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Issue 13 - December 2023

Reflections Providing opportunities to shine www.otc.school.nz

VALUES

PURPOSE

We stand strong, strive for excellence, work together, and have respect for all

Let Learning Enlighten Life Ōtūmoetai College is an inclusive learning community where identity, optimism and challenge form the foundation for all learners to flourish in a dynamic world. The learning environment will enable students to achieve their personal best in their academic studies, the arts, sporting and cultural pursuits. During their journey, our students will grow into powerful learners who embrace diversity, resilience and develop meaningful relationships with others. This is our purpose and our commitment.

Ōtūmoetai College Contacts Enrolments Richard Brown (Assistant Principal) rbrown@otc.school.nz Office Gwen Livingston (Receptionist) office@otc.school.nz Friends of Ōtūmoetai College - Rachel Chaney chaneyfive@gmail.com Extra Curricular Contacts Sport - Ian Ridgway (Sports Development Director) iridgway@otc.school.nz Music - Matt Bodman (HOD) mbodman@otc.school.nz Performing Arts - Mandy Rowe (HOD) mrowe@otc.school.nz Māori Performing Arts - Maria Veronese (HOD) mveronese@otc.school.nz

Kimihia tōu ake maunga teitei Whakakotahitanga Whakakoha tētahi ki tētahi Tū pakari i te ao

FEATURES 06 14 17 39 41 42

Project K Wilderness Adventure 2023 Exploring the Cosmos: A Journey to NASA Year 10 Spirit of New Zealand Introducing Our New Sports Coordinators Introducing Our New International Director Introducing Our International Department

REGULARS 03 04 05 07 19 21 38 43 46 47

From the Principal Editorial - Navigating the AI Wave Deputy Principal of Achievement Student Success Student Success - Dance Student Sport Staff Celebrations Where Are They Now? Sam Fellows and Eva Griffin-Jones From the Archives Calendar

Message

Russell Gordon, Principal

from the Principal As the principal of Ōtūmoetai College, it is with immense pride that I reflect on the remarkable achievements of our students over the past few months. Each achievement is a testament to their dedication, creativity, and spirit of excellence. In the Young Enterprise competitions, our students have demonstrated not only innovative thinking but also tenacity and strategic acumen, with our team Unifirm representing the Bay of Plenty in the national competition in December. Innovation continued to be a theme with our students earning accolades at the Young Innovator Awards. Their ideas and inventions are more than just projects; they are developing solutions today that could help improve society tomorrow. Academic excellence has always been a cornerstone of our ethos, and this was exemplified by one of our Year 13 students securing a prestigious scholarship to Yale University. This achievement is not just a personal milestone for Charo, but also a beacon of inspiration for her peers. Our prowess in academics was further highlighted in the Bay of Plenty Mathsmind Competition, where our students demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and mathematical understanding.

Our Year 10 students aboard the Spirit of New Zealand embarked on a journey that was not just about exploring the seas but also discovering their own potential, leadership, and teamwork skills. A similar journey of introspection was undertaken by a further 12 Year 10 students as they embarked on the Project K Wilderness Adventure. In the realm of performing arts, our students dazzled in the DanceNZ Made competition. Their performances were a vivid display of their passion, hard work, and artistic expression. It was also a thrill to see one of our students excelling in the 2023 Youth Town Song writing Competition and enchanting the judges with her original composition. Our achievements in sports were equally impressive, with our teams and individuals excelling in a variety of sports. These successes are a reflection of their undoubted skill, dedication, and passion for their sport. As we celebrate these achievements, I am reminded that each accomplishment, be it big or small, contributes to the vibrant tapestry of our school’s community. It is the combined effort of every student, teacher, and staff member that makes Ōtūmoetai College a nurturing ground for talent and excellence.

A highlight of the year to date was the school trip to NASA, an extraordinary opportunity that allowed our students to delve into the realms of space and science, expanding their horizons far beyond the classroom.

Editorial Navigating the AI Wave In recent years, the burgeoning reach of Artificial Intelligence

Another area where AI can significantly contribute is in

(AI) has sparked a global debate, resonating strongly in New

administrative efficiency. AI can automate routine tasks such

Zealand’s educational landscape. Concerns range from privacy

as grading and scheduling, freeing up teachers to focus more

issues and the potential for job displacement to the ethical

on teaching and less on bureaucratic processes. This shift can

implications of AI decision-making. However, amidst these

enhance teacher well-being, reducing burnout and allowing

apprehensions lies a transformative opportunity for New

educators to invest more time in creative and interactive

Zealand schools to harness AI’s power, reshaping education to

teaching methods.

be more personalised, efficient, and inclusive. Moreover, integrating AI into the curriculum is crucial. As The first step in this journey is acknowledging and addressing

we prepare students for a future where AI is ubiquitous,

the valid concerns surrounding AI. Data privacy, a critical issue,

understanding and interacting with this technology becomes

demands stringent policies to protect student information.

as fundamental as reading and writing. New Zealand schools

Moreover, the fear of AI replacing human roles needs to be

have the opportunity to lead in this area by incorporating AI

met with a narrative that emphasises AI as a tool augmenting

literacy into their curricula, equipping students with the skills

human capabilities, not replacing them. By establishing a

to not only use AI but also to understand its implications and

framework of ethical AI use that prioritises transparency

limitations.

and accountability, schools can navigate these challenges effectively.

While the concerns surrounding AI’s increasing reach are valid and must be addressed, New Zealand schools have a unique

Once these concerns are addressed, New Zealand schools can

opportunity to harness this powerful tool. By personalising

pivot towards the positive integration of AI. One of the most

education, democratising access, enhancing administrative

significant advantages of AI is its ability to personalise learning.

efficiency, and integrating AI into the curriculum, schools can

Traditional one-size-fits-all teaching models often overlook

lead a revolutionary shift in education. The future beckons

individual learning paces and styles. AI, through adaptive

with a promise of an AI-augmented educational landscape,

learning platforms, can analyse a student’s performance

one that is more inclusive, efficient, and adaptable to the

in real-time, offering tailored resources and feedback. This

diverse needs of New Zealand’s students.

approach not only bolsters student engagement but also allows teachers to identify and address learning gaps more effectively.

Deputy Principal of Achievement SENIOR SCHOOL A student’s National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is an educational CV that highlights what they can do and how well they can do it. Given the time of the year and

Dave Cleland, Deputy Principal

despite COVID-19 no longer being the cause of disruption, record weather events and industrial action have still had a disruption effect. Due to this it is worthwhile to clarify the NCEA or University Entrance (UE) information and process this year. We have identified students at risk of not achieving their

JUNIOR SCHOOL

NCEA based on their current pass rates and predictions and

As mentioned earlier in the year, Year 10s and some Year

will be actively working with them. Our Academic Support

11s entered the new NCEA Level 1 Literacy and Numeracy

Mentor, Mrs Stacey Shefferd, and our Kaitiaki will lead this

Common Assessment Activities (CAA’s). The results from

work and, if necessary, offer additional learning opportunities

Term two are shown below. Those who have not gained CAA

to help those students achieve their NCEA goal.

in Term two sat the assessments again in early Term four and the results will be out mid January.

