Issue 8 - May 2022
Reflections Providing opportunities to shine www.otc.school.nz
VALUES
PURPOSE
We stand strong, strive for excellence, work together, and have respect for all
Let Learning Enlighten Life Ōtūmoetai College is an inclusive learning community where identity, optimism and challenge form the foundation for all learners to flourish in a dynamic world. The learning environment will enable students to achieve their personal best in their academic studies, the arts, sporting and cultural pursuits. During their journey, our students will grow into powerful learners who embrace diversity, resilience and develop meaningful relationships with others. This is our purpose and our commitment.
FEATURES
Ōtūmoetai College Contacts
04 07 08 09 18
Enrolments Dave Cleland (Deputy Principal) dcleland@otc.school.nz Office Gwen Livingston 576 2316 office@otc.school.nz Friends of Ōtūmoetai College - Rachel Chaney chaneyfive@gmail.com Extra Curricular Contacts Sport - Paul Braddock (Director) pbraddock@otc.school.nz Music - Matt Bodman (HOD) mbodman@otc.school.nz Performing Arts - Mandy Rowe (HOD) mrowe@otc.school.nz Māori Performing Arts - Kuni Williams (HOD) kwilliams@otc.school.nz
2
Kimihia tōu ake maunga teitei Whakakotahitanga Whakakoha tētahi ki tētahi Tū pakari i te ao
21 22 23 27 31
Whare Spirit Competition Meet our Year 9 Deputy Principal - Stephen Tisch An Interview with our Year 9 Deans Year 9 Thoughts on 2022 so far... Welcome to Ian Ridgway - Our New Sports Development Director Scholarship Winners 2021 Introducing the BOT Student Representative 2022 Introducing the Head Students for 2022 Introducing Student Leaders for 2022 Welcome To Our New Teachers
REGULARS 03 06 11 13 20 30 35 36 38
From the Principal Editorial Student Sport Student Success Deputy Principal of Achievement Staff Celebrations From the Archives Where Are They Now? -Mark Webster Calendar
Message from the Principal Values are an important part of any national curriculum, and the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) has placed a strong emphasis on their role in education. The values set out in the NZC are excellence, innovation, inquiry and curiosity; diversity; equity, community and participation; ecological sustainability; integrity, and respect. Values in the curriculum implicitly and directly affect all members of New Zealand schooling communities. The Ministry of Education has long acknowledged that education is neither value-free nor neutral, and most policy documents attempt to include statements about the kind of educational aims such as key learning areas and competencies that the curriculum, and therefore teachers, parents and pupils, should aspire to promote and achieve. As a teacher and a parent, I know that I want all of our children to be inquisitive, have respect for themselves and others, value difference, and be valuable contributors to society. The New Zealand Curriculum Framework will only take us so far, and we rely on parents and caregivers to play their part to reinforce the commonly held values which underpin New Zealand’s democratic society.
Russell Gordon, Principal A way of teenagers taking back some control was illustrated by a recent on-line survey in America, which found that teenagers number one goal was to seek fame, not in an altruistic sense, but as an end in itself. They simply wanted to be famous for being famous. I am sure that this position is not typical of all teenagers, but it is undeniable that teenagers see and respond to the world differently from you and I. While society continues to evolve, we are proud to share with you the corporate responsibility of helping our students develop and clarify their own values and beliefs, in order that they become contributing, respectful members of their community who acknowledge and value diversity.
Given this period of unpredictability, it is harder now for our kids to find their true north as so many things appear out of their control.
3
10KTB
Whare Spirit Competition Led by Leo Wilson, Whare Staff Leader The Whare Spirit Corner competition has been a way to celebrate Whare pride within form classes in lieu of Whare Assemblies and other big Whare events due to Covid restrictions. Form classes had five weeks in Term 1 to decorate a corner of their classroom in their Whare colours. There was a wealth of vibrant, creative, and appropriately coloured entries from across the five Whare. The top two entries from each Whare were voted on by staff to find out which form class had the most Whare Spirit. These are just some of the entries.
9MRB
13STT
13HNR 4
4
9CHA 1st place
11LNM 2nd place
13SLP 3rd place
9PLP 13CRB
10LSS 3
Editorial The International Flavour Recently New Zealand schools were given the opportunity to welcome back a limited number of international students from around the world who have chosen to spend a semester living and learning in New Zealand. Ōtūmoetai College is fortunate to welcome an additional 10 students
watching them as they assimilate themselves into our school community, as they learn, grow and share something of themselves with others, during their six months in our country.
in July. These students will hail from a variety of countries and bring with them their cultures, traditions, and values, which adds a wonderful sense of diversity to our campus life.
kids are so much more than a figure on a balance sheet. The benefit our local young people gain from the exposure to new cultures and peopleto-people connections helps to broaden their friendship base and expand their horizons as they look to take their place in an increasingly global marketplace. “Our children are growing up in a whole new world - one in which as workers and citizens they will be working with people and issues from all parts of the globe in ways that simply weren’t true for most of us.” (James B. Hunt Jn., National Coalition on Asia and International Studies in Schools).
I look forward to meeting and greeting these students to our school as I am often struck by their composure and self-assurance, which I guess is a pre-requisite for a teenager who is prepared to travel half way around the globe to be in a different country. I enjoy watching their reactions throughout the pōwhiri ceremony as our school kapa haka welcomes them as honorary Ōtūmoetai College students. I will also enjoy
6
While the financial benefit is apparent, these
Meet Our Year 9 Deputy Principal Stephen Tisch Tell us a little about yourself? I was raised in Christchurch as part of a large family of nine - mum, dad and seven kids. I am the second youngest. After graduating from the University of Canterbury and Christchurch Teachers’ College I started my teaching career at Rotorua Boys’ High School. My journey has now led me to Ōtūmoetai College. My wife Nicola and I have three children and they have made us better human beings through the dynamics that come naturally from doing life together! How do you see the role of Deputy Principal Year 9? I remember a wise person in a school setting once saying that “if each little person has at least one big person looking out for them, then we’re doing our job”. As Deputy Principal of the Year 9 cohort, I see my role as making that happen. It is like being the coach of a large team of 428 players! Guiding, suggesting and sometimes having to make difficult decisions. Mostly though, I want to be cheering as students achieve their goals and make our world a better place. Who are some of your role models and why? Role models I admire are those who have positive values that they stick to. Fortunately for me, my mum and dad are awesome and laid the foundation as positive selfless role models. I realise though that not everyone is that fortunate. Outside of family, my hero when growing up was the All Black Michael Jones. He played the game with passion but rugby wasn’t all that his life was about. He didn’t play rugby on a Sunday because of his faith but was still respected all over the world. My favourite quote from him was when he was asked why he tackled so hard and he said “It’s better to give than to receive! What is the best piece of advice you have been given? When making an important decision, list the pros and cons and then sleep on it.
As you will be travelling with the 2022 Year 9 cohort through their five years at Ōtūmoetai College, what are some of the goals you have for this cohort? That anyone who wants to achieve their personal best has the opportunity to do so. Whatever their curricular or extra-curricular interest, that they will connect with others and be challenged so that they grow into resilient young people who thrive in, and contribute to, our dynamic world. What is a little known fact about you? In 1999, I worked for a telecommunications company in the Netherlands. Het was geweldig!
