In this bulletin, articles come from from our Cultural & Kahui Hauora Prefects - Kaitlyn Chandler, Alicia Sigley and Mehak Walia

On May 21st 2022, Rotorua Girls' High School hosted Pink Shirt Day in honour of standing up against bullying. This event was run by Hauora prefects Kaitlyn Chandler and Alicia Sigley and members of the Wellness Centre staff, Whaea Julie, Ms Heidi and Nurse Katie. 

Pink Shirt Day is aimed at reducing bullying in Aotearoa and celebrating diversity in schools, workplaces and wider communities, to help build strength as a whole and no longer be a bystander when bullying occurs. With a great outcome of support from the students, the school was coloured pink for the day, stickers handed out with small affirmations such as “The world needs more people like you” to keep up a positive mindset and show care for those in our classrooms.

As a Hauora prefect and someone who also experience bullying throughout my years of school, I greatly appreciated how much support there was, seeing students giving each other stickers with affirmations and everyone being involved in putting their finger prints down for the pledge of being an upstander not a bystander, made me feel as though this was the beginning of creating a safer space in the school grounds to protect students against bullying. The day was full of fun and food where students were given free sausage sizzles at lunch time and were able to be involved in a small quiz to win a prize as well as best dressed students. The staff were also given a treat by a pink shirt day morning tea and best dressed teachers. 1st place went to Ms Holmes, Second to Mr Kiss and Third to Mr Niles for their great dressing up skills and attitudes towards an important cause.

This was an event that helped students become closer to others they may not be close to already and begin friendships and a positive school environment. On behalf of the Hauora prefects and Wellness staff, we would like to say a big thank you to everyone who participated and donated on Pink shirt day. It was all really appreciated and remember, Be an Upstander to bullying, not a Bystander. 

- Kaitlyn Chandler

Z Club 2022

Z Club is now underway. Our first meeting welcomed 14 students and 3 members from the Zonta Club. Lots of different projects have been discussed and were further thought through at the second meeting. We are deciding on a Local Community, National and an International Projects, all with the theme of helping and supporting girls and women. We are very keen to support the families being affected by the Ukraine War and we have a contact in the Netherlands that can help us with this. The Mufti Day where the girls at school bring Cans of food or money is being sorted so we can get things under way. The food will support a food bank in Rotorua and the funds will go towards the International Project. By the next Bulletin we will have firmed up our other Projects. We need to fine tune these so we can be as effective as possible.

The last meeting was smaller due to an amazing amount of rain and other activities happening in the school. It was very productive though with lots of discussion re projects and voting for our Offices.

We are going to be lead by the following students. President - Alicia Sigley, Vice President - Zoe Kumeroa, Secretary - Mehak Walia and Treasurer - Priya Konduou. Thank you so much for stepping up to these roles.

- Alicia Sigley and Mehak Walia