After a gruelling eight week intensive physical training course, 25 students are embarking on the ‘Longest Day' challenge.

CACTUS (Combine Adolescent Challenge Training Unit and Support) is a police course aimed to test the physical and mental capacity of recruits.

This weekend sees the completion of the course at Reporoa College after graduates complete the Longest Day challenge.

CACTUS recruits in training.

Rotorua police course coordinator Sergeant Steve Sutton says the Reporoa College course has gone extremely well, with some life changing moments for many of the students.

'We have seen a major shift in attitude from some of the students and they have learned to work as a team,” says Steve.

'They are developing a sense of accountability in each other and themselves that they probably wouldn't have understood without participating in the course.”

For three mornings a week, before school, students went on training exercises including military style physical training sessions, followed by compulsory showering and then breakfast.

'The focus is on discipline and working as a group – the feedback from students, local residents and community partners has been very positive,” says Steve.

'It's fantastic to be doing something positive in Reporoa and it's great to see everyone getting behind a great community project which has benefits far beyond individuals or schools.”