Year 9 Deputy Principal Stephen Tisch (left) with Year 9 Deans, Vanessa Hays and Craig Grant
7
An Interview with the Year 9 Deans Craig Grant What are your areas of teaching expertise and how long have you been a teacher at Ōtūmoetai College? I am a Social Scientist, with a degree in History and Political Science. When I decided to become a teacher, I trained to teach History and Senior Social Studies but ended up teaching Geography at my previous school. I now teach Tourism and Junior Social Studies. I have been teaching at Ōtūmoetai College since joining the team in 2019 after moving to Tauranga from Auckland. I love working here! What were the reasons for you choosing to become a dean? It’s an incredible privilege to work with so many amazing young people with such incredible potential. For me, the work of teaching is far more than just teaching a subject or learning area; it’s about teaching young people as they journey towards being adults. A massive aspect of this journey is having people around them that support them to make good decisions. I see deaning as a different opportunity to support students as they journey through college life. So far, it’s going really well. What are your hopes and aspirations for the 2022 Year 9 cohort? We get through the year, without another lock down! I hope that every Year 9 this year feels they have had a successful year, that they have found love and enjoyment in their learning and have found their place at Ōtūmoetai College. If you could share some valuable wisdom to our Year 9 students as they begin their secondary college journey, what would that advice be? Get involved! Your experience of college is something that you will remember for the rest of your life. You may not remember what you learned or even your teachers, but you will remember what you got involved in outside of the classroom. There are so many different opportunities for you here, you just need to find them and grab them with both hands!! 8
What is a little known fact about you? Before I was a teacher, I worked as an interior designer and lighting designer. When I lived in London, I worked for an amazing lighting firm that did work for Simon Cowell, David Beckham, and the Queen!
Vanessa Hays What are your areas of teaching expertise and how long have you been a teacher at Ōtūmoetai College? This will be my 12th year at the college. I teach Geography and Sociology at the senior level, however, I’m becoming more and more interested in New Zealand history and I really enjoy teaching this in Social Studies. What were the reasons for you choosing to become a dean? Having had previous experience as a dean, one of the most rewarding aspects is being able to help facilitate solutions for all sorts of scenarios that arise in the students’ lives. This is a big motivating factor in choosing to do this role. Seeing students mature and develop over 5 years. What are your hopes and aspirations for the 2022 Year 9 cohort? To see school as more than just a place where one gathers knowledge and becomes ‘educated’. My hope is that our cohort sees Ōtūmoetai College as a community that they have an active role in shaping. I would like for them to come to appreciate that what they do here and how they see their school matters not just to them but to the wider community as well. If you could share some valuable wisdom to our Year 9 students as they begin their secondary college journey, what would that advice be? If you come into college with a positive attitude, focusing on the good things about college life, that will be reflected in your enjoyment of school during these short 5 years. What is a little known fact about you? I support West Ham United (but only for their song).
Year 9 Thoughts on 2022 so far... Amber Corney
Hannah Lines
What has been your impression of Ōtūmoetai College over the past term? It has been a very good first term with lots of nice people and teachers. I really enjoyed tech classes.
What has been your impression of Ōtūmoetai College over the past term? This first term at college has been great! I love how you have completely different people and teachers in each class. The first day was a little bit scary, and it was confusing trying to read the timetable and find your way around the school. To start off with, the school seemed massive and overwhelming, but now at the end of Term 1, it doesn’t feel big at all! The Year 13s and 12s were a little bit intimidating, but once you’ve been at school for a few weeks you start to settle in. There are also heaps of cool people here, and a massive amount of opportunities to get involved with!
What are some of the things you are looking forward to in Term two? Trying new techs and getting into more sports. What are the opportunities you have embraced since beginning college life? Eg: Sport, Cultural, Drama, Music, Committees? I am in the B netball team and have just finished term one volleyball. I have also trialled for multiple other things.
Finn Taylor What has been your impression of Ōtūmoetai College over the past term? It has been a very good term. It is very easy to find my way around the school, very good learning and PE is fun. The teachers are very helpful and the canteen is yummy too! What are some of the things you are looking forward to in Term two? My teachers for English and PE are leaving for the rest of the year so I am intrigued to see who the new teachers are. My new techs and to see what I am doing for PE. What are the opportunities you have embraced since beginning college life? Eg: Sport, Cultural, Drama, Music, Committees? Sport is good and in music I have learnt how to play some instruments. In drama I’ve learnt how to say lines and memorise a full script.
What are some of the things you are looking forward to in Term two? A few of the things I’m looking forward to in Term 2 are getting a new timetable with two new techs to trial, meeting new people and experiencing new opportunities, being able to play water polo, and getting involved with the swimming sports. What are the opportunities you have embraced since beginning college life? Eg: Sport, Cultural, Drama, Music, Committees? Some of the things I’ve embraced since being at college are some of the whare competitions. They’re such a cool idea to get people involved in the school activities! Within the first month of college, our form classes went on a trip to Whakamarama. I think that was great because it got us to meet people early in the year! I’ve been lucky enough to be able to try an awesome Spanish drink that we had during Spanish class, as well as some super cool experiments in Science, we’ve also made some pretty yummy food in Food Technology!
9
Year 9 Thoughts on 2022 so far... Holly Inglis-Collis
Simon Usseglio
What has been your impression of Ōtūmoetai College over the past term? College has had its ups and downs. It’s been terrifying as well as exhilarating. It was rather intimidating at first meeting all these Year 12’s and 13’s as well as trying to adjust to the new schedule and trying to figure out where my classes were, but after a couple of weeks, once I’d settled in and got used to the college system, it was a breeze. Now that we’ve reached the end of our first term the school no longer feels as big and intimidating as it originally did. Now that I’ve settled in I’ve realized how many amazing opportunities there are as well as how many awesome and welcoming people there are.
What has been your impression of Ōtūmoetai College over the past term? It has been a great first term. The teachers are nice and the students are kind. There are so many opportunities it can get a little overwhelming. The canteen is so amazing. I think that this school is amazing and gives so many opportunities for you to choose from.
What are some of the things you are looking forward to in Term two? Some of the things I’m looking forward to in Term 2 are receiving a new timetable and getting to trial new techs. I’m also excited about water polo. As well as meeting new people and receiving new opportunities.
What are the opportunities you have embraced since beginning college life? Eg: Sport, Cultural, Drama, Music, Committees? The A football team, volleyball and hopefully lots more.
What are the opportunities you have embraced since beginning college life? Eg: Sport, Cultural, Drama, Music, Committees? One of the many things I’ve embraced at college is volleyball. I’ve had so many amazing opportunities from being invited to join a Year 10 team to getting invited to extended training seasons. Another thing I have personally embraced is getting involved with my whare, the whare competitions have genuinely been one of the highlights of my college experience so far, as well as getting to go out to Whakamarama with our form classes. I have also had some really cool opportunities with my learning!
10
What are some of the things you are looking forward to in Term two? I’m looking forward to my new techs and new classmates. I’m also looking forward to playing in the College Junior A football team this year.
Student Sport Rowing Last term was a busy, though challenging, time for our rowing team, with Covid-19 disruptions causing some logistical headaches. Despite these issues, and with a lot of hard work and preparation behind them, a number of the team made it to the North Island Secondary Schools Regatta, achieving notable success, with Jenna Brangwynne finishing 3rd in the U17 Single Sculls A final and the U18 novice Coxed Quad Sculls team also finishing 3rd in the A final. This was the ground work for the culmination of the season, when the team travelled to Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel for the 75th Maadi Cup. With age restrictions, mandates, zones and COVID, this was a huge accomplishment and couldn’t have been achieved without the amazing support of our sports department, parents and coaches. The team of Chloe Wright (Captain), Jenna Brangwynne, Sarah Laban-ten Dam, Sarah Paterson, Marika Porteners, Lydia Cunliffe, Elsa Alexander, Caitlin Wain, Nina Turner, Zoe Stubbing, Zara Brangwynne (Cox), Jack McClutchie, Kahnya Donaldson, Matthew Ryder and Loui Alexander were entered into 11 races.
11
10
ŌTC Rowing Team in Twizel The rowers gave it their all throughout the week and the results of the finals were: Jack McClutchie - 7th in C final (U17 single) Caitlin Wain & Zoe Stubbing - 7th in A final (U18 novice double) Jenna Brangwynne - 1st in B final (U17 single) Jenna Brangwynne & Sarah Laban-ten Dam - 4th in B final (U17 double) Chloe Wright & Nina Turner - 4th in C final (U17 double) A huge congratulations to all our rowers as well as our fantastic coaching team of Paul Clinton, Steve Porteners, Steve Rush, Teisha Pihama & Brandon Manuel. The team also wants to acknowledge the contributions of our teammates Chloe Wallsgrove & Sophie Read.
