On Saturday 18 June, students from Pāpāmoa College, and their guests, donned their best outfits for our Senior Ball.

This year, the theme was 'Red Carpet' so students took to the carpet to enter the Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club for a night of fun and celebration. 

It was a special year for our kura, as it was our first ball to be held in our local community. Having the Pāpāmoa College Ball in Pāpāmoa really made it feel more special. 

Students braved the somewhat average elements to arrive looking amazing, and regardless of the lacklustre weather, everyone was in fantastic spirits. 

We were lucky to have a musical performance by Abbie Jacob Y12, with Mr Durie on the guitar. We also saw our largest cohort of students take to the dance floor with a whopping 240 students in attendance. 

The ball this year ushered in the rise of Matariki celebrations and it also coincided with National Schools' Pride Week. This meant a positive mood and atmosphere carried throughout the evening. We could not have been prouder of our students' conduct. 

In recognition of National Schools' Pride Week and our ongoing commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, this year marked the first year where our student awards were non-binary.

This year's student-voted award results were:

• Your Majesty and Your Highness (Year 13) - Spence Elliott and Josh Macleod
• Pāpāmoa Prom Pair (Year 12) - Aiswarya Bhandari and Willem Koning
• Pāpāmoa Prom Couple - Jessica Rolleston and Denzel Gurung
• Best Dressed - Ariella Midwood and Giselle Lomas

A huge thank you to Pāpāmoa Surf Life Saving Club, our 2022 Ball Committee, and staff who helped organise, decorate, and support our ball; such awesome memories for our tauira on what was a hugely fun and successful night.