This year the Woolworths ‘Making The Difference’ programme’s competition was aimed at getting Grade 4 learners thinking creatively and expressing their ideas about healthy living. The 'My World' competition involved learners conceptualising and producing storyboards for a 60-second educational TV commercial. The themes for the commercial, such as healthy foods, healthy eating, keeping the environment clean and maintaining a healthy body, encouraged learners to apply the knowledge they had gained through the ‘Making The Difference’ programme. The goal of the commercial is for the ‘Making The Difference’ alien characters, Xena & Torak, to take back to their planet to show their community how to establish a strong, sustainable society. All participating schools created their storyboards using the art materials provided in the Woolworths Creativity Kit. This ensured that under-resourced schools had the same tools as other schools. Another condition of entry for the competition was that schools initiated and implemented community clean-up projects to promote healthy living values in their areas. “In this way we are hoping to encourage more and more schools to go out into their communities and really make a difference”, said Pieter Twine, Project Head for MySchool at Woolworths. Muizenberg Junior School in the Western Cape took top honours in the ‘My World’ competition and their winning storyboard will be made into a 60-second television commercial. The production has a R20 000 budget, and the learners will get to act out the roles themselves. The school also won a R5 000.00 cash prize. “We are incredibly excited to have won the ‘My World’ competition and the learners can’t wait to see their creativity come to life”, said Dee Milford, Principal at Muizenberg. “We have been participating in the ‘Making The Difference’ programme for the last two years and each year our Grade 4 learners have been challenged to extend their creativity, imagination and learn to work in teams” The Ridge and Crossroads School, both from Johannesburg, were the runners-up. They each received cash prizes of R2 500.00. Woolworths ‘Making The Difference’ is an educational initiative that has been implemented at 300 schools and is expanding to 600 schools nationally in 2006. Through ‘Making The Difference’, Woolworths shares its extensive knowledge of good food, nutrition and healthy living. The programme targets Grade 4 learners, teachers and parents through teacher resource packs, educational outings and parent talks. The ‘My World’ competition enables learners to demonstrate what they have learnt during the school year in a fun and rewarding way. The ‘Making The Difference’ programme is part of Woolworths ongoing commitment to uplifting education in South Africa.

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This year the Woolworths ‘Making The Difference’ programme’s competition was aimed at getting Grade 4 learners thinking creatively and expressing their ideas about healthy living.