Senior A girls Volleyball teams
Student Sport Tennis Thank you to Angus Walpole and Angus Colquhoun for representing the school in the Boys’ Division One Singles at the BOP Secondary Schools’ Senior Tennis Champs in Papamoa in March.
Triathlon Earlier this year Sophie Garrett and Alex Rawlinson represented the school at the National Secondary Schools Triathlon in New Plymouth. With some regional events cancelled due to Covid restrictions, this was a highlight. Congratulations go to both girls for fantastic results, with Sophie finishing 6th in the U14 Girls event and Alex finishing 5th in the U16 Girls event.
Ultimate Frisbee Ultimate Frisbee is a new sport for the school and for the first time this year we had 2 boys teams and one girls team competing at the Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools Ultimate Frisbee Championships. With most students learning the rules on the day, there was some stiff competition from their more experienced competition. Despite that, all teams improved as the day went on and their understanding of the game grew. The girls team won 3 of their 5 games to finish 3rd in their grade. At the end of the day a member of each team was awarded a Spirit award by an opposite team. Congratulations for being the recipients on this occasion go to Bradley Wiessing, Indie Minshall and Grace Duncan.
12
Volleyball Four Senior Volleyball teams travelled to Taupo at the end of last term to compete in a Volleyball festival, a fun event organised to make up for some of the disruption to games that athletes have had to face over the last 3 seasons. Our Senior A Boys had two good wins and two very close losses; our Senior B Girls had 3 very close games and a loss. Our Senior A girls team won every game including a playoff game against Tauranga Girls which they won 3-0. They played 5 sets in the nail-biting final against Taupo, coming back from being 1-2 down to win the match. All the teams had a great time, and huge thanks are due to coaches Adam Braddock, Shane Blake, Stewart Henderson, Steve Meredith and Abbie Johnston for their support.
Senior A and B boys Volleyball teams
Student Success Sport Teaghan Denney - Sailing Past I started sailing when I was 7 as a result of my brother’s interest in the sport. I sailed in my first New Zealand Optimist Team (a type of small dinghy), when I was 12 in 2017. I made this team by competing in the Regional and New Zealand National Regattas, which are combined to give you an overall ranking. I was part of the top ten girls and qualified for the New Zealand Girls Development Team and went overseas to Sydney, Sail Sydney, Australia. By myself! The next year I trained hard without a coach and made two overseas teams: the New Zealand Asians Optimist Team and the New Zealand Girls Optimist Team. I travelled overseas to Myanmar to compete in the Asian Oceanic Optimist Championships 2018 and the Australian Optimist Nationals 2019 Hobart, Australia. I have also sailed the iconic boat the P Class in Tanners Cup and Tauranga Cup twice, winning Bay of plenty Tanners Cup Rep 2020. I aged out of the Optimist and P Class at 15. I moved up through Youth Boats the 420 and 29er. Finally, to the Laser Radial - ILCA 6 Youth and Olympic Class for females a single Dinghy Class. I started sailing the Laser Radial in March for a weekend in 2020. Next weekend Covid Lockdown. I trained in Auckland after the Covid Lockdown and spent weekends travelling up on Friday nights or early Saturday mornings for two full days of training before 13
travelling home on Sunday night. This is where I really learnt to juggle school and sport life. After training and facing lots of obstacles, like the effect of lockdown and Covid, I made it to my first New Zealand Yachting Youth Trials, a very windy and challenging regatta. I finished 2nd New Zealand Youth Girl and third overall Youth Girl. As a result of this I was asked to be a training partner for the top Youth Girl. In 2021, I competed in my first nationals where I finished 3rd Youth Girl. I kept training through the winter and in July I was invited to go to a week-long training camp with the Olympic Campaigning Women. Unfortunately, on the day of the 21st of July, I dislocated my knee while sailing. I now faced an even more challenging road to recovery. Being injured and not being able to sail or walk I was faced with a huge mental challenge, not knowing whether I would even be able to continue sailing. I also had the New Zealand Youth Trials coming up in October 2020, which I knew I would not be able to compete in because of my injury and not enough recovery time (5 weeks). Luckily for me the second Covid lockdown happened in Auckland, and the Youth Trials got postponed to February 2022. Present I competed in the ILCA 6 New Zealand Nationals in January,
in Picton. I finished first as a Youth Girl. I then competed in the New Zealand Sailing Youth Trials at the OceanBridge Regatta for 4 days and became the first Youth Girl. This meant I was nominated to compete in the Youth Worlds in Hague, Netherlands in July this year. I recently found out I had been accepted. The ILCA Nationals and the New Zealand Youth Trials were very nerve racking, as I was not back to my sailing fitness due to Lockdown and my knee injury. I didn’t know where I would be sitting in the ranking of all the youth sailors, after being out of sailing for a while. I have definitely learnt heaps about being resilient and never giving up and always giving your best effort. For each race I gave it everything I had. Future I hope to continue my training to get faster and fitter and to have a successful campaign at the Youth Worlds. After the Youth Worlds I will continue to learn and grow to hopefully have more successes in the future. Maybe even one day, I will achieve my dream of making it to the Olympics.
Student Success Sport Ashton Blair - Canoe Slalom In year 7 I was introduced to the sport of canoe slalom by my older brother. At the time I had been told by my physio that I couldn’t play sports involving running due to issues with my ankles, so I sat down in a kayak and got to work. I was instantly hooked on the sport when I paddled on white water for the first time. The feeling is incredible, you become one with the water to manoeuvre yourself around the river. After a year of training and developing a bomb proof eskimo roll I went on to win two gold medals at the Aims Games in year 8. Since then, I have been training 8 times a week on the water and in the gym. Canoe Slalom requires equal parts technique and strength to compete well. I have been fortunate to have been coached by world champions from all around the world; places such as Slovakia, France, Algeria, Ireland, and Czech Republic. They have helped us refine our skills as we help them refine their English.
I have been training and racing for almost 7 years now, winning my first national title at 13. At 15 I was selected for the New Zealand Development squad, spending two years in this before moving up to the National Performance squad in 2021. In this time I have won National and Oceanic titles in my category. This year I am placed 2nd nationally in my discipline in the open age group. Even though I am at the top end of my discipline I still have to race within a certain percentage of our Olympic athletes to be selected. This has driven me to train the hardest I ever have before the recent race season. Finally, the training paid off and I made the qualifying times to compete for New Zealand at the World Cup in Ivrea, Italy, June 2022. I also qualified in a
new Olympic sport, Extreme Slalom, which is essentially BMX on a river and requires a sturdy helmet and a mouth guard. Some of my greatest achievements have occurred in a recreational environment, paddling waterfalls like Maruia Falls and Huka Falls in my plastic kayak. Paddling off these drops, I push myself to the limit in high stakes environments and the adrenaline it provides trumps everything. I’m not sure what the future will hold for me in this sport, but I know I will always be drawn to the river.
Eva Guccione - Canoe Slalom I have been kayaking for the past five years, starting canoe slalom through AIMS games in year 8. Since then I have consistently performed well in races and various canoe slalom events. Following is a brief outline of my most notable achievements since I began racing in 2019. This list does not include results from smaller races such as BOP championships and other club races, only those results I am the most proud of. It should also be noted that in the bigger races, such as Oceanias and NZ Open, I was competing against international paddlers such as Australians, and various Europeans. In most of the listed races I was up against paddlers from all over the country, including Auckland, Hawkes bay, and Otago.
where I gained 2 bronze medals, and various BOP championships where I consistently got on the podium. An example of this is when I received a gold medal at the Rotorua Awa club races. In 2020 I also was first selected to the New Zealand Development squad, a team of the top 20 u18 paddlers in NZ who had been identified to be the
2019
next group of up and coming athletes. This program provided us with extra coaching, training camps, and more opportunities than other paddlers were presented with.
