Combined Adolescent Challenge Training Unit and Support (CACTUS) is a nationwide physical training and self-discipline programme designed to help young people build fitness, confidence and teamwork.
Eighteen Tokomairiro High School students took part in the seven-week programme, headed by Milton martial arts trainer Kelvin McSkimming.
Activities on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6.30am to 8am included swimming, dojo training and tractor tyre shifting, along with breakfast, and cooked breakfast with guest speakers every Friday.
Courses tend to be over-subscribed and three Otago Polytechnic occupational therapy students drove from Dunedin each morning to complete work for their course assignment.
"There have been plenty of challenges and plenty of fun had along the way," Project Bruce community worker Stephanie Daniel said.
"We had our ‘Longest Day’ last Saturday where the students were dropped off at Lake Rd and took to the bike track to get to the Waihola lakefront."
The students had fun kayaking before the next challenge — lifting a car.
"It was an excellent teamwork effort but wasn’t quite achieved as the body of the car was lifted, just not quite the wheels."
Graduates received certificates in a ceremony and the CACTUS programme looks set to become a fixture in Milton, as well as Balclutha, where it continued from last year.
