This is the best day of my life!

The Hafnarfjörður Primary School Festival was recently held, where around 800 young people attended, danced and had fun without any problems and were a great credit. Sara Pálmadóttir and Sigmar Ingi Sigurgeirsson, the festival's project managers, are also the heads of two of the nine (now nine) leisure centres for the primary schools in Hafnarfjörður. The local paper, Hafnfirðingur, met them recently and chatted about the festival. 

Sara and Sigmar began preparations for the celebration at the end of November by meeting all the chairs and vice-chairs of the primary school student councils and asking them how they envisaged the celebration. „It's them who decide. We accommodate their wishes as best we can and advise on what's needed, for example, with the theme, DJ, musical acts and so on. For them, for example, the colour of the wristband is very important and they no longer want a raffle in the middle of the party. This is primarily about collaboration. „We let them know exactly what musicians charge to perform so that they understand the cost,“ says Sara.

Want to reach kids who aren't in sports

Sara has worked at Mosann, the youth club of Hraunvallar School, since 2011, and Sigmar is in his 10th year of various jobs related to social work in the town, now at Vitanum in the old Lækjarskóli. „The reason we do this is that it's fun. We've followed these kids from Year 1 all the way up to Year 9 and Year 10.“ says Sigmar. Sara adds that it's also an advantage to turn up for work and not know at all how the day will go.. „It's important to have something for the kids; there's a great preventative value in them turning up. We're proactive with all sorts of educational activities and we make a real effort to get kids who aren't involved in sports or other hobbies to come to us.“

Good attendance and participation

Two to four major joint school events are held each month throughout the year, in addition to events related to Samfés: the Stíll design competition, a toy competition, a singing competition, a dancing competition and an e-sports tournament. „There is a very good turnout every evening at the youth centres, and teenagers are ready to take part in everything on the programme.“ says Sara, and Sigmar adds that they are also very good at coming up with ideas. „They find the youth clubs“ joint events fun, for example, a dance for the 220 and 221 postcodes, and we also make a point of visiting other youth clubs. Maybe 50 teenagers will attend an opening party at one school, but 200 people will go on a walk around Hvaleyrarvatn Lake."

This is the best day of my life! 

Sara and Sigmar agree that it is rewarding to watch children flourish in social activities, connect with others and develop their social skills.a. „It's so lovely to see them doing good things after they've left us, like, for example, Króli [singer Kristinn Óli Haraldsson], who was the chairman of the student council at Hraunvallar school. At Setbergs school, for example, they have a „Wall of Fame“ to honour former pupils,“ says Sara, recalling that, when asked, the most rewarding moments are when children show gratitude, affection and warmth for just a small thing, like offering popcorn in the after-school club.; „Sara, this is the best day of my life!"

An interview with Sara and Sigmar was published in Hafnfirðinginn on 24 February.