Competed in New Zealand Secondary schools (nzss) and gained 4 medals, 1 bronze, 2 silver and one gold. Following this competition was Nationals, where I gained 3 medals, 2 silvers and one bronze. 2020 NZSS and Nationals cancelled due to covid, however still managed to compete in the NZ open in January. I did not place in this event but I am still proud of myself for competing in a competition with international paddlers at the age of 14. In 2020 I competed in many smaller events such as the North island championships 15
1 bronze and 2 silver. As well as this I competed in the C2 mixed category, but narrowly missed the podium, getting a still commendable fourth place. Unfortunately Nationals were interrupted and eventually cancelled due to ‘Extreme wind conditions’ meaning that the results were not usable. As well as two silvers at the North Island Championships, I have raced in many many competitions at Kawerau, placing always in the top two for under 16 womens. In 2021 the CSNZ high performance system was rebranded as ‘the academy system’ I was selected for the equivalent of Development Squad, or ‘Bronze Academy’ This again allowed me to access more coaching, training, and opportunities than other athletes not part of this program. 2022
2021 In 2021 I started the year competing in my first Oceania championships, and my second NZ Open competition at the age of 15, In both of these competitions I placed amongst the top 10 u18 K1 women. In both of these races I was up against Olympians from NZ, the Cook Islands and the Netherlands. For NZSS and Nationals in 2021 we went to Lake Tekapo in the South Island. I came away from these two competitions with a total of 3 medals,
So far this year I have competed in four selection races taking place in Kawerau, and Vector Wero. For these I took away 2 bronze medals, One for K1w u18 and one for women’s extreme slalom. These two medals are so far my proudest accomplishments in Canoe Slalom. From these four selection races, I was able to qualify for the Junior New Zealand team in Extreme Slalom. This means that I, along with 30 other NZL athletes from the u23 and u18 category, will be travelling to Europe this year for the Junior World Cup, and other European Canoe Association races. Representing New Zealand and wearing the fern will be an absolute honour and I cannot wait to experience my sport on an international stage.
Student Success Hannah Walpole Hannah completed Year 13 last year and has since won a scholarship to Hamilton College in New York through Tennis - an amazing achievement! Can you tell us about your scholarship to Hamilton (name of University in the US) The Scholarship is for my first year of study at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. The scholarship covers the cost for tuition, board, and room fees. Hamilton College is a four year Institution, and the Scholarship will renew each year providing I meet the minimum academic requirements. I leave New Zealand on the 11th of August as my Freshman orientation programme commences on the 13th of August. I was extremely lucky with my College search as I ended up having multiple Colleges/Tennis Coaches interested in having me. I was, however, aiming to go to a top-class academic College and therefore needed to meet their academic criteria as well as have Coach support. Because of this, I applied to a number of schools in case I was declined from my first choice. Luckily, I was accepted into Hamilton College and withdrew my other applications. Hamilton College was my first choice for a number of reasons. Firstly, Hamilton College offers a top-class education with an Open-Curiculum. This gives me greater freedom to study what subjects I enjoy and also flexibility to explore new classes. Secondly, Hamilton College is located 16
in a small, safe town that is driving distance from cities including New York and Boston. Lastly, the sports conference Hamilton competes in is called NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference). This conference is made up of schools that belong to the unofficial “Little Ivies’’ group and strive to offer highclass academics as well as sporting opportunities. What was the process like in terms of gaining a US Scholarship? Any advice for future Ōtūmoetai College students? The process of obtaining my place in Hamilton College was certainly not easy and it did take take a lot of research, planning, and perseverance from me and my family. We chose to do the process by ourselves and not with a sports recruitment agent as my main priority was finding a good academic fit. If you are the same as me, then it is definitely possible to do it without a recruiting agent. I was also extremely lucky to have people, including teachers from Ōtūmoetai College, who helped me with the process both academically and sporting wise. My main piece of advice is to start the process as soon as possible. It takes a lot of time to get everything ready before you are able to contact coaches and Colleges. Being prepared early
will take a lot of pressure off College applications and you won’t risk coaches filling up their roster spots before you get the chance to reach out to them. Have you always wanted to study in America? Once I was introduced to the idea that I could continue my education and play tennis at a high level after I finished at Ōtūmoetai College, it was what I wanted to do. In New Zealand, we unfortunately do not have the same highly competitive sports system that US Colleges do. I also loved the idea of being in a team and playing for my College. Tennis is usually a very individual sport so I am looking forward to the supportive environment team sports have to offer. Finally, it is not often you are able to move your life overseas and explore a new country whilst it is cheaper than staying at home. A truly once in a lifetime opportunity that I wasn’t going to give up without trying to accomplish.
Hannah on the right
How long have you played Tennis for? What made you begin? Both my parents played tennis so I practically grew up at the Tennis Club. I can’t actually remember the first time I picked up a racquet, but, my guess would be around 5 or 6. I started playing competitively at the age of 8. Even though my family was the reason I started playing tennis, I immediately fell in love with the sport and haven’t stopped playing since. What has been your greatest Tennis achievement or experience?
of skills including time management, resilience, and persistence. Because I have always been so busy, in order to achieve at the highest level both in and out of the classroom, managing my time has always been crucial. I always find that in my busiest weeks I am more efficient with school work as I am diligent with my time and understand how valuable it is. Like anything in life, there are ups and downs in sports. I have definitely had
Playing tennis has given me so many amazing opportunities that it is hard to name just one greatest achievement or experience. The Tennis NZ National Junior Teams Event has repeatedly been my favourite tournament of the year and I was lucky to be selected for the Waikato Bays Team every year that I was eligible. It is a four-day tournament, usually held in Auckland, where you stay in the University Halls with all the other teams that are competing. This tournament is always so fun as you make so many new friends and my team was also fortunate to finish in a medal position three of the years we competed. Also, I would say coming Runner Up in the Tennis NZ Junior Masters was definitely one of my greatest achievements. The tournament is invite only to the top-8 players in NZ who have accumulated the most tennis points in a single year. How do you think playing Tennis and/or other sports has helped you academically? I believe playing a number of sports has helped my academics because it has taught me the importance 17
been a big change and it took me time to adjust. I am also running a Tennis Tournament in Masterton at the end of the School holidays which will be a great experience for me. What is your future plan? I am planning to Major in Neuroscience and potentially Minor in Economics. I am currently very interested in the Health Science and researching this career path, however, I am not certain yet. This is why Hamilton College’s Open Curriculum is perfect for me, as it will allow me to explore all my interests before having to settle on my exact major. What do you think you will miss most about New Zealand?
patches in my life where my tennis was not at its best and even though it was very difficult and demotivating at the time, I am proud of my resilience to keep going and never giving up on myself. Currently you are working as a Tennis Coach - can you tell us a bit about that? I am currently working as a tennis coach in the Wairarapa. I have been living alone in a guest house that belongs to the coach that I am working for. I coach 5 days a week at 4 schools, 3 clubs, and other private lessons. Prior to this, I had been coaching at Ōtūmoetai Tennis Club. I am really enjoying the job, but it definitely has
I am definitely going to miss my family and friends the most. I am very lucky to have amazing people in my life, but it is going to be really hard living so far away from them. Beside this, I am going to miss the sunshine, warm climate, and amazing beaches here. I have grown up in Tauranga my whole life and therefore have always had the beautiful beach so close. In America, I will be 3 hours from the nearest Coast and experience a lot of snow. Even though it is going to be a big change, I am excited to embark on new experiences and push myself out of my comfort zone.
