Lucy Pottinger & Maddy Roberts

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha. Nau mai haere mai e ngā tauira, e ngā kaiako, e ngā whānau hoki kua huihui mai nei ki tēnei kaupapa hirahira. Kua tae mai nei te pō whakanui mō ngā tutukitanga o ō tātou mahi. Waiho mā te tangata e mihi.

Birds are central to everything at Wellington Girls’. Look around any classroom, and you’ll see our four school values: Manaakitanga, Manawaroa, Ngākau Pono, and Whakarangatira, each displayed as a feather. And, of course, our school hand sign. There you go. Birds . . . with feathers!

‘Mā te kahukura ka rere te manu, ka rere runga rawa. Adorn the bird with feathers, let it fly, let it soar.’ This whakataukī isn’t just our motto – it’s the heart of our kura. It represents how our school nurtures us, providing the support and opportunities to grow, build on our strengths, and embrace our potential. Here, we are given the tools to gain knowledge, explore our passions, and develop into confident rangatahi, taking flight and reaching new heights.

This year, as head students, we chose the theme ‘Kia tū raukura,’ which means "stand tall in your values".  Raukura also means feather, and we believe there is deep meaning in that connection. Over the past year, we’ve watched each other grow, not just in the classroom but in our friendships, leadership, the arts, sports, and the many ways we give back to this community. 

These feathers, these values, are what have carried us through. From the challenges of our studies to the excitement of our successes, Wellington Girls’ College has been that supportive hand, gently pushing us upward, guiding us to fly higher than we ever thought possible. And now, as we prepare to spread our wings and soar.

To the 2025 Head Students, Korimako and Lucy, and the incoming Student Executive Committee, we wish you all the best in your new roles. Student voice and leadership at WGC are certainly in good hands. We’re so excited to see how you’ll continue to shape and inspire our kura.

To the Class of 2024, thank you for instilling your faith in us. As Mrs Davidson said, “Being a leader doesn’t define you; in fact, it doesn’t even define your year 13.” We now know this to be true. We hope we have remained true to ourselves and have represented you in a way that reflects the true spirit and mana of our year group.

From walking the halls in Year 9, barely knowing each others’ names, to becoming a whānau united through teal blood, we couldn't ask for a better group of people to share our college experience with. 

As we part ways after five incredible years together, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours. May your journeys be filled with success and new adventures. 

Kia toto tonu i te kārikiōrangi – forever bleed teal.

As we celebrate our achievements, remember that this is just the beginning of our flight. Every experience we've had, every challenge we've overcome, and every lesson we've learned here at WGC has become a feather in our wings, readying us to soar beyond these walls. 

So let us embrace the spirit of manaakitanga by caring for others, demonstrate manawaroa by showing resilience in the face of adversity, embody ngākau pono by acting with integrity in all that we do, and uplift those around us through whakarangatira. 

Kia tū raukura: Stand tall in your values, and we’ll stand with you.