Hei whakaea ngā whakaaro
Where ideas become a reality 

Kia ora, As the end of the 2023 academic year nears, both teachers/Kaiako and ākonga/students in this faculty are feeling calmer than in the previous couple of years. Internal assessment completion is tracking well as is the preparation of externally assessment material due by the second week of Term 4.

A major focus across all the Technology areas offered at Cashmere High School, is to develop an understanding and application of a creative design process that leads to the creation/making of products that are a fit for purpose, for either individuals, whānau or communities.

No matter which of the Technology contexts ākonga within our faculty study, community and client feedback is embedded in their practice and reflected in their outcomes.

To achieve this, it is imperative that ākonga interact with clients and our community. We thank all those within our community who have allowed us into their workplaces, who have been prepared to come into the classroom to share their industry knowledge. Also, those clients who have provided real design problems and opportunities for our ākonga to work on and given such valuable feedback throughout the technological process.

We extend our thanks to Nathalie Campbell who has taken Leanne Cropp’s Digital Technology classes for Terms 1-3 while Leanne was on study leave. Digital Technology teachers are a scarce commodity, so we were very fortunate to have someone with Nathalie’s knowledge base available to take these classes and we wish Nathalie all the best for the permanent teaching position in her hometown of Nelson.

Thank you also to Andrew Thomson for so seamlessly taking over the HOD role Terms 1-3 in Leanne’s absence. Leanne’s study leave has allowed her to complete her Bachelor of Information Science Degree. Leanne already holds BSc and MSc Degrees, so brings a wealth of knowledge back into her Department and the Faculty.

We wish our ākonga every success and thank the whānau for the support they have provided this year.

The individual department articles that follow, showcases student work and industry and community connections.

Ngā mihi, nāku noa
nā Karen Kennedy (HOF)

Architectural and Product Design Department / Hoahoanga me Hoahoatanga hua

Auahatanga mā te hoahoa
Innovation by Design

Water seems to have been the theme of many of our design projects this year.

DAP301 and DAP101 both worked on spatial design concepts for community facilities for the Te Kura Wetlands (Cashmere Rd). DAP201 worked on a product design brief for bath toys and the Y9 students spatial design site was on the shores of Lake Rotorua.

On Sunday evening 6th August our senior students held a public exhibition. Teaching effective communication and presentation skills, is a big focus in this department and we believe the quality of the work on display reflected this. Also, on the night there was the opportunity to flick through the 30+ pages of folio work (documenting the students design process) that sat behind the final designs presented. It was nice to see people taking their time to look through the folios. By doing so they gained and appreciate how much site and cultural narrative research a student undertakes prior to starting on the creative process of design, and how much testing and critiquing of initial ideas takes place. Many of our Y11 & 13 students (and parents) now know far more about the engineering of wetlands to mitigate flooding and wetland ecology than they anticipated at the start of 2023.

Prize winners on the night:

• Sairah Natural DAP301 – Effective Communication of a Conceptual Spatial Design
• Sophie Wells DAP301 – Effective Communication of the Cultural Narrative of the site
• Clara Knowles DAP201 – Effective Visual Communication of Product Design Packaging
• Phoebe Smith DAP201 – Effective Digital Media Presentation of a Product Design
• Eddie Suckling DAP101 – Effective Communication of an Internal Space
• Brooke Bennett DAP101 – Effective Communication of an External Space
• Poopy de Boo DAP101 – Effective overall Presentation
• Exhibition night DAP101 prize winners
• Thank you to Gemma Attwood of PLUVIO Design Studios who judged the various design categories.

Learning outside of the classroom

Our DAP201 Product Design workshop at University of Canterbury and Spatial/Landscape Design workshop at Lincoln University took place as planned and students gained much from these experiences.

STUDENT WORK PHOTOS

Y9: Baie Vance, Cayla Digan, Codie de Heer - Rotorua Hut Designs

Y10: Aleyna Binte-Husaini – Orchard Learning Environment andLauren Abbott – prototyping of a headphone and stylus holder.

Y11: Lucy Smith– presentation of spatial, Cedric Meeten – Te Kura Wetlands Public Facility, Aimee Richardson – spice rack product, and Ollie Newcombe Maule – orthographic of product.

Y12: Jordan Shanks – foam mock-up of product, Katie Roberston – product and packaging design, Ava Flowerday – assembly of toy, Libby Bush – spatial and Ben Loughnan – spatial.

Digital Technology

With the updates to our computer labs at the start of the year, the opportunities within the Digital Technologies Department have increased to incorporate more of the interests identified by the students.