Welcome to Ian Ridgway Our new Sports Development Director Last year a Sports Committee was formed to review how the school could further develop the Sports Department. One of the initiatives that came out of this review was to create a new role, the Sports Development Director. This role has been created to help lead the department and college in strategic planning and sponsorship, as well as developing and facilitating leadership programmes for emerging sports leaders, both students and adults. We were very lucky to secure Ian Ridgway to this role. In order to get to know a little bit about Ian we asked him the following questions… Tell us about your background? Why did you choose teaching as a career and what has led you to where you are in your career now? I first realised that teaching would be a huge part of my life when I was 17 years old and at college back in England. Learning how to coach various sports was a big part of my course, but it wasn’t until we started teaching groups of children from the local Special Needs School that I actually experienced a ‘goosebump’ moment where I knew this was where I needed to focus my passion and energy in helping young people fall in love with physical activity. I didn’t realise then that this would become my infinite purpose. That specific moment in time I remember as if it was yesterday. I had planned a lesson with a classmate which involved
teaching the group of SEN children to simply catch and pass, this would then be expanded into a bigger fun game. I happened to spend a small amount of time working with a young girl who was wheelchair bound due to severe cerebral palsy. After 5 minutes of being unable to catch a medium sized soft ball, she finally caught the ball I had passed to her. The look and explosion of excitement and the sense of achievement that came from her gave me goosebumps that lasted a lifetime. When I arrived home later that day I told my parents that I had found my purpose and where I was heading, to be a teacher of Physical Education. What were you doing prior to moving to Ōtūmoetai College? Before heading to Ōtūmoetai College I was Head of High Performance Sport at Otahuhu College, Auckland. I spent three and a half years there working with a variety of sportsmen and women specifically enhancing their physical qualities required by the specific positions or events of their chosen sport. This was expanded to all students who just wanted to move and feel better about themselves and we delved into the importance of nutrition and recovery. While there I was also heavily involved in the coaching of rugby across the Rugby Academy and 1st XV. Before heading to Auckland I had returned home to England for a year with my wife and two children after spending ten years living and working in Hong Kong. What is your role here at Ōtūmoetai College? What do you hope to achieve in this role? My job title here at Ōtūmoetai College is Sports Development Director, from that you can reshuffle the 18
words to see my main role is to develop sport. Ōtūmoetai College has realistic aspirations to be one of the best co-educational sports schools within the Bay of Plenty. To do this a school needs a number of things in place to make this happen. For example, and certainly not limited to; excellent coaches, a clear coaching framework, development pathways for student-athletes, a wide range of sporting opportunities, regular opportunities for coach development and a sense of belonging and importance of sport and physical activity shared by the whole school community. I hope to develop the love of being physically active. I would like to see a sports program that not only develops good sportsmen and women but also good people. A program that caters for those who are driven through the participation and success of sport and a program which also caters for those students who enjoy physical activity for very different reasons. Either way, students will leave Ōtūmoetai College with an array of personal qualities and accomplishments developed through physical activity and sport, along with a host of fond memories of their time at our school.
looks like weight training/crossfit/walking/swimming - just do something, and read or listen to a podcast which makes me think, makes me question and that sparks conversation. Some days the night will come closing in and on reflection I may have been able to add to my cup by helping someone, teaching someone a new skill or just having a really good conversation with someone. But then there are days where the cup isn’t quite as full as I’d like, and again spending some time reflecting at the end of the day why this might be and figuring out whether it was in my control or not. Keep topping up that cup. A little known fact about you that people might find interesting? According to the 23&me DNA testing kit I completed a few years ago I am related to the American outlaw of the late 1800’s Jesse James.
What do you like to do outside of school - i.e. sports, interests, family? I’m a big believer that we all have an imaginary cup and how we fill that cup each day is up to us. Sometimes things will happen which inadvertently add to the cup in a way we may not have wanted but on a whole we can make decisions as to how and what we put in the cup. I try my very best to fill my cup with what makes me happy, what gives me a sense of purpose and a feeling that I know something at the end of the day that I didn’t know at the start. To fill my cup in this there are a few things that are non-negotiable that I will find time for each day; spend quality time with my family where they have 100% of my attention, exercise no matter what it 3
Deputy Principal of Achievement Our final NCEA results for 2021 have recently been pubIished by NZQA and it is wonderful to see that Ōtūmoetai College (ŌTC) students continue to achieve excellent results. Tracking achievement and offering additional support when required is yielding positive returns for our students and enabling them to pursue their next steps in life.
Stephen Tisch, Deputy Principal
Our start of year data for Year 9 in the table below highlights that there is a need for us to respond to our Māori learners in particular, which we will.
In addition to these great results, our top academic students have performed extremely well in the NZ Scholarship exams. In total, ŌTC gained 23 scholarships from ten different subjects - our best result in recent times. The highlight being Megan Sushames gaining a scholarship in Calculus as a Year 10 student! In the Junior School, we use the national norm referenced Progressive Achievement Tests (PATs) as a school-wide ‘health check’. This will complement other assessment tools that are used. For example, Education Perfect in Mathematics and Write That Essay in Social Studies.
This year, ŌTC is supporting the Ministry of Education and NZQA to pilot the new literacy and numeracy standards for NCEA. Most of our Year 10 students will be piloting three standards in Week 9 of Term 2. Further information will be emailed to parents and students. We look forward to a more settled term enabling high achievement.
20
Scholarship Winners from 2021 We would like to congratulate our 2021 academic champions below: Alexander Freeman
Calculus, Chemistry, Physics
Madeleine Cunliffe
English
Caitlin Reid
Media Studies
Megan Sushames
Calculus
Catelin Pilcher
Photography
Millie Tisch
English
Ella Quarmby
English
Nadia Jamieson
Photography
Erin Chua
Chemistry
Rose Mayhead
Photography
Flora Clarke
Health & PE (HPE)
Rosie Gordon
English
Hope Jobe
Photography
Sarah Latus
Biology, English, HPE, Statistics
Kyla Purser
Painting
Siddhartha Gurung
Calculus, Chemistry, Physics
A Special mention to Megan Sushames Congratulataions to Megan who achieved a scholarship in Calculus as a Year 10 student Why did you decide to do the scholarship in Calculus last year? I decided to do scholarship calculus last year because I wanted to challenge myself and expand my knowledge of maths. How much extra study did you have to do? Once a week we had a scholarship class with Mr Chang, where we covered new maths techniques and practiced solving challenging problems, and I also did a few hours of studying at home each week as well. Leading up to the exam at the end of the year, I practiced by attempting all of the past scholarship calculus papers I could get my hands on, and that really helped me to prepare. What are your goals for this year? This year, I’m aiming for an Outstanding Scholarship, which is only achieved by the top 30 students in calculus. Do you know what you want to do when you leave school? When I leave school I want to go to university to double major in maths and physics, and after that I would like to become a Mathematician.
21
Introducing the BOT Student Representative for 2022 Sandra Taing Quote: “I sit on a man’s back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am sorry for him and wish to lighten his load by all means possible… except by getting off his back.” ― Leo Tolstoy, What Then Must We Do? Most important thing that you have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College: As a rebellious teenager, you might not see all perspectives. If you want to be the catalyst for change, infiltrate the system and get a gauge on all perspectives. You will see that most of the time rules are there for good reason. And if you still don’t agree, now you have both perspectives to make the best plan for a course of action. Something that you are passionate about: Travelling. I love learning new languages and immersing myself in different cultures to really widen my views on the world and philosophies on life. Something that you are proud of: Baking/making sweet goods for my friends and strangers. It’s a rewarding feeling to know you have just made someone’s day a little better! A person that inspires you: Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Advice that you would give to your year 9 self: You mustn’t let that hurt child make your grown up decisions. Have more self love and don’t let others treat you as a doormat. You are worthy of happiness! You will find happiness within yourself, and not others. As the saying goes: “you must love yourself to give love.” Advice that you would give someone who wants to be a BOT Student Representative: The role title is a little misleading, there is more to it than just representing students’ ideas for improvement- but I’m sure you will find the ‘true role’ of governance equally as fun. It sounds a little boring, but trust me, it’s so much better than it sounds. Even if you doubt yourself, you must portray yourself with confidence! People are drawn to confidence and it will rub off on them too. Really get to know the students at our kura and listen to their concerns- trying to interact with them as much as possible. Where you see yourself in ten years time: I see myself being happy! Whether I am digging in the fields of Croatia as an archeologist, or restoring an abandoned castle in Italy, I see myself being content with my way of life. 22
Introducing our Head Students for 2022 Cameron Paratene Quote: “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” Most important thing that you have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College: Give everything a go. Don’t pass up opportunities just because it seems unfamiliar to you, step outside your comfort zone and give it a go, you might end up loving it. Something that you are passionate about: Football. I’ve always been in love with the sport and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. No matter what team I’m playing for I’ll always be out there giving it my all. Something that you are proud of: Being chosen for the sought after role of Head Student, after making it my main goal since the start of college. A person that inspires you: My Koro, he’s such a big influence in my life because of his non-stop work ethic and how much he does, not just for himself but for others as well. One of the best feelings is when he’s proud of me. Advice that you would give to your year 9 self: Give everything a go when you can. Some of the opportunities you are offered throughout your years will be incredibly beneficial and incredibly worth the time and/or effort. Advice that you would give someone who wants to be a Head Student: Build connections with different people and groups throughout the school, as well as getting your name out there and being known. Where you see yourself in ten years time: In a sports related role, something like sports analysis or even coaching, hopefully with one of the big name teams.
