The first-ever Māori and Pasifika Awards for Kaiapoi High School were held this year.

This inaugural event was driven and organised by two outstanding Year 13 students, Waiora Brooks and Emma Kennar, with tautoko from a variety of Māori and Pasifika students.  Waiora and Emma wanted to cement the successes of our Māori and Pasifika students with an event that celebrated these within a cultural setting. The evening’s focus was our kura values of Respect, Integrity, Community and Excellence. There were categories representing academic, sporting, cultural, and community service. The evening was well supported by students, staff, and families. The premier leadership awards were, not unsurprisingly, given to Waiora Brooks for Māori Leadership and Emma Kennar for Pasifika Leadership. This fixture is sure to become an annual event.

Special guests were invited to present awards and the evening’s entertainment was of the highest quality of performances from our talented Māori and Pasifika students.

Whānau were invited to celebrate the evening with us and, as with any event we host, the kai was outstanding. 18 students from Years 9-13 were awarded, by our current White Sox and 2015 Head Girl, Nerissa McDowell, with Excellence in Sports. The recipients of these awards played in the top school team, top club team, regional teams, national teams or excelled individually, regionally or nationally. Another 18 students from Years 10-13 were awarded by our first-ever winner of the Regional Secondary Schools' Kaitātaki Wāhine trophy and 2018 Head Girl, Destiny Robson, with Excellence in Performance. The recipients of these awards placed in the Top 3 for Kōrero Manarū, Pasifika speeches, our English Faculty speeches, performed at an excellence level in Choir, Music, Dance, Māori Performing Arts, Drama productions, Stage Challenge and Kapahaka competitions. An outstanding 24 students from Years 10-13 were awarded by our long-standing kaitiaki of MWhā, Matua Pete, who has given so much of his time to community endeavours during his nearly 20 years here, with Excellence in Service. The recipients of these awards have volunteered their time to a variety of community events and organisations and initiatives.

The Whānau classes created Uara-Tulaga Faatauaina Awards, acknowledging the four values of the Kaiapoi High School Whānau, Whanaungatanga /Feveitokai’aki, Manaakitanga /Fa’aaloalo, Tuakana Teina /Piri’anga and Ako /Vuli. A male and female of each year level received an acknowledgement of these attributes, with an overall winner being awarded a trophy.

Tawera Tamepō, our 2013 Tōtara House Captain, presented the Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi. He toa takitini trophy to Aleysha Stacey for actively engaging in the community through respectful relationships with high expectations of excellence and fostered ability to work co-operatively, while being tolerant, accepting and patient as she pursued a common goal of both individual and collective success.

Whitney Richardson, our 2015 Head Girl, presented the Mā tōu rourou, mā tōku rourou. Ka ora ai te iwi trophy to Ataahua Hona for displaying integrity, respect, sincerity and equality towards others. Manaakitanga acknowledges the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than your own, through the expression of aroha, hospitality, generosity and mutual respect, inside and outside of the classroom.

Matua Pete, the inaugural Kaitiaki of MWha, presented the Mā te tuakana ka tōtika te teina, Mā te teina ka tōtika te tuakana Trophy to Makaia Raimona for constantly offering and providing the support needed during the transitional phases of secondary school. She fostered relationships with all types of students. Tuakana/Teina contributes positively to the community of our school by recognising the essential roles, respect and integrity, have in the process of achieving excellence.

Charlie Pene, 2017 Deputy Head Girl, presented the Mā te aroha ka tutuki trophy to Sidonie Gentry-Tuck for being both deliberate and reflective in her learning. Embodying the aspects of Ako, by also teaching others and supporting others in their learning journey.

The AMOKURA-‘IE ULA AWARDS were again presented by two previous students, Layla Bailey-McDowell, 2019 Head Girl, and Tahu Paki, 1996 Head Boy, with cameo appearances from representatives of Ara, UC and Lincoln University. The recipients of these premier awards were:

Top Pasifika Sportsman: Luke Hopkinson

Top Pasifika Sportswoman: Tabitha Turaga

Top Māori Sportsman: Pai Wynyard

Top Māori Sportswoman: McKenzie Bailey-McDowell

Top Pasifika Academic Male: Sateki Fifita

Top Pasifika Academic Female: Maia Tuilaepa

Top Māori Academic Male: Kahu Jones

Top Māori Academic Females: Brooke Woolford and Waiora Brooks

Top Pasifika Cultural Male: Onge Lafulafu

Top Pasifika Cultural Female: Emma-Rose Kennar

Top Māori Cultural Males: Mana Joyce-Grace and DJ MacDonald

Top Māori Cultural Females: Waiora Brooks and Katya Paki

Pasifika Leadership Award: Emma Kennar

Māori Leadership Award: Waiora Brooks