Year 10 students were the first to experience these changes with the introduction of a new Game Development unit of work introduced in Term 2. Within this, students were tasked with designing both the concept and the graphic materials for use in new games that they would program themselves. The quality and range of the games created surprised both the teachers and the enthused participants, leaving a desire from many to expand on this in the future. Fortunately, this is a focus for the department from 2024 onwards with the inclusion of related material in our senior course offerings.

Term 2 introduced a new eSport within the department, offering all year 10 students an opportunity to take part in our first ever Rocket League tournament. This event was a huge success and was eventually won by team “Chezz” consisting of players Johnny Moone, Travis Fletcher and Reuben Postlethwaite.

The success of this event was replicated on a wider school platform, with the introduction in Term 3 of the first ever annual DigiTech eSports competition. During this event students from each DigiTech option class, had the opportunity to represent their class and compete against other classes for the title of 2023 DigiTech eSports Champions. This was a closely fought competition run over several weeks, with the Year 11 team narrowly ousting the more senior Year 13 team at the last opportunity for a place in the final. The final itself was a show of pure skill and teamwork with the previously unbeaten Year 12 team “Epic Gamers” consisting of players Rowan O'Dempsey, Daniel Macfarlane and Brae Lafferty taking the title and the trophy for the year.

Food & Textiles

Food Technology

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi 
With your basket and my basket the people will live.

As we prepare for the new NCEA Curriculum in 2024, the department has embedded the Matauranga Principles in all our year level programs. Students are encouraged to identify their ‘wairua’ and what is ‘taonga’ in their lives.

As the students worked tirelessly developing their concepts into prototypes and getting feedback, we read the comments that showed sincerity and warmth in their words which was enough encouragement for our students.

Many thanks for all the feedback from our students’ end-users, staff members and family members who have been eating all the bread products, Pizzas, Genoise Sponges, Rocky Roads, Pies, Tapas and Ice-creams.

Fashion and Textiles Technology

This year in the Textiles department, we have witnessed an impressive surge in creative expression. Our Year 10 students have embarked on a journey of self-discovery by crafting Loungewear pants and shorts, while also delving into the rich tapestry of Pacific Arts to create lined tote bags. These projects exemplify the concept of Manaakitanga, a deep sense of hospitality and care for the end user.

The Year 11 cohort commenced the year by mastering the art of constructing Hoodies, equipping themselves with foundational skills that would later serve as the bedrock for the development of more intricate garments. This year, their creations spanned a diverse spectrum, ranging from corsets and skirts to elegant dresses and imaginative cosplay costumes.

Moving up to Year 12, students expanded upon their previous year's hoodie challenge, now endeavouring to craft meticulously lined bomber jackets. This venture not only tested their precision and accuracy but also encouraged them to explore novel techniques and push their boundaries. Subsequently, they ventured into the realm of Wearable Arts, inspired by the theme "Dress the Decades," allowing them to immerse themselves in the aesthetic of their chosen era and create a comprehensive multi-garment 'look.'

Our Year 13 students leveraged their accumulated knowledge from Fashion and Textiles, complemented by mathematical principles, to engineer custom patterns. This unique opportunity empowered them to design garments tailored precisely to their body shape and personal fashion preferences.

To culminate their journey, our Year 13 students embarked on a creatively invigorating Applied Design unit, focusing on artistic design processes that could enhance either a self-made or purchased item. Here, students explored various mediums, such as Screen Printing, Embroidery, and etching, to infuse their creations with a distinctive touch.

At the culmination of their projects, students from Levels 1, 2, and 3 will have the exciting prospect of showcasing their creations on stage at the Fashion and Textiles Showcase in Term 4. This grand event offers them a platform to unveil their hard-earned masterpieces and celebrate their boundless creativity in front of an audience comprising peers, teachers, and family.

Multi-Materials Department

At the beginning of Term 1 we welcomed three new staff members to this department.

Mr Andrew Nugent, who has brought with him many years of teaching experience and a wealth of subject knowledge. Mr Jonathan Kettle, who has moved into teaching this year from a career in Product Design and has brought current industry knowledge and techniques into the department. Sam Stockwell took up the technician’s position early in Term 1. Sam has many years of experience as an Aircraft Engineer, so has very ably set good procedures in place for the management of the increasing number of computer run machines students have access to in our workshops. Justine Vandenberg has continued to teach most of our Y9 classes this year and has inspired many to return to the subject in Y10.

Into this mix we have had the benefit of Phil Jeeves who has had many years of experience in the Engineering industry, volunteering time to come into Cashmere High School to help assess, and fix some of our older machinery stock.

In addition to running programmes of teaching/learning, staff have given many hours to reviewing and giving input into the plans for our new Multi-Materials classrooms.

Classroom and Product Images

Y9 Personalised Light Designs

Y10

Y11 Portable Sketch Box

Y12 & 13 Tables