23
Georgia Murray Quote: “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” - John Lennon Most important thing that you have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College: To trust your gut feeling. If you think you might enjoy something even just a little bit, you should try it. Don’t just follow your friends, find what interests you individually and give it a go! Something that you are passionate about: I’m really passionate about how different people are and how this influences how they perceive messages in their day to day life. That’s why I take media studies and am really interested in how the media and marketing industry works - because there are so many different factors. Something that you are proud of: I’m proud of how motivated I am to keep busy and be involved in lots of activities such as Duke Of Edinburgh. I think this keeps me challenged, open-minded and stops me from being bored! Advice that you would give to your year 9 self: To not be focused on what your friends are doing, or what they will say because at the end of the day you aren’t the same person, and will find different interests. So don’t let anything or anyone keep you from trying something new that you think you might enjoy. Advice that you would give someone who wants to be a Head Student: If you aren’t confident, pretend to be. No one will ever know the difference and at some point it will come naturally. Be confident in who you are and be willing to put yourself out there. Something that most people wouldn’t know about you: I’m half Austrian and half New Zealander so I have both citizenships and a huge family on the other side of the world. Where you see yourself in ten years time: In ten years time I would like to have my own business, and have spent some time travelling around the world to see family. Anything else that you want people to know about you: I have really enjoyed doing Duke of Edinburgh. I think it’s an awesome experience and more people should be involved! A lot of my peers regret not doing it - so to our new students, I highly recommend giving it a go as it is an exciting challenge that opens up so many opportunities! 24
Liahona Matthews Quote: “Families are forever.” Most important thing that you have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College: To respect those around you no matter who they are. Something that you are passionate about: Helping our generation live a happy and healthy life. Something that you are proud of: Having this opportunity to be one of the first pasifika Head Girls in this school and in my family. A person that inspires you: My dad has always inspired me to become the good, better and best version of myself. I am so grateful for him and all that he has done for me and my family. He is the ultimate person I look up to every single day and I am proud to have him as my personal trainer, gym buddy, cry-to person lol, my best friend and most importantly, the best father figure anyone could ever ask for. Advice that you would give to your year 9 self: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Advice that you would give someone who wants to be a Head Student: Build connections with those around you (teachers/deans/ friends/family etc). Something that most people wouldn’t know about you: I hail from the Cook Islands (mainly Mangaia - Iviroa, Mauke Kimiangatau and Tahiti in the French Polynesia). Where do you see yourself in ten years time: Pursuing my entrepreneurial career with my own business in helping mainly Māori and Pasifika in the health industry.
25
Moss Benton
Quote: Winnie the Pooh - “life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved” Most important thing that you have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College: Be true to yourself. Through life there are ups and downs but if you put your true self forward, you can be proud of anything you do, irrespective of success or failure. Something that you are passionate about: I am really passionate about engineering and this last year I have developed a huge interest in Formula 1, not just the controversial politics of the sport, but the incredible design and peak of technology that goes into driving cars in circles. Something that you are proud of: I am proud of my academic success so far, with an excellence endorsement in Level 1 and 2. Advice that you would give to your year 9 self: Find enjoyment in the mundane tasks of life. Most hours, days and weeks you experience will not have an extremely cool event or exciting experience, therefore you need to find the joy in the everyday as it is what takes up most of your life. Advice that you would give someone who wants to be a Head Student: Act on every opportunity provided to you. You may as well give everything a go because the worst thing that can happen is failure, and we should never fear failure as it is the only way to improve. This applies for both running for Head Student as well as building a resume of previous success to help in your campaign. Where you see yourself in ten years time: I would like to believe that in ten years I would have completed my engineering degree and travelled around the world to gain a range of experiences and exposure to different cultures.
26
Introducing our Student Leaders 2022 Azmi Hirota - Mentoring Committee Leader Although I was a shy person in year 9, I pushed myself to join new groups and attend activities even if I didn’t know anyone. Over time this became a habit and now I am comfortable giving most new opportunities a try. I’ve learned that no one is naturally comfortable at all times. Pushing myself outside my comfort zone has helped me develop my confidence and leadership skills. I credit my teachers and Ms Woodward for encouraging and supporting me during my time at Ōtūmoetai College. My goal for 2022 is to be accepted to the Engineering Department at Canterbury University. I am super excited to live in Christchurch, my favourite city in New Zealand. Outside of school I enjoy playing badminton for the Bay of Plenty U19 REPs team. I’ve been playing badminton since year 7 at OIS. The one week national tournament in Palmerston North is the highlight of my year. I love hanging out with my badminton friends and playing against some of the best badminton players in the country. Even though I don’t drink coffee, I’m passionate about making great coffee and latte art at my family’s cafe. I hope to get a job as a barista in Christchurch when I attend uni. Dianne Galorio - Whare Leader - Manunui My favourite subject is Media Studies and English as it enables you to incorporate theories within a text and encourages you to think creatively. The most important lesson I have learned at college is to try things out!! Go for leadership opportunities and put yourself out there; you’re only at college once! My goal is to leave this place where students can be encouraged positively and feel they are in a safe environment to grow and succeed.
Ella Crichton - Publicity Committee Leader My favourite subject this year is soft materials, I love that it gives me the opportunity to do hands-on work based on real situations and that it allows me to improve on a useful skill. The most important lesson I’ve learnt while at Ōtūmoetai College is that it’s more important to like yourself than it is to be liked by other people. When you’re surrounded by as many people as you are in the college it’s impossible for everyone you encounter to like who you are, but if you’re good with who you are at the end of the day and you’re always trying to improve, that’s enough. My main goal for this year is to genuinely do my best in everything I do. Emily Wahab - Creative Arts Committee Leader My favourite subjects are calculus and chemistry and my favourite extracurricular is dance which I am also lucky enough to take as a subject as well as leading one of the school’s competition dance troupes. The most important lesson I have learnt from my time at Ōtūmoetai College is how important it is to maintain a balance of school, social, and extracurricular activities. Academically, my goal for the year is to gain NCEA Level 3 endorsed with Excellence. As a leader of the Creative Arts Committee my goal is to get as many students as possible involved in the creative arts, especially the juniors to help them feel more integrated into our school community.
