We certainly didn’t expect Term 1 to end so abruptly, but luckily we had an opportunity filled term for our students. Early in the term we held our Host Family Dinner. We are grateful to our host families and we like to bring them altogether at the beginning of the term to have a chat and share some kai. It was a lovely evening and the students and their host siblings played games outside and the host parents had the chance to catch up with other host parents.

This term we supported the Child Cancer Street Appeal. Street Appeals are great ways for our students to engage with the local community. We planned going to Ronald McDonald House to bake for the families and collect for Red Cross but unfortunately due to the virus these activities were cancelled. 

Our programme places an importance on Maori culture so we arranged for the students to participate in the Ko Tane programme at Willowbank. They were taught a Poi dance and the Ti Rakau Stick game and the performers danced and sang for the students. They also enjoyed the wandering around Willowbank and loved the Kiwi House. 

Our West Coast trip had to be cancelled due to the virus and the students were very disappointed. To help brighten their day we took them Ice Skating and Ten Pin bowling. The weather was very cold so we had a very quick photo stop at the Brighton Pier. 

Our Year 10 camp is an amazing outdoor experience and we sent five of our international students who never may get another opportunity to go caving, abseiling or tramping. We take New Zealand’s great outdoors for granted sometimes and we love that we share this with our international girls. 

We would like to congratulate Teruko Tamura who was successful in her application to participate in the Generation Give programme this year. Generation Give is a grant-making and non-profit education programme run through local community foundations. With this programme they help students and charities develop a close, mutually beneficial relationship. The participants attend a teaching based after school curriculum taught over 10 weeks, this includes insight on how to review grant proposals, make funding decisions, and general insight into making a difference in our community. Following this, students will then meet with applicant charities around their local area to learn, help, and present to the other students in the committee exactly why their charity deserves the grant. It is a wonderful opportunity for Teruko and we are very proud of her success.