Pictured above with WCTA Manager, Tania Washer, is a group of our senior Supported Learning students who received their certificates at the WCTA prizegiving held at Shantytown.

This is the Principal's speech given at the prizegiving on Friday 4 November @ Shantytown.

A fantastic welcome to everyone! I’m Samantha Mortimer and I am very proud to be the principal at Greymouth High school and lead principal for West Coast Trades Academy.

Firstly, I am so happy to be here! Last year I was very much looking forward to this celebratory night but we had a slightly different situation to deal with. That’s ok we’re here now!

One of the reasons I was so keen to move to Grey High and the Coast last year was the amazingly successful West Coast trades academy programme. I couldn’t believe it when I was flicking through their website explaining all of the opportunities available to our coast rangatahi; I was blown away! Some people think that there are not the same opportunities for our young people here as in some other places but I always remind them of all the opportunities that are out there and one of my strongest arguments is Trades Academy! When I tell them that our students have opportunities to train for work while still at school, in engineering, ICT, farming, outdoor education, leadership, tourism, construction to name a few, they are also blown away!

Having the opportunity to try different things and learn in different ways to being in school is very important. I personally did something similar to trades academy when I was at school in Year 12. I spent half a day a week for two terms working in an early childhood centre for an ECE qualification. Now the little people are not really my forte or cup of tea but looking back I think that this was one of the experiences in my career that led me to teaching, yes it is high school and that is very different to ECE (usually!) but still in education and I really appreciated this opportunity.

Before I do my 'thank you' on behalf of all of the principals and staff at all of the West Coast Area and High Schools, I was wondering if the students know that all of your principals meet up once a term in different Area and high schools across the coast. It is a great opportunity to talk about different things that are happening in our schools and this definitely includes trades academy.

So on behalf of us all the we would like to thank the following:

Firstly,

Thank you to Tania Washer and her team for doing an amazing job ensuring that Trades Academy runs smoothly. It is an absolute pleasure to work with both Tania and Kayla and the rest of the team. It is not easy but they make it look easy! They truly have not only the students best interests at heart but the coasts best interests at heart! Thank you - clap

Secondly, thank you to all of the providers of the many opportunities we offer. You are all so accommodating and again have our students best interests at heart

My third thanks goes to all the people in schools who are liaising in terms of trades academy. I see the awesome job the person in our school does and I know this will be replicated across all schools.

Fourthly, thank you to all the parents and whānau who work with us all to ensure their children find success, whatever that looks like to them!

To the students - You should all be very proud of yourselves. This has not been an easy year but you have all just got on with it! Ka pai.

Here I would also like to acknowledge the distances some of you travel to come to Trades Academy every week or travel up to Nelson/Marlborough and beyond for block courses. This shows extra dedication and you deserve an extra congratulations. Let’s give them a clap.

Finally, to all of our young people

Remember to thank everyone who supports you with these amazing opportunities, take any other opportunities you are offered and continue on the journey to have fabulous lives! 

Pictured below from left are Harry Shaw, Jennae Toplis and at far right, Kaleb Steel from the Automotive Engineering course. In the second photo is Hayden Shand receiving his award from Papa Taiao teacher, Lara Thompson.