NCEA 2023: • Learning Recognition Credits (LRCs) - Unlike the last couple

This is the first year of implementation and we continue

of years, students will NOT be given any LRCs this year. This

to make learnings in how to prepare and approach the

means to gain NCEA Level 1, students will once again need

knowledge and skills needed.

80 Level 1+ credits. Students working on gaining NCEA Level

intensely over the past 18-24 months on a writing initiative

2 or Level 3 will need to gain 60 credits at their respective

with our junior students and are delighted to see that we

levels.

have improved significantly from 2022 to 2023, and have

• Certificate Endorsements - Back to the usual 50

also increased our results relative to the national average.

• University Entrance (UE) - Student need to gain 14 credits

While Numeracy seems to have taken a big fall, we are only a

in 3+ approved subjects (As well as NCEA L3 and Literacy

few percentage points behind the national average, and we

and Numeracy UE requirements)

continue to use this to inform our teaching and learning to meet the needs of our students.

We have just completed our NCEA and Scholarship examinations and these ran very smoothly. Results will be out mid-January.

We have been working

Ōtūmoetai College Project K Wilderness Adventure 2023: A Profound Impact By Cindi Lett Cindi Lett serves as the Stars Mentor and Project K Coordinator at the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Project K is a comprehensive program designed for Year 10 students, aiming to equip them with essential life skills, boost their confidence, and help them discover direction and purpose over a period of 14 months. The initiative focuses on mitigating at-risk behaviours, including truancy, bullying, suicidal thoughts, and other challenges. fostering an environment where young individuals can thrive and achieve success.

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As I sit here remembering my days spent at the Project K Wilderness Adventure camp, at Waharau Regional Park, my heart overflows with emotions that are hard to put into words. Twelve students from Ōtūmoetai College, initially strangers, from different backgrounds and circumstances, fighting their own battles, came together in unity, forming an unbreakable bond.

The experiential learning was transformative for the students and built resilience and confidence. The outdoor wilderness camp included: tramping, kayaking, putting up a tent, reflection, mountain biking, camp fires, letter writing, basic life skills and exploring nature. Watching the students conquer their fears and push their limits was an incredible and humbling experience.

In the natural environment, the students were encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, face challenges headon, talk about their innermost thoughts and feelings to discover untapped strengths within themselves. Witnessing their growth, from hesitant, nervous, anxious, and timid individuals to confident and resilient young adventurers, left me in awe of the power of nature’s nurturing influence on the human spirit and reminded me of the importance of living in the present moment.

I am filled with gratitude for having been a part of this journey. These students reminded me of the beauty of humanity, the importance of being a compassionate and non-judgmental listener, and of the resilience and strength we all possess, no matter our age or circumstances. May we all find the courage to be inspired by the little things, to cherish the moments that truly matter and approach life with unwavering love and compassion.

Student Success Young Enterprise Regional Awards Young Enterprise regional awards were held on the 18th October and our Year 12 and 13 students did us very proud! There were 27 Young Enterprise teams competing and below are the Ōtūmoetai College results:

Regional Winners - Unifirm Congratulations to Zykyia Peka, Caitlin Spalding, Mason Kritz and Ale Calderon

About Unifirm: “Our business was created to address the problem many schools face with the managing of sports and formal uniforms. By using our Radio Frequency Identification or RFID technology, school uniform managers are now able to get more done in less time.” We created a technical solution (created by Digital Science OTC students) for schools and uniform managers to save valuable time, money and stress in this role.

Regional Runner Up - Hauora Homes Congratulations to Chloe Davison, Peter Colonna, Dana Doyle, Sam Lemberg, Olivia Cleaver, Joel Beets

Regional Entrepreneur- Chloe Davison Awesome Product Presentation Winner - FishOff Runner Up - Calm Charm

Team Work Award Runner Up - Hauora Homes

Financial Management Award Runner Up - Unifirm

Innovation Award Winner - Unifirm

Student Success Young Innovator Awards 2023 Young Innovator Awards creates tomorrow’s innovators by offering a hands-on, learn-by-doing experience. Students work through the design thinking process to develop innovative solutions to authentic problems. The best entries, as judged by top innovators in NZ and abroad, win internships at leading innovative businesses in the Bay plus cash prizes up to $2,000. In a stunning display of creativity and talent, our young innovators saw some outstanding achievements at the awards evening clinching five prestigious awards in total.

Junior Results 1st in Junior: P-PECK Congratulations to Peyton Clode, Pauline Beetz, Emma Hurley, Kale Brooking, and Catelyn Evans Their innovation was Sunnyside Up. Watch here

Winners of the Sustainability Award and 3rd overall: KEAH Congratulations to Katy McLeod, Elliot Swney, Alexia Rogers-Hibell and Hannah Richards. Their

innovation was Biolids. Watch here.

Student Success Young Innovator Awards Continued... Senior Results 1st in Senior: Shorter and Hex The pinnacle of success in the senior category was attained by Team Shorter and Hex. Haylee Hextall and Amelia Shorter, the dynamic duo, unveiled their groundbreaking innovation, Glowshield. Watch here.

Winners of the Research Award and 3rd in Senior: Solution Seaweed The team Solution Seaweed placed 3rd overall in the senior category. The students in this team were Charlie Minshall and Kara Blackstock. Their innovation was solution seaweed. Watch here.

Student Success Scholarship to Yale Charo Heijnen

Ōtūmoetai College Head Student, Charo Heijnen has been awarded a scholarship to Yale in the United States. We wanted to find out a bit more information so we asked her a few quesions!

Congratulations on receiving a scholarship to Yale! Can you tell us a bit about the scholarship and how you found out that you were selected? As an athlete, the recruitment process is a bit different than if I were to apply regularly. I had been in contact with the coaches from Columbia and Yale over zoom for a few months where they slowly started narrowing down their selection for their incoming freshman. In August I found out that I had been invited on two official visits for me to get a feel for the team/ university as well as to see if I’d be a good fit on the team. Following this I had meetings with the coaches where I found out they wanted to support me through the admissions process. (At Yale this happened during breakfast in the dining hall!) I was completely shocked that this was becoming an opportunity for me but I’m so excited to see what the next four years holds! I leave around mid August which gives me time to improve my running before I go. For the first two years, students live in on-campus housing. This includes eating at the 14 dining halls and being very close to the classes and training facilities. After this, living on campus is optional.

