As the Easter hype heightened last Thursday, the kids had more than one thing to be excited about. 

Yes, the countdown was on for the Easter bunny, but the students also unveiled their very own billy cart ready for the Gresford Billy Cart Derby.

The derby was to be held on Saturday and having completed a successful test run, the students and principal Donna Stackman were quietly confident. 

A labour of love, the billy cart was revealed to family at an Easter barbecue lunch, hat parade and fun day.

It was formed as part of the school’s “Dad’s Rock In Schools” program and dads and grandfathers visited the school each Wednesday to create the cart with their children. 

One pop, who owns a custom hot rod and motorbike shop, helped build the frame so all the students could be involved in putting it together. 

Two of the senior students, Daltyn McCartney and Natalie Lear, were nominated to drive the cart and said they were very excited despite being a little nervous about the big hill. 

Ms Stackman said she really wanted to share the good word that Jerrys Plains Public is a focal point in the local community and providing different options for parents, especially dads, to be involved with their children at school was important. 

She said the program has had sky rocketing benefits to date and the children have really enjoyed working together with their dads in the program.