27
Ethan Andrews - Whare Leader - Ōtanewainuku My favourite subject is physics and I also currently play rugby for the school which I started playing when I was in year 11. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College is the importance of leadership, with my proudest achievement being a Whare house leader. The school has taught me the significance of good leadership qualities in a wider school setting. My Goal for this year is to develop my leadership skills and also achieve well in NCEA level 3. Eva Guccione - Whare Leader - Maunganui and Environment Committee Leader My favorite subject is history, I´ve had some really great teachers and it is a super interesting subject that I hope to continue with at university next year. One lesson I have learned at Ōtūmoetai in the past five years is that you decide your own pathway. There will be people that get in your way, but it’s your choice on how to deal with it. My goal for this year is to endorse Level 3, as well as this, I hope to leave the school with a positive mindset for the future. Eva Karena - Mentoring Committee Leader My favourite extracurricular activity would definitely have to be indoor and outdoor rock-climbing. I have been climbing competitively for 10 years and now I’m growing into a coaching role for my climbing clubs at school and at the climbing gym in Mount Maunganui. The achievement I am most proud of is probably my acceptance into my Student Leader position. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be in a leadership position at school, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity that I was presented with. If I could encourage everyone to apply for such roles, I would (and I definitely have). Moreover, my goal for this year is to worry less about my grades. Throughout high school, like many, I’ve always been really disappointed when I didn’t get the grade I strived for. This year, the only academic achievement I’m aiming for
is an Excellence endorsement of NCEA Level 3. Otherwise, I’m just going to have fun and enjoy my last year of school. Grayce Gill - Environment Committee Leader My favourite subjects are biology and chemistry. I’m grateful for the teachers I’ve had as they have helped me discover my passion for the science behind our day to day lives. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College is that you should follow what you love and not let others influence your actions. I am proud of the confidence I have gained within myself over the years and my achievement of becoming a student leader. My goal this year is to enjoy my last year of college and to make many more amazing memories, while learning more and preparing for university. Hailey Cottam - Sports Committee Leader My favourite subjects at school are Sport Education and Sport Science. I also enjoy my sports a lot which are volleyball and netball. The achievements I am most proud of are endorsing both NCEA L1 and L2 with merit, becoming a leader for the sports committee and also achieving the top sports teams in volleyball and netball. My goal for this year is to leave school knowing I have done everything to the best of my ability. And to also figure out what I’m doing with my life! Hazel Blissett - Whare Leader - Ōtanewainuku My favourite subject at school is sport science as I get to learn about how my body works and develops but mostly because it’s a practical class where I can have fun with my friends and improve on my sporting skills. The most important lesson I have learnt is that you can always dream of the big things but without doing the small stuff the big stuff will never be possible. My goal for this year is finishing school not regretting anything if it’s doing sport, something in class, or even something with friends. 28
Kate Amundsen- Special Events Committee Leader My favourite subject this year would be dance but I really like English too. I also love sailing, being out on the water and going to the beach. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College is to try as many things as you can and make the most of all the opportunities the school has to offer, and that it is okay to fail because support will be given. My goal for this year is to organise an amazing ball that the seniors won’t forget and I hope that everyone will enjoy themselves! Maia Baunton - Hauora Commitee Leader My favourite subjects are Economics and Outdoor Education, I am passionate about volleyball and rugby. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College is giving new things a go and venturing outside my comfort zone. My goal this year is to gain university entrance, and endorse the year with merit. Neisha Moore - Special Events Committee Leader As a favourite this year I enjoy Outdoor Education along with my police course that I’m doing as an extracurricular subject- super exciting and filled with new learnings. As an extracurricular activity I enjoy fitness and keeping my body moving! This definitely includes running up Mount Maunganui! As well as this, I love the social atmosphere at my part time job currently working at Harbourside! The strength of independence - and the achievement I’m most proud of is achieving academic excellence both level 1 and 2, as well as being selected as 1/80 students to travel to Wellington for the Young Enterprise Scheme EIA experience last year fantastic!! My goal for this year is to have fun, make memories, and achieve to the best level I can with the aim and goal to succeed.
Nico Brown - Sports Committee Leader My favourite subjects are economics and outdoor education, I am passionate about volleyball and rugby. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College is giving new things a go and venturing outside my comfort zone. My goal this year is to gain university entrance, and endorse the year with merit. Phoebe Dougherty - Whare Leader - Karewa My favourite subjects are English and Earth and Space Science as I’ve found a real interest in the topics and have had really amazing teachers backing me up throughout the years. The most important lesson I have learnt at Ōtūmoetai College over the past 5 years is that it’s ok to make mistakes. Those mistakes don’t mean failure but instead they equip you with the right tools to deal with problems that arise in the future. My goal for 2022 is to leave this year and my last 5 years knowing that I’ve done my best. I want to leave knowing I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish and that I have no regrets.
Tom Voller - Creative Arts Committee Leader My favourite extracurricular activity is rock climbing. I am proud of getting first in level 2 maths. I also want to improve the students’ connections with the arts this year.
29
Staff Celebrations
Congratulations to Bobby Ketu and whānau who welcomed a little kōtiro (girl) named Noa on the 16th January.
Congratulations to Stevie-Jane Mutu and whānau who welcomed a little kōtiro (girl) named Wairaka Mere on the 5th March.
Congratulations to Eleanor Clark who got married on the 5th March.
30
Welcome to our new teachers... Cordula Taiwo- English Tell us a bit about yourself? I am into traveling, reading, dancing, music, movies, nature, languages, philosophy, and art. Now that I am older, I paint a lot as it is very relaxing and stimulating at the same time. I had my first ever exhibition last year by which I raised money for a charity that works with disadvantaged young people here in Tauranga. I also speak four languages and play tennis. Why did you decide to become a teacher? I want the next generation to have the best possible shot at life and I love teaching and learning. Teaching is an honest way to make a living. Kids can see when I am on top of my game as well as when I fall flat on my face before them. I think they need authentic adults around them who model epic failures, grand gestures, small kindnesses, and occasional successes with a sense of humour and a dose of humility. Kids rock and they give us purpose- so what else would I rather do than to support and challenge them on their journey?
What is your best experience as a teacher to date? Seeing students develop; accepting who they are and working towards who they want to become, preferably with some purpose and a good dose of humour. It is a rewarding privilege, and sometimes heart breaking, to join young people on the early stages of their journey. What are you looking forward to this year? I am looking forward to seeing my students’ faces. Also, my mother is turning 80 and I really want to spend time with her and my family overseas. What is a little known fact about you? My dog is awesome!
Sanet Bircham - Food Technology and Maths Tell us a little bit about yourself? I am a mum of four who is passionate about experiencing the beauty around us. We recently returned to NZ after an absence of 6 years, which included a family aroundthe-world trip and a 5 year stint living in Hampshire, UK. Once the “taxi” duties are complete, I enjoy being active outdoors and doing pottery in my spare time. Why did you choose teaching as a career? Working with today’s youth can be very rewarding. My ultimate aim is to open young minds to possibilities and the adventure life offers.
What is your best experience as a teacher to date? When a student has a “light bulb” moment. What are you looking forward to this year? I am looking forward to building relationships and becoming part of the Ōtūmoetai College community. What is a little-known fact about you? I met Simon Cowell in London.
31
Jessie Fauntleroy - Maths & Biology Tell us a bit about yourself? I play social netball, have been learning French for the past two years, and enjoy going to the beach for a surf. I previously lived in London, and love traveling and experiencing different cultures. Why did you decide to become a teacher? I hated school when I was little and would frequently fake sick so I wouldn’t have to go. When I was 8, I had a teacher called Mr Williamson who taught me how to subtract numbers and it was the first time I ever felt smart and that I fitted into school. I want to help other people feel confident in themselves and like they belong. What is your best experience as a teacher to date? Since beginning my teaching career, I have kept all the thank you cards given to me by students. Every single “thank you” including the verbal ones I hear in class, are the best experience I could ever have as a teacher.
I feel incredibly lucky to be able to help people grow. What are you looking forward to this year? I am looking forward to jumping back into teaching mathematics, after four years of teaching science. I am very excited to start exploring New Zealand as well. What is a little known fact about you? My birth certificate and passport say I was born in a city that doesn’t exist anymore.
Laurel Stone- Maths Tell us a bit about yourself? My husband and I have bought a property in Whakamarama so a lot of my spare time is spent gardening. So far we have beaten back the weeds and now we are planting a lot of native trees. I also love bush walks, cycling and art. Why did you decide to become a teacher? I have previously spent 27 years as an accountant and wanted to find a career where I contributed more to other people and I have always loved Maths. I also wanted a focus away from making profit for a company. What is your best experience as a teacher to date? There have been many and the common factor is always the same. When students have managed to overcome a barrier and learnt how to complete a Math activity. I enjoy it most when the students enjoy the learning and I really enjoy it when a lesson I have planned goes well.