What made you decide to apply to universities in America? Particularly this year, I knew I wanted to go to a university where I could combine academics and athletics. Unfortunately this isn’t really possible in New Zealand, however, America has many more opportunities and resources to do this. From the training facilities, team and level of competition to the unique experiences I’ll gain as an international student, there are so many benefits to attending a university there. Many runners around NZ and in my training group have already gone and been successful there so they were a big inspiration to me! What were your initial thoughts and emotions when you learned that you would be attending Yale on a scholarship? This process has been building up for the last few months with each step (such as the visit) getting me closer to attending. However, after receiving my likely letter (confirmation), I’ve been so grateful for this opportunity. It still doesn’t feel real but I mainly feel so much gratitude towards everyone that has helped me get here. It’s also quite scary to go halfway across the world on my own. But I know I have both the support of the team at Yale as well as an incredible family and school community that I can fall back on. My parents have always been so supportive of my dreams and give me so much confidence to take this opportunity.

Scholarships often have specific criteria or requirements. Can you share with us the criteria you had to meet to be eligible for this scholarship? If you’re admitted to Yale, you automatically get a scholarship to meet your financial needs so the main requirements I had to meet were ones to get into the university academically as well as athletically and through my extracurriculars such as leadership. This meant I had to have good times on the track, good grades as well as a lot of involvement in leadership and projects around the school.

What advice do you have for other students who may be aspiring to receive scholarships to prestigious universities like Yale? I’d say to stick to what you’re passionate about. Don’t do an extracurricular or class because you think it would look good on your application. Yale is looking for people who have genuine commitments in areas that they’ll continue in university. It sounds cliche but just be yourself!

Scholarships often come with expectations in terms of involvement and engagement in the university community. What extracurricular or community activities do you plan to participate in at Yale? I will be a part of the track and cross country team so I’ll compete in distance events all throughout the year. This is a team of about 20 girls who I’ll train with daily. Outside of sports, there are many extracurriculars that are available and I can try. Can you tell us a little about your future plans and aspirations after university? Do you have an idea on what career you want to pursue? I’m not exactly sure what I want to major in, however, Yale has a very open curriculum so I can take many classes that interest me and declare my major by my junior year. This gives me time to explore subjects/ career pathways that I may not have considered before.

Student Success Songwriting Competition Congratulations to Rachel Stevens Year 11 Rachel was the winner of the 2023 Youth Town Songwriting Competition which is a songwriting competition for NZ secondary school students Years 9 to 11. As part of the finals prize Rachel had the opportunity to spend a full day professionally recording her song at Parachute Studios in Auckland.

Bay of Plenty Mathsmind Competition Another outstanding year of success in the Bay of Plenty’s MathsMind competition. Congratulations to all the students who took part! First place went to our Year 10 team. Congratulations to: Jaymin Corn, Jude Chua, Anges Anderson & Lauren Harris. Second place went to our Year 9 team (beaten on time but scoring 100%!) Congratulations to: Adam Lewis, Ella Wilce, Max Saienni & Elliott Swney.

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity Exploring the Cosmos: A Journey to NASA In an unforgettable adventure, 28 Year 11-13 students took off during the Term 3 holidays to visit the iconic NASA facilities in Orlando, Florida. This trip was truly a stellar experience that will be etched in their memories for years to come. Students had the chance to step into the shoes of astronauts as they experienced the sensation of working in zero gravity and one of the highlights of the trip was the opportunity to drive simulated Mars lander rovers (a robot spacecraft for landing on and exploring other planets). Of course, a visit to NASA wouldn’t be complete without getting up close and personal with some of the most enormous rockets ever constructed.

In addition to the scientific and educational aspects of the trip, students also had time for some leisurely activities. Orlando’s attractions offered thrilling days at the theme parks, and shopping excursions allowed students to indulge in retail therapy. It’s important to acknowledge and thank the dedicated educators who made this trip possible. Mr Smith, Mr Cleland, and Mrs Weaver played an instrumental role in organising and chaperoning this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the NASA trip as “the best thing I’ve ever done.” Following on from this, we asked a couple of students their thoughts on the trip.

NASA Trip Co Dominik Bennett What made you decide to take up this opportunity? I decided to take this opportunity up as I knew this experience would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Even though anyone can visit Florida and NASA, I felt that going with school and your friends would make the whole trip worth it even more. From travelling together to exploring the theme parks to hanging out after a long day, the people on the trip definitely made it and was the original reason why I decided that this would be now or never. Super 6 Champions Congratulations to our Super 6 Competitive team who were unbeaten all season with 13 wins and 1 draw.

The Grand Final against Te Puke Boys finished with a 4-0 win for the Ōtūmoetai College Boys. Season goals for/against 82-15.

What steps did you take to get to the US? Did you have to fundraise or take on an extra job etc? Netball Netball For many of us, we fundraised as a group with school on multiple occasions such as selling sausages at Bunnings and during school lunchtimes, to hosting a quiz night which helped us get to the US. For me personally, I work a part time job and, with the help of family and these fundraisers, I was able to go on this trip. This year’s netball season has seen many successes through the entire programme. A number of the teams took part in eight weeks of research based strength & conditioning thanks to Chloe and her PhD research based around knee injury prevention courtesy of AUT.

This year’s netball season has seen many successes through the entire programme. A number of the teams took part in eight weeks of research based strength & conditioning thanks to Chloe and her PhD research based around knee injury prevention courtesy of AUT.

This year’s netball finals night saw nine of our dynamic teams light up the court! Among them, three teams chased the championship title, while six others battled tenaciously for the 3rd and 4th spots.

What were some of the activities you did on your trip and what was your favourite? During the week, every experience was different. The main reason we were there was NASA and it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. You learnt so much about different aspects of the industry such as how certain things were invented or what happened on certain missions such as the last moon landing. The showdown began with our Year 9 B team facing off against Tauranga Girls’ College Year 9 Takahe in the Year 9 Pool B Final. Despite a fierce fight, victory eluded us, and we proudly secured the Runner Up position.

The showdown began with our Year 9 B team facing off against Tauranga Girls’ College Year 9 Takahe in the Year 9 Pool B Final. Despite a fierce fight, victory eluded us, and we proudly secured the Runner Up position.

Our Year 10 A team took on Tauranga Girls’ College Year 10 Social in the Year 10 Div 2 Final. The game was a heartpounding spectacle, and with a final score of 25-22, we emerged triumphant!

Our last final featured our Prem 2 team against Tauranga Girls’ College SNR – Pihipihi in the Premier 6 Final. With skill and determination, we clinched victory with a score of 32-27.

Hats off to all our netball teams for their outstanding performance in the local competition.

TiC of Netball - Mrs Richardson

Another day that I really enjoyed was the astronaut training where we were in groups and able to take part in really cool experiences such as full motion simulators and microgravity simulators. TiC of Netball - Mrs Richardson

Finally, the other day that I really enjoyed and I’m sure everyone else did was going to Universal. The park was absolutely huge and definitely got many of us out of our comfort zones. I really enjoyed riding the roller coasters which is something I don’t usually do but it was awesome being able to do that with everyone too. Our senior girls: Ingrid Stripling, Eseta Fifita, Emily Bibi and Charlotte Mitchell, all had a successful season in the Chiefs Manawa competition.

We welcomed Jodi Tod as our Head of Netball as we look to establish the Bay Of Plenty’s premier netball programme.

