As part of their Make a Difference (MAD) week, held over four days in early December, KAS students and teachers came up with a range of activities to help out businesses in the Macleay Valley.

Activities included: singing carols at a variety of locations including the Macleay Valley House nursing home, Bupa healthcare centre and Woolworths.

Students helped out the Kempsey Cemetery keeper with gardening and weeding and also conducted gardening work at the Trial Bay Gaol in South West Rocks.

Visiting the Dalaigur Pre-school, students participated in Indigenous games, dance performances, didgeridoo performances and helped contribute to a clay project for the 2018 Sculptures in the Gaol as well as helping to re-paint artwork around the pre-school.

The Salvation Army also got a helping hand with students working to put up the Salvo Christmas display and help with sorting Salvo donations.

Kids worked to tidy up the Kempsey Showgrounds - helping with gardening and weeding while the surfaces of the PCYC venue and vehicles also got a solid scrubbing as students pitched in with some cleaning.

At the Good Start Early Learning Centre, students helped to paint a mural, play games and help with minor gardening.

Students also walked the streets handing out chocolate gifts to locals and businesses.

“It’s been an opportunity at the end of the year for students to do service learning – connecting with the community by being practical and hands on,” school chaplain Kieren Jackson told the Argus.

“It is very empowering for the students because a lot of their learning is in a school environment, which is contained, whereas by doing service projects in the community they are getting out and active amongst the community,” he said.

“I believe what they are learning is relevant to everyday life where they see the cause and effect straight away.

“The students see the impact of the work they are doing whether it's singing to the older generation at a nursing home or seeing the difference of a garden that has been weeded.”