What are you looking forward to this year? Settling into the school and getting to know the students and also the community. Teaching some new standards that I have not taught before. What is a little known fact about you? I can still do handstands and cartwheels. I did gymnastics at school and triathlons when I was in my 20’s and 30’s. And I have 6 chickens.
32
Martenette Strauss - Digital Science & Digital Business Tell us a bit about yourself? I like traveling, reading, coding, spending time camping and tramping with my family in nature. Also going for long walks on the beach. I also watch a lot of documentaries to keep myself up to date with the latest developments in my field. Why did you decide to become a teacher? I have always loved working with numbers and doing problem solving but I need to have interaction with other people as well. Teaching was the perfect combination of my interests and fits my personality. What is your best experience as a teacher to date? To see young people develop skills, gain self confidence and grow to become comfortable in their own skin. The greatest reward of teaching is to see well developed young adults leave school and step into the world with confidence to be the best they can be.
What are you looking forward to this year? To see how my students acquire new skills, apply their own creativity and enjoy expanding their knowledge of concepts in my field. What is a little known fact about you? My husband and I were once trapped in a tent with a black mamba (one of the most poisonous snakes in the world). One of the scariest moments of my life!
Namuk Kim - Maths Tell us a bit about yourself? I am a keen golfer and enjoy the game competitively and socially on the weekends. Watching Marvel movies with my family and reading books about ancient culture and history is my favorite activity. I also spend my time at the gym to build my fitness.
What are you looking forward to this year? I want to learn more about my students and what motivates them to be the best version of themselves. What is a little known fact about you? I have two daughters and one son. My first daughter is in her third year at university.
Why did you decide to become a teacher? I have been teaching and supporting young students for more than twenty years. One thing that makes me keep working with students is the idea that I feel fulfilled and rewarded whenever I can be of help to students. I am happy when I can help young generations. What is your best experience as a teacher to date? My best experience is when students say ‘Thank you Mr. Kim’ at the end of a lesson or ‘oh, is it that easy?’
33
Frances McAdam - English Tell us a little bit about yourself? I love hiking, traveling, listening to podcasts and watching movies. I spent 10 years traveling abroad - living in South Korea, Vietnam and Scotland and loved every minute of it. I really enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. It’s awesome to be back in Aotearoa now to continue meeting new people in the form of my students and their whānau!
What are you looking forward to this year? I’m looking forward to getting to know my students and seeing their confidence grow in English! English - like all subjects at high school - can be challenging but I know my students can do it. I’m excited to read their creative writing and see how far their imaginations can go. What is a little known fact about you? I’ve traveled to over 35 countries in my life. Two of my most favourite experiences have been climbing to the top of Mt Fuji in Japan and watching the sunset on the Great Wall of China.
Why did you choose teaching as a career? I originally studied and worked as a Journalist because I’m passionate about writing. I’m also passionate about people so I’ve combined my love of both to become a teacher. I want to empower young minds to think critically and make sense of the world around them. I feel as a teacher I can help them accomplish their goals. What is your best experience as a teacher to date? My best experience to date has been seeing my students produce well written essays in class following our film study. Seeing the amount of work the students put in was fantastic and seeing their motivation was even better. Their openness for feedback was good too and it showed in their final products. I look forward to reading more of their writing this year!
34
From the Archives A few sports photos from 1971...
35 38
Where are they now? It’s always interesting to learn about what our past students have been up to! Here is Mark’s story.
Mark Webster - Entrepreneur
When were you at Ōtūmoetai College? Oooo a while ago now… from 2002-2006. Tell us about your student days here at Ōtūmoetai College? Ōtūmoetai College is where I met some important friends that are still a part of my life today. Keeping my options open I took a range of subjects: Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Calculus, Economics. I played saxophone in the school band for 5 years, and electric guitar in various other bands. In Year 13 I was part of the student executive. Did you know what you wanted to do when you left school? Not at all! You couldn’t have told me at 18 that I was going to own a tea business. Madness! It wasn’t until I was 27 that I figured it out. Now I love what I do. Were there any teachers that particularly influenced you? Nick Page was a favourite and I did well in Geography because of him. His passion for the subject was infectious and it was obvious he truly wanted you to succeed. Cheers Paigey!
Hello! I’m Mark Webster, a former student at Ōtūmoetai. Nowadays I’m a Dad and owner of Webster’s Tea, a premium tea company based locally at 7 Clarke Road, Te Puna. www.websterstea.co.nz
36
Do you have any valuable life lessons that you learnt during your college years? I don’t pretend to be wise, but let’s have a crack. Be ok with making mistakes and quickly learn from them. With that you’ll be more willing to try new things and that’s when possibilities really open up. Could you give us a little background on what’s been happening for you since you left school and how you came about setting up your own tea business? Sure thing! After school, I went to Otago University to study Surveying. Zigzag forward a few years and I graduated from Victoria in Wellington with a Bachelor of Commerce in
Marketing. Next I traveled on an OE through Asia eventually landing in Canada, where, quite by chance, I came to work for a tea company in the Rocky Mountains. I fell in love with tea, and when I returned to NZ it dawned on me that Kiwis had become used to drinking bagged dust. So I decided to do something about it. Tell us about Webster’s Tea? We want to improve NZ’s tea break! I started Webster’s Tea for those wanting more from their tea experience. I figure that some of the best moments are shared over tea, and we should make it a good one. So we specialise in premium loose leaf tea; Fresh, larger, loose leaves and ingredients, produced organically and sustainably. It’s better tasting tea. We supply cafes all over the country, have an online store websterstea.co.nz, and have recently opened up a retail shop at 7 Clarke Road, Te Puna. Come and say hello! What advice would you give to current students here at Ōtūmoetai College? I would say, don’t put pressure on yourself to have it all figured out. There’ll be twists and turns and you’ll work it out along the way. Who knows? You might even find your calling living in the mountains on the other side of the world.
37
May 2022 Sunday 1
Monday 2 Form Time First
Tuesday 3 Extended Form
for Yr9
8 Mother’s Day
9
Wednesday
Thursday
4
5
11
12 Tertiary
6
10 Whānau
16
17 School Cross
23
7
13 Teacher Only
Awareness Day for Yr 13
18 Extended Form
Country
22
Saturday
Time
Reference Hui
15
Friday
14
Day
19
20
21 School Ball
26
27 Waikato
28
Time
24
25
University Open Day (Hamilton)
29
30
31
June 2022 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday 1 Parent Tertiary
Thursday 2 Extended Form
Info Evening 6-7.30pm
Time
5
6 Queen’s Birthday 7 Junior Play
8 Junior Play
9
12
13 Extended Form
15
16 Project K
All Day Rehersal & Evening Performance
14 Swimming
Time
19
20 Jazz Festival
Sports
27
Parent Meeting 6.30pm
21 Jazz Festival
at Baycourt
26
Evening Performance
22 Senior Play
at Baycourt
23 Senior
& Matariki Art Competition
28 Extended Form 29 Showquest at Time
Friday 3 Project K Parent
Saturday 4
Meeting 6.30pm
10
11
17 Waikato
18
University Open Day (Tauranga)
24 Matariki
Play - Evening Performance
25
Holiday
30
Trust Arena
July 2022 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday 1 End of Block 2
Saturday 2
options - Yr 9 & Block 1 for Yr 10
3
4 Form Time
5
first to collect new timetables
10
11
12
6
SCHOOL HOLI 13
7 Waikato
8 End of Term 2
9
14
15
16
22
23
29
30
D ACulinary Y S Fare in Hamilton
S C H O O L H O L I DAYS S C H O O L H O L I DAYS
17
18
19
20
21
S C H O O L H O L I DAYS 24
25 Term 3 begins
26 Project K
27
28
Parent Meeting 5.30pm
38
105 Windsor Road, Bellevue, Tauranga p. 07 576 2316 f. 07 576 8903 www.otc.school.nz