We welcomed Jodi Tod as our Head of Netball as Fiji Of U18 Girls’ Sevens we look to establish the Bay Plenty’s premier Emily Bibi (pictured above) has been involved in the Fiji netball programme. U18 Girls’ Sevens training squad with a view to secure her spot in the team for the upcoming World Schools’ Sevens Tournament.

What would you say to someone thinking about going on the next trip? I agree with the saying “go outside your comfort zone and try new experiences.” I think going into it knowing that everyone else is in the same boat - excited, nervous, and intrigued by what’s to come - will definitely help. By surrounding yourself with friends on the trip and even people you don’t know and going into experiences together, it helps you do things you may not have before. Thank you to our sponsors Barbarians rugby not only relies on the goodwill of its volunteers but also its sponsors for their unwavering support; Marshalls Innovations, Pak n Save, and Mark Francis - Tremains Real Estate . GoodNeighbour We must also thank our affiliated charity, GoodNeighbour, for the opportunity to allow our rugby players to give back to our community during the annual ‘Fire Wood Day’. A real highlight of the year for all our rugby teams, coaches, and managers.

If someone was considering going on a school overseas trip, and was able to, I would highly recommend doing something like this to get experience of real world things and learn about the differences between cultures.

ontinued... Troy Adams What made you decide to take up this opportunity? I thought it was a good way to see America and learn more about physics and meet new people. What steps did you take to get to the US? Did you have to fundraise or take on an extra job etc? I am now in debt to my Dad with lots of housework owed! What were some of the activities you did on your trip and what was your favourite? We went and did all the NASA experiences and we went to Universal Studios and malls and a bunch of cool stuff. My favourite part of the trip was learning about how America went to the moon and of course the amusement park! What was the most interesting thing you learned? I learned a lot about the US culture and about the reusable rockets which was very interesting. Were you worried about anything before you left? No because the teacher had everything sorted out and they had backup plans for everything. We were all treated very well and no one got lost so that was a plus. What would you say to someone thinking about going on the next trip? Do it! It was a trip of a lifetime!

Year 10 Spirit of New Zealand By Vanessa Hays A sailing experience on big ships can be awe-inspiring and offer a unique perspective of the open sea. For ten of our Year 10 students this was certainly the case when they took part in the Spirit of New Zealand sailing trip in June. Despite challenging weather, students were witness to breathtaking views of the ocean whilst climbing to the topsail. They were also able to walk over one of the surrounding islands - Rotoroa, and complete voyage challenges on the beautiful beaches of the coromandel. The Trophy Voyage competition enabled our wonderful students opportunities for social interactions and meeting fellow trainees from Taranaki Boys’ High School, Rangiruru Girls and St Andrews College. Each day involved diverse itineraries. Our team completed duties aboard the ship such as night shift duty, jumping into the cold ocean at 6.30am, as well as challenging activities like the mini olympics in the evenings. Building strong bonds with fellow trainees and crew members is an essential part of the

Spirit of New Zealand experience. Our students had opportunities to learn about and participate in nautical experiences. This included activities like hoisting sails, knot tying, navigation, and even the chance to steer the ship under the supervision of the crew. Overcoming these challenges, our students gained self-confidence, personal growth and a sense of accomplishment in these tasks. What made my heart sing was observing our students working together, they excelled in uniting as a team throughout the journey, even in difficult circumstances at times. They should be very proud of how they represented themselves and our kura.

Year 10 Spirit of New Zealand Student Voice Catelyn Evans I would definitely recommend this trip. There are so many things to try and to keep you busy. I made new friends from other schools and the crew were helpful and fun to hang out with. I loved climbing up the rigging on one of the masts and out on the Bowsprit to help put the sails away. I absolutely loved this trip as it gave me experiences I would not have elsewhere such as driving the Tender boat back to the Spirit Of NZ after visiting an island. I loved this trip SO MUCH!!

Oscar Downard The spirit of adventure was a trip of a lifetime. It taught me many useful life skills which I can use in everyday situations such as important knots, great communication skills and skills to meet new people. I also learnt what life is like on sailing ships and how to use the sails and other components of the ship. I enjoyed every part of the trip but my favourite parts were the times when we got to go up the mast. This was great fun because it was awesomely interesting to get a birds eye view of the whole ship from up on the mast. It looked really cool. Another of my favourite parts were the morning jumps and the rope swing. Even though it was really cold and irritating walking around on deck beforehand, once you had jumped, it was all worth it in the end and you felt good and warm. I enjoyed waking up to the great view of the water and islands too because 18

it was very calming and peaceful to look at. Also, the night duty was surprisingly interesting because on one of the nights, there were decently sized fish swimming and jumping around in the water all night. It was cool to watch. It was also interesting to listen to the boat’s radio and watch the gauges because you never know what might happen. The food was also very decent food - I would eat this on the mainland - it was very nutritional and tasty. The crew and trainees were all great, happy people to be around and made the voyage even better. If I had the chance to do this again, I would definitely take it on because it was a great opportunity and doesn’t happen very often.

Harry Mills The Spirit Of Adventure has taught me many things, practical and other. Some of the practical things I learned to do are tying knots and working the ship. I’ve learned a lot about the boat and how all of the sails work together to make it move forward. I have also learned that the more effort you put into something the more you are going to get out of it, and if you do nothing you won’t learn anything. I’ve found that if you make mistakes you will learn quicker and be better at it next time. These are just some of the things I have learned.

Student Success Ōtūmoetai College Shines Bright In a year marked by challenges, the dance world saw fewer competitions, but that didn’t stop the dance students of Ōtūmoetai College from achieving remarkable success. The stage may have been virtual, but the passion and talent were as real as ever. The spotlight first fell on Ōtūmoetai College at the DE - Aerial Arts and Dance Comps West Midlands online competition. With participants from 12 countries competing, Ōtūmoetai College’s dance troupe captured the judges’ attention and claimed top honours in multiple categories.

Dance NZ MADE

In the realm of commercial dance, Ōtūmoetai College’s HipHop Troupe gained 1st place in the commercial group category with an impressive score of 97/100. The energy and dynamism of their performance stood out. The contemporary dance category saw Ōtūmoetai College clinching the highest score of the event, a phenomenal 99/100, showcasing their innovation and artistic flair. Their lyrical group also wowed the judges with a score of 98/100, securing the top spot. 19

Dance NZ MADE, held in July, was another success story. Our students immersed themselves in workshops and showcased their talents. The “Golden Ticket” recipients, including Holly Fitzgerald, Ashleigh Strawn, Katy McLeod, Shinate Haynes, Sammy Irwin, Sophie Lane, Indie-Rose Vianello, Chiara Giacon, and Klarion Janes (not pictured) added to the shine. Notably, the students’ own choreography came to life in the lyrical troupe performance, earning them a commendable 3rd place out of 28 troupe performances. This creativity was further displayed in the open section, with Ōtūmoetai College securing 3rd place in Contemporary and 2nd place in Lyrical.

