most used buildings on the campus with an array of activities taking place throughout the school year.
“We are also hoping to set up a weight room in there too,” he said.
Victorian Senator Mitch Fifield said the grant was part of a $1.18 billion program to help government, independent and catholic schools across the country.
“A strong national economy means that benefits can flow locally into great projects such as this. The whole school community is to be congratulated for its hard work and dedication in making this project a reality,” Senator Fifield said.