The jump to Te Pā!

This year, four of us started our Year 12 journey at Te Pā o Rākaihautū. We didn’t know what was in store for us, but coming to the end of 2018, we can all confidently say we wouldn’t change a thing.

In our first term we were welcomed into Te Waka Uruao, by  a small group of already close Year 13 students, and given a brief of all the things we would be doing this year.

Some seemed unbelievable, but all of the events lined up for the year were something to look forward to.

We entered the Kapa Haka, started learning how NCEA works at Te Pā and learnt what it meant to be a pononga of Te Waka Uruao.

We had been given a safe place to be ourselves freely with a bundle of people willing to stand with us no matter what. On a trip we took to Queenstown, we were given the chance to say something we are thankful for; and all of us were thankful for Te Waka Uruao...

"I never realised how important it was to be in a place where everyone can say my name, it seems like such a small thing but over the last few weeks I've learnt that if people aren't willing to make the effort to say my name, they're not worth my efforts. Te Pā has made me re-think my own worth and I'm thankful to have so many people who can do something as simple as saying my name properly!" 
- Te Hinenga

"At my old school I was judged for how I acted, looked and spoke; it made every day harder knowing that I couldn't be comfortable, but now I can happily walk into class and be as me as I want without being judged" 
- Tiwha

"Before I came to Te Pā I wasn't allowed to be weird because people would judge me or be mean about it, but since coming to Te Pā I've felt more and more comfortable with being weird cause everyone in Te Waka Uruao is weird and it means a lot to be able to be who I wanna be"
 - Cheyenne

"I wanted to come to Te Pā for ages because one of my best friends told me about it all the time and I'm real happy I did cause over the last few weeks I've been around some of the most supportive people and it makes me want to come to school and chase my dreams"
- Neza

During our time in Queenstown we realised just a bit more about how Te Waka Uruao worked. It took a big leap for all of us to understand that Te Pā o Rākaihautū was looking out for us, not just as a school but as whānau.
We are thankful for the many opportunities, adventures and experiences that Te Pā has given us so far.
(NCEA, Kapa Haka Nationals, Canada, USA...)

"Every day is a new challenge and an unexpected chance for success and laughter." 

Te Pā is a place where they tell you:

"Tamaiti ākona i te pā, tū ki te ao, tau ana!”

This means: "a child educated to be strong in their own identity stands confident in the world".
Te Pā has given us that education, strength and confidence to take our place in this ever-changing world. We are not the only ones who have been welcomed, accepted and loved at Te Pā this year; there are many others like us with their own journey, their own stories to share.

We are just four or the Year 12’s who made a life changing choice and gained a new Whānau who are always there for us.