As the d ance year unf olds, Ōtū moetai College’s success story in 2023 se rves as a n inspira showcas tion, ing the p o wer of passion, dedicatio n, and the artistry of dance .

Duo and trio performances brought more triumphs. In the year 9/10 year level, Sammy Irwin and Holly Marjoribanks claimed 1st place, while Ashleigh Strawn and Summer Stowe aced the Open category. The ultimate champions across ages were Sammy Irwin and Holly Marjoribanks. Solos were a showcase of individual brilliance. Notable winners included Indie-Rose DwyerVianello, Holly M, Sammy I, Holly Fitzgerald, Shinate, Kaitlin Napier, Ashleigh S, Stevie Green, Stevie Green & Chiara Giacon

each leaving a mark on the stage. The journey continues with an invitation to Nationals in Palmerston North, where Ōtūmoetai College’s top scorers, including Sammy I, Holly M, Kaitlin N, and Shinate Haynes, will represent their excellence. In the Tauranga Performing Arts competition, Ōtūmoetai College’s Hip Hop Troupe secured 3rd place, while the Lyrical group earned a Very Highly Commended.

Kaylee Marjoribanks, Stevie Green, Chiara Giacon, Caitlin Spalding

Student Sport BADMINTON

BASKETBALL

Badminton is a sport which has seen huge growth this year thanks to our TiC of Racquet Sports, Mr Loudon. The coaching expertise of Donald Koh, Sport BOP, has also been an integral part of the developmental leap of a number of our students. This year’s school championships took place during Term 3 with our students’ placings listed below.

Whai Basketball Vist to Ōtūmoetai College During Term 3 our basketball teams had the opportunity to be coached by not only the Whai Basketball players but also the assistant coach, Tane Bennett. Thank you to Aaliyah, Mikayla & Alyssa from the Whai Women’s basketball team for running some awesome drills for our Junior Year 9, Year 10, Mixed and Girls teams.

Senior Boys: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Senior Girls: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Junior Boys: 1st: 2nd: 3rd: Junior Girls: 1st: 2nd: 3rd:

Bay of Plenty Junior Secondary Schools Finals. TOP: 1st Place Division 2 - Maisie Crawford, Elani Kinsella, Grace Spencer & Jasdeep Deol. RIGHT: 3rd Place Division 3 - , Joanne Park, Keisha Patel, Mia Paris & Grace Gilchrist. 21

Lachlan Shefferd Logan Purser Wesley Newland Deep Kaur Cleo Putty Melissa Phirun Delamere Langton Lincoln Hodge Jayden Green Jasdeep Deol Elani Kinsella Joanne Park

Tane Bennett is considered one of the best basketball coaches within the Bay of Plenty, he worked on a number of areas with our players including footwork, pick and roll (creating an advance) and decision making.

Winners Bay of Plenty Secondary School Division 1 - A Boys The Senior A Boys Basketball team had a good year of growth. As the season progressed the team grew in confidence, effort, culture, sticking to systems, and then results on the court as well. A well deserved bronze in the Senior A division was just reward for the work put in, and then Winter Tournament was an invaluable exercise for next steps. It was a wonderful group of gentlemen, and a pleasure to coach them. Senior A Boys Head Coach - Corey Hinde

Basketball - All Group Girls Grade Grand Final: Ōtūmoetai College - 36 Bethlehem College Junior A - 31 There are only 9 players from the entire school to play girls basketball. A mixture of seniors and juniors, experienced and beginners. To make it to the final to play Bethlehem College, a team that had beaten us during the season, was a great achievement. Then to come up with a game plan, implement the game plan and win the championship an amazing journey with an amazing finish! CHAMPS. Girls Head Coach - Andy Mackay.

Senior A Boys 3rd/4th Play-off Ōtūmoetai College - 95 Tauranga Boys’ College Senior Blue - 70

•

• •

• • •

Thank you Christian Lemi & Raedan Ngawharau for 5 years of playing basketball for Ōtūmoetai College.

BMX & CYCLING Hannah Mason has excelled in the world of BMX this year competing in regional, national and international competitions throughout 2023. Hannah represented New Zealand against the best riders in the world at the Glasgow event from 6-13 August. Hannah finished an awesome 8th in the world. She is a true inspiration for her peers here at Ōtūmoetai College, her list of outstanding achievements include: • •

BMX Wellington region championships 2023 (February) - 3rd place in 16 girls BMX Northern Region Championships 2023 (March) - 2nd place in 16 girls

BMX New Zealand National Championships 2023 - 2nd (Ranking) in New Zealand for 16 Girls BMX Oceania Champs 2023 - 3rd (Ranking) for 16 girls BMX Australian National Series Round 3 (MacArthur, Sydney) - 4th in 16 girls and 6th in Junior Super-class (crashed but caught up) BMX Australian National Series Round 4 - 2nd in 16 girls and 4th in Junior Super-class UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS , SCOTLAND - FINALIST WORLD 8 (RANKING) IN 16 GIRLS (8th in the WORLD for her age group, 16 girls)

Alex Rawlinson - SKODA National Schools Road Championships Alex Rawlinson’s hard work once again paid dividends in her performances over 5 races during Term 3 SKODA National Schools Road Championships. Alex placed 1st in 3 of the 5 events which guaranteed her 21 points in total, finishing 2nd over all. A fantastic achievement.

A special mention to our amazing young Junior B team who played the entire season without a goalie and won their competition. This has never been done before in the Tauranga Secondary Schools’ Competition. Thank you Jackie for your amazing coaching and belief in those girls. I would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to all coaches and managers, as a coach myself I know how many hours go into coaching and I really appreciate that time you have all given our students over the season. It doesn’t go unnoticed. TiC of Hockey - Abbie Johnston.

EQUESTRIAN School Equestrian Event at St Peter’s Brylee Davis had a wonderful time at the St Peter’s school equestrian show jumping event competing in the 60-70cm class earlier this term. She has only had her horse Arei since October last year. Arei is Brylee’s first horse, and this was her first official show jumping event. She placed 2nd and 4th in both her speed rounds and jumping clear rounds (not knocking any poles down). Fantastic results from Brylee and Arei.

HOCKEY What a year it has been for Ōtūmoetai College hockey. We have had some awesome results from our teams this season, a huge congratulations must go out to all involved.

