At the end of Term 3, our students competed in the Waikato Secondary Schools’ Culinary Fare in September - showcasing their talents in a wide variety of culinary arts, from cakes and cold desserts to mystery boxes and burgers. Everyone who entered did a fantastic job, and we came away with five gold awards, 11 silver awards and 14 bronze awards as well as the top school title!

Cupcakes

• Emma Bartram - Bronze
• Freya Beere - Gold
• Natalie Carter - Silver
• Lizzie Foy - Silver
• Paige Hopping - Bronze
• Olivia Mackay - Bronze
• Georgia Roberts - Gold
• Asha Spencer - Bronze
• Annabel Usher - Silver
• Lucy Vergeest - Silver
• Summer Cordes - Bronze

Cold Dessert

• Emily Powell - Merit
• Lucy Powell - Bronze
• Zoe Rive - Bronze

Café Cake

• Emma Bartram - Merit
• Sophie Wright - Silver
• Kaylee Irvin - Merit
• Mio Morisaki - Gold and First Place
• Abby Pooley - Silver
• Louise Whitaker - Bronze
• Mystery Box Live Cook
• Olivia Bell - Bronze
• Summer Cordes - Merit
• Mya Kovaleski - Merit
• Devon Parrott - Bronze
• Ruby Makeham - Bronze
• Rosie Savage - Silver
• Nina Thomson - Bronze
• Kate Woods - Silver

Barista

• Maddy Basel - Silver
• Greer Enersen - Bronze

Creative Table Setting

• Emily Gilchrist - Merit
• Sarah Rich - Bronze

Creative Burger

• Natalie Carter - Gold

Creative Savoury Pizza

• Emily Gilchrist - Silver

Creative Healthy Lunch

• Leah Owens - Silver

Savoury Pie

• Kaylee Irvin - Gold

2023 School Production

Auditions for Dio's 2023 major production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream are on Wednesday, 30 November and Thursday, 1 December this year. These auditions are for the cast and the dance ensemble. Those students cast from the 2022 version who want to audition for another role will need to complete another full audition. Audition material and the rehearsal schedule can be found in the Arts and Culture section of the school website.

Please do not audition if you cannot commit to ALL rehearsal times.

We will send out an email in mid-November with instructions on signing up for an audition, but please look at all the information so you can prepare.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with ghewitt@wdsg.school.nz

Instrumental Music

What a year it has been for our instrumental music groups! There have been many practices (that were actually in person), events, performances, and great results from all groups.

Some of this year's highlights include Orchestra workshops with Victoria Trenwith and David Squire, the Auckland Dio exchange where our DiOrchestra got to play with the Auckland Dio Sinfonia Orchestra, Hamilton Central Baptist Church performance where Dio’s Jazz Band, Bel Suono choir and DiOrchestra performed to the elderly, Auckland KBB festival where the DiOrchestra competed against the best secondary school orchestras in New Zealand and came out with a bronze award! At the Waikato Orchestra and Band Festival, the Jazz Band, Pixie Kickers (guitar ensemble) and DiOrchestra competed with secondary school music groups from around the Waikato. Jazz Band and Pixie Kickers came out with a silver award, and the DiOrchestra came out with gold and received the best orchestra of the day award! To end the year off, the Jazz Band, Pixie Kickers, DiOrchestra and the Dio rock band, Akrasia, performed at the art showcase.

Amazing efforts to everyone involved, and a big thank you to all the guest players from Hamilton Boys' High, tutors, conductors and all the behind-the-scenes teachers and organisers.

Success in the Arts

The super-talented Sophie Hansen (Year 10) is a finalist in two categories in the Stills Student Photography Competition. In just her first year entering, two of her incredible photos have made the top 10 out of 1250 entries! Sophie recently photographed our Arts Showcase (check out her photos in the Gallery section of this issue)  She is a huge talent to watch.

During the term break, one of our talented students Iris Wainui-Mackle (Year 12), had her final Associates weekend at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington for the year! She is pictured below, sitting on the far left with all of the NZSD Senior Associates from around Aotearoa.

The Associate's Programme identifies ballet and contemporary dance students aged 13 to16 with the talent for a career in dance performance.

Uncollected Art Folios

We have lots of uncollected art folios from 2020 and 2021. These can be picked up from the D Block foyer or contact Mrs West to arrange collection pwest@wdsg.school.nz