Champion 3 Girls Grand Final: Ōtūmoetai College 1, Tauranga Girls’ College Navy - 0 Super 6 Champions Congratulations to our Super 6 Competitive team who were unbeaten all season with 13 wins and 1 draw. The Grand Final against Te Puke Boys finished with a 4-0 win for the Ōtūmoetai College Boys. Season goals for/against 82-15. Super 6 Competitive Grand Final: Ōtūmoetai College - 4, Te Puke - 0

Results : Round 1 Tauranga Competition: 1st XI Girls - 3rd Premier League 2nd XI Girls - 2nd Championship 1 Junior A Girls - 3rd Championship 1 Junior B Girls - WINNERS Championship 1 OTC Teal - 6th Championship 2 1st XI Boys - 4th Premier League 2nd XI Boys - 3rd Championship 1 24

NETBALL This year’s netball season has seen many successes through the entire programme. A number of the teams took part in eight weeks of research based strength and conditioning thanks to Chloe and her PhD research based around knee injury prevention, courtesy of AUT. This year’s netball finals night saw nine of our dynamic teams light up the court! Among them, three teams chased the championship title, while six others battled tenaciously for the 3rd and 4th spots. The showdown began with our Year 9B team facing off against Tauranga Girls’ College Year 9 Takahe in the Year 9 Pool B Final. Despite a fierce fight, victory eluded us, and we proudly secured the Runner Up position. Our Year 10A team took on Tauranga Girls’ College Year 10 Social in the Year 10 Div 2 final. The game was a heart-pounding spectacle, and with a final score of 25-22, we emerged triumphant! The last final featured our Prem 2 team against Tauranga Girls’ College senior – Pihipihi in the Premier 6 final. With skill and determination, we clinched victory with a score of 32-27. Hats off to all our netball teams for their outstanding performance in the local competition. TiC of Netball - Mrs Richardson

Student v Teacher This popular sporting spectacle is making a come back. First challenge of the year was a game of netball, the students had the luck of the bounce and beat the teachers 17-15. Congratulations on a great performance students!

RUGBY Rugby at Ōtūmoetai College continues to be delivered under Barbarians Rugby with its main objective being to provide students with the opportunity to play rugby. This is not limited to our students but also students from Bethlehem College and Aquinas College who would otherwise not enjoy the great game of rugby at their respective schools. This year, thanks to our volunteer coaches and managers, we were able to field four teams: 1st XV, U16, U14, and Junior Girls. We also saw four of our senior girls invited to play for Tauranga Girls’ College in the Chiefs Manawa Secondary Schools’ 1st XV Competition.

Thank you to our Sponsors Barbarians rugby not only relies on the goodwill of its volunteers but also its sponsors for their unwavering support; Marshalls Innovations, PaknSave, and Mark Francis - Tremains Real Estate.

Our senior girls: Ingrid Stripling, Eseta Fifita, Emily Bibi and Charlotte Mitchell, all had a successful season in the Chiefs Manawa competition.

GoodNeighbour We must also thank our affiliated charity, GoodNeighbour, for the opportunity to allow our rugby players to give back to our community during the annual ‘Fire Wood Day’. A real highlight of the year for all our rugby teams, coaches, and managers.

SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING Fiji U18 Girls’ Sevens Emily Bibi (pictured above) has been involved in the Fiji U18 Girls’ Sevens training squad with a view to secure her spot in the team for the upcoming World Schools’ Sevens Tournament.

Three of our U15 girls referreed at half time at the Bay of Plenty Steamers v Auckalnd game at Blake Park. Great work Larissa, Georgia and Kaylah.

Ōtūmoetai College Student’s Continuing Success - Chloe Boyt This was another huge year for one of our Year 13 students, Chloe Boyt. She was selected as one of the 10 travelling squad members of the

Squash Secondary Schools’ Trans-Tasman Test Match The Squash Secondary Schools’ BM Trans-Tasman was the test match between New Zealand and the Australian team selected from the best of the New South Wales and Queensland players.

New Zealand Aquaferns, representing New Zealand at the Aquatics World Champions in Japan. In October, Chloe competed in the Artistic Swimming NZ Championships in Auckland. The event hosted athletes from NZ, Australia, New Caledonia and Taiwan. Chloe received the following outstanding results: • • • • • •

1st Junior Technical Team 1st Open Acrobatic Team 1st Senior Free Team 1st Junior Free Duet Grace Junior Duet trophy for the highest scoring junior duet across all categories Sheppard trophy for the highest scoring international team (NZ Aquaferns)

SQUASH

Girls Squash National Secondary School Champions 2023. Neeve Wilson, Grace Spencer, Hope Kennerley, Gen Kennerley, Mia Bowles and Erin Wyllie.

There are 20 singles and 10 doubles matches to decide the champion team. The first team to 16 wins. Both Grace Spencer and Erin Wyllie played well, getting some excellent wins and helping Team NZ defend their title in Sydney beating Australia 17-13. What an amazing year for Grace and Erin which tops off another awesome year of school squash.

Squash National Championships Our amazing Girls’ Squash team defeated Whangarei Girls’ High School, 3—2 in the final of the National Secondary School competition. After earlier wins to Gen Kennerley and Grace Spencer, the match was tied 2 all. In the deciding game, Hope Kennerley found herself 2 sets to 0 down. Under huge pressure, she courageously fought back to win the next 3 sets to win the game and National title. Special mention also to Fraser Spencer who acted as team manager over that weekend. To top off their success, Erin and Grace were selected to the National Secondary Schools’ team to play their Australian counterparts. 28

BEACH VOLLEYBALL Commonwealth Youth Games - Beach Volleyball A member of our Senior A Volleyball Team, Year 13 student Calum Stewart, was selected to represent New Zealand at this year’s Commonwealth Youth Games. This year’s competition took place in Trinidad and Tobago where both Calum and his team mate, Juraj Krajci, secured a Bronze Medal. This success was a result of months of training based in Switzerland with the New Zealand team. Calum’s ability to not only complete the daily training requirements of an international sportsman while away from home, but also maintain a high standard of academic work is a true sign of a champion. He is an inspiration to all.

Senior Beach Volleyball Champs We had 3 girls teams and 3 boys teams hit the Mount Main Beach for the first Bay of Plenty Secondary School Senior Volleyball Championship on Sunday 15 October. Massive congratulations to Tiani Rae and Janneke Bremer for winning the girls’ competition. Well done to Taska Kemp-Green & Ella Douglas for finishing 4th, and Charlie Minshall and Kara Blackstock for finishing 7th. Well done to our boys teams: Calum Stewart and Harry Yoo who placed 5th, Devlin Langton and Bradley Wiessing 9th, and Marcus Harman and Luca Henderson 11th.

8 29

Bronze Medal Winners. Calum Stewart (top right and left) with his team mate Juraj Krajci.

TENNIS Bay of Plenty Junior Secondary School Champs On Friday 24th November a small group of 5 students travelled to Rotorua to compete in the BOP Junior Secondary School Tennis Championships. The students represented themselves and their school incredibly well. Well done to Chelsea Olesen who came second in the Division 1 Singles final, in a very close match. Congratulations to Juhi Kansara who went undefeated in the Division 2 Singles event, to take first place. Pilar Bejarno Valdazo, Max Saienni and Hugh Robinson also competed in the event and all were able to record at least one win.

VOLLEYBALL Bay of Plenty Junior Secondary School Champs Five junior girls volleyball teams and four junior boys volleyball teams competed at the Bay of Plenty Junior Secondary School Champs at QEYC and Mercury Baypark over three weekends in Term 4. A massive congratulations to our Junior A girls team for winning silver in an entertaining final against Western Heights High School.

Winter Tournament Week This year’s Winter Tournament Week saw the beginning of a new tradition at Ōtūmoetai College. A tradition where the school recognises the hard work and sacrifice our student-athletes have put into their respective sports in order for them to be selected to compete at a national level. The inaugural Winter Tournament Week assembly was not only a chance to wish our teams good luck but it was also a platform for our teams to address their peers and express what it means to them to represent Ōtūmoetai College, what their collective dreams and aspirations were for the week ahead, and how they wanted to be remembered when the final whistle blew. Our guest of honour was the Black Fern super star, Leslie Elder. She asked the students to think about the word ‘unity’ and how this simple word, when actioned correctly, can positively shape your team’s performance on and off the pitch or court. This unity would be necessary to help each team through both the good and the not so good times over the coming weeks, as she had experienced with the Black Ferns.

The assembly was completed with a spine tingling performance of the school haka by the students from our Poutama Class.

Staff Celebrations

Congratulations to Caroline Reynolds and her husband Nick who welcomed baby Kahu James Reynolds into the world on the 26th September 2023, weighing 7.5lbs.

Congratulations to Sandra Boubee who recently received a Regional Surf Life Saving Distinguished Service Award at the 2022/2023 Bay of Plenty/Coromandel Surf Lifesaving Awards of Excellence!

Congratulations to Ashleigh Lack and Adam Braddock who welcomed baby Jai Mateo Teao Braddock into the world on the 7th July 2023 weighing 6 lb 14oz.

Introducing our new Sports Coordinators Dennis Playford Could you tell us a little about yourself? I’m all about sports – I enjoy playing all sports and giving a new sport a go. Basketball is my main sport and I’ve been playing for 35 years. I won a Junior Men’s National Title in the 90s and I recently won a Masters title (45-49 years old division). I’ve been coaching youth basketball at a Rep level for 5 years and watch/support heaps of sporting teams. For 20+ years I worked in recruitment, I’ve always enjoyed building relationships and helping people. I married the love of my life 20 years ago and have two awesome teenage boys. Where have you worked previously and what led you to Ōtūmoetai College (ŌTC)? I was a recruitment consultant for 22 years, and 12 of those years I was recruiting teachers for schools in London, Queensland and Western Australia. What led me to OTC is my passion for sports and having the privilege to give students an opportunity to give sport a try. What does your role entail? What do you hope to achieve in this role? My role is to develop and grow participation in sport, enhancing communication, and supporting student leadership and pathways. My hope is for our school to become a sporting powerhouse in NZ, and to be a ‘school of choice’ because of the culture and values we demonstrate through sport.

What has been the favourite part of your job so far? Seeing the joy on a student’s face when they give a new sport a try. What do you like to do outside of school ? It’s all about family, waking up early and being active. I love going for walks with my wife and dog, spending quality time with my teenage boys, listening to music, going to concerts, going on adventures, doing a bit of DIY around the house, growing vegetables, and coaching the next basketball stars. A little known fact about you that people might find interesting? I met my wife in London, and we were both born in the same hospital in NZ and our birthdays are a day apart.

Emma Henderson Could you tell us a little about for the last few years. It is my involvement in sport, the yourself? Barbarians programme and now being a member on the I lived all my school years on Board which led me to apply for this role at ŌTC. the North Shore in Auckland with my mum, brother and What does your role entail? What do you hope to extended Italian/Dutch family. achieve in this role? Netball Netball My Italian grandmother was a My role as a Sports Coordinator involves organising big influence in my childhood the school seasonal sport teams and tournaments and and used to walk me home events. I also look after the funding and sponsorship role regularly from primary school refusing to speak English in the sports office and am part of the organisation of to me! I still cook many of the recipes she used to make sports photos and sports awards. I would love to see us us growing up. expand the sporting opportunities at ŌTC and increase student participation and enjoyment. I attended Auckland University for nearly six years and have a Bachelors of Law and a Bachelors of Science. After What has been the favourite part of your job so far? amassing a very large student loan I went off travelling My favourite part of the job so far is hearing back before returning to work in Auckland. My husband and I from students (and sometimes parents) about their then moved with our three kids to Tauranga for a better experiences from being involved in an event. lifestyle. My daughter who is the youngest is at Oats Intermediate, and my two sons are at school here. What do you like to do outside of school ? I love adventures, exploring and travelling and enjoy I have always enjoyed playing sports and being involved getting outside whether it be camping, road trips, in sporting activities. When I played I focussed more on tramping, adventure racing, snowboarding or being traditional sports such as Netball, Volleyball, Football on the lake. The rest of my family have been very and Rugby, but since having kids involved in sport I have accommodating at letting me drag them places like caving enjoyed many others such as Basketball, Waterpolo, at Okupata caves, tramping in the South Island, rafting Badminton, Rock climbing and even Pickleball! Whanganui river and ticking off DOC campgrounds or huts. We are very lucky to have a family house at Kai Iwi Where have you worked previously and what led you Lakes and spend a large part of our summer there. I also to Ōtūmoetai College (ŌTC)? dabble in gardening and still play social sports. In Auckland I worked as a Police Officer and a Banking and Finance Lawyer before starting my own business A little known fact about you that people might find with a friend from intermediate. I have always been interesting? an active volunteer within sports organisations and I have had my motorbike learners licence for nearly 15 currently still volunteer on the Tauranga Sports Rugby years and I know far too many lyrics to 80s and 90s rap Junior Management Committee, Western Bay Rugby songs. Junior Management Committee and the Rugby Judicial Committee. As well as having two children at ŌTC I have also been involved in the Barbarians Rugby programme Super 6 Champions Congratulations to our Super 6 Competitive team who were unbeaten all season with 13 wins and 1 draw.

The Grand Final against Te Puke Boys finished with a 4-0 win for the Ōtūmoetai College Boys. Season goals for/against 82-15.

Our Year 10 A team took on Tauranga Girls’ College Year 10 Social in the Year 10 Div 2 Final. The game was a heartpounding spectacle, and with a final score of 25-22, we emerged triumphant!

Our last final featured our Prem 2 team against Tauranga Girls’ College SNR – Pihipihi in the Premier 6 Final. With skill and determination, we clinched victory with a score of 32-27.

Hats off to all our netball teams for their outstanding performance in the local competition.

TiC of Netball - Mrs Richardson

Our senior girls: Ingrid Stripling, Eseta Fifita, Emily Bibi and Charlotte Mitchell, all had a successful season in the Chiefs Manawa competition.

We welcomed Jodi Tod as our Head of Netball as we look to establish the Bay Of Plenty’s premier netball programme.

Thank you to our sponsors Barbarians rugby not only relies on the goodwill of its volunteers but also its sponsors for their unwavering support; Marshalls Innovations, Pak n Save, and Mark Francis - Tremains Real Estate . GoodNeighbour We must also thank our affiliated charity, GoodNeighbour, for the opportunity to allow our rugby players to give back to our community during the annual ‘Fire Wood Day’. A real highlight of the year for all our rugby teams, coaches, and managers.

Introducing our New International Director Hayley Russell Hayley, who has been a teacher with the college since 2019, assumed the role of International Director last term following the retirement of Roy Ballantyne.

Tell us a little about the International Programme and how it works? There are three of us working here in the International office – Liz Anderson our Office Manager, Andrea Notman our Homestay Coordinator, and myself. We currently welcome students who want to visit our school anywhere from one term to several years. We all agree that the best part of working here is meeting our amazing international students who have been brave enough to come and experience a different country, culture and language while they are still so young. We love seeing them integrate into our school and community, and the beautiful lifelong relationships that can form between them and their host families. We feel very privileged to be able to facilitate such beautiful relationships between our school and our community. What does your role entail? What do you hope to achieve in this role? No day feels the same in this role! I take care of our international students and make sure that they are happy and well during their time with us and that they achieve their goals for their time here. I get to show off our amazing school to overseas parents, agents and students and build relationships with people from many different countries. My favourite part of the job is introducing our new international students to our kiwi students and watching friendships form, and my goal is to build a positive sense of cultural diversity and inclusiveness in our school. Our international students have so much to offer our kiwi students in terms of sharing their cultures and ways of thinking, and our kiwi students have so much to share with our international students too. 41

Tell us about your background? Why did you choose teaching as a career and what has led you to where you are in your career now? I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school, so I worked in many different industries in different roles, and eventually decided to go travelling. While I was travelling around South East Asia I taught English to fund my travels and discovered a real love of teaching and getting to know people from different cultures. I think the skills I developed through working in different places, my travels, and my passion for teaching and learning about different cultures, has led me to where I am now. I couldn’t imagine a more exciting job! What do you like to do outside of school? I live by the beach with my partner and my dog and one of our favourite things to do is to go away hiking or camping for a couple of days, especially if we can take the dog with us! I’m a novice surfer, snowboarder, and ukulele player and a serial studier – currently studying marketing and learning Te Reo Māori. What is a little known fact about you? Before I was a teacher I studied Psychology, and as part of my postgraduate studies I visited a prison to speak to people who were close to being released. When getting to know new students at the beginning of a year, I occasionally tell them that I’ve been to prison. It always surprises me how many of them believe me!

Introducing the International Department Andrea Notman- Homestay Manager How would you describe your role? Varied, hectic, changeable, interesting, unpredictable, lots of responsibility, a vital part of the international team, exciting and rewarding.

What do you most enjoy about your role? Successfully matching up students with host families and working with the students, watching them settle in and form lasting relationships with their families and friends. What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you in this role? Building new relationships and learning more about all of our students and host families as I get to know them better over time. What is the biggest learning you have gained in your role? As this is my first year in this role, everything is new to me. I am feeling more capable, confident and knowledgeable the more time goes on, but there are still surprises and unexpected outcomes!

From Left to right: Liz Anderson, Hayley Russell, Andrea Notman

Liz Anderson - International Office Manager How would you describe your role? Extremely varied and an important part in the journey of an international student. It starts with their application and sometimes extends to well after they have left Ōtūmoetai College, many students return to New Zealand and visit us after they’ve left. I take this role very seriously! What do you most enjoy about your role? I love watching the students grow in confidence and maturity often in only 6 months.

stories of our students. We once had a student who arrived with limited English and almost no confidence, but he was placed in a nurturing home and with our school’s support after 3 years he returned to his home country to study cooking. He now owns a restaurant, is married, and has two beautiful children. What is the biggest learning you have gained in your role? The influence we have. Our students take home an impression of school and life in New Zealand so it is vital to assist in giving them the best experience we can.

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you in this role? It’s interesting and exciting being part of all the success 42

Where are they now? It’s always interesting to learn about what our past students have been up to!

Sam Fellows Sam Fellows is the the General Counsel/ Manager of Legal, Risk and Procurement at Tauranga City Council. He is also a lecturer and tutor at the University of Waikato and does some board work. In between all this Sam is also a highly respected and successful rugby referee in the Bay of Plenty and internationally. Sam attended Ōtūmoetai College from 2009 – 2011 and is a proud `old boy’ and remains regularly connected to our college. Tell us about being a student here at Ōtūmoetai College? I loved my time at Oats. I was all about English, History and Sport Science, and got involved in almost every sport I could and did Rowing, Cross Country, Athletics, Rugby Refereeing, Squash and Orienteering. Do you have a favorite / lasting memory from your time at Ōtūmoetai College? Mainly all the opportunities I had being part of a big school that offered everything and all the time I spent with mates. I also met my wife Victoria at Oats, we were in the same year and then reconnected after we had both had been out in the real world for a while. We now have two boys Max (10) and Atticus (5) who will be future Oats kids too. Were there any teachers that particularly influenced you? I was really lucky with all the teachers I had but some standouts were Mrs Whyte, Mr Newton, Ms Millar, Mr Page, Mr Weston and Mr Farthing. They all really helped build my love of learning and knowing more, and in the case of 43

Ms Millar, made me stay at lunch times to catch up on all the work I missed through sport and also made me re do work because although I would pass with it, it was not the best I could do. It really annoyed me at the time but now in almost anything I do I live in fear that she will pop out of the woodwork and make me re do work if I have not done it well enough. Could you give us a little background on what’s been happening for you since you left school? After I left school I studied Law and Sport and Leisure Studies at the University of Waikato. While I was there I studied in the US on exchange at the University of California San Diego while I was doing my Master of Sport and Leisure and Law Honours. After University I began my legal career at Simpson Grierson a law firm in Auckland working in commercial, IP, media and sports law litigation (disputes) before moving to Tauranga (when we started a family) to work at local law firm Holland Beckett before moving in-house to Tauranga City Council. While at Council I have also managed the Environmental Regulation division, which looks after health and liquor licensing, animal control and parking and bylaws as well as the Sustainability and Waste Division to roll out the kerbside recycling programme before moving into my current role. While doing all of that I have kept up refereeing rugby. While I have never been good enough to get my name on the Oats sports honours board like other referees Bryce Lawrence

or Glenn Jackson, I have been lucky enough to have some great experiences. I have been part of the NZ Rugby High Performance Squad, refereed a couple of first-class games, refereed mainly 7s throughout Asia, the Pacific and North America including Assistant Referee to a few World 7s Series Tournaments and refereeing international invitational tournaments. Now I just enjoy refereeing local premier club rugby and being an assistant referee for NPC.

Sam (right)

What is the highlight of your career so far? There have been a couple. Refereeing or Assistant Refereeing in sold out stadiums is a pretty cool experience that I do not think can be replicated, appearing in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal is always special for a law nerd like me and being part of the team that rolled out Tauranga’s kerbside recycling programme was pretty cool, particularly as it helped nearly halve our city’s waste to landfill in its first year. Do you have any advice that you would give to current students here at Ōtūmoetai College? Probably the same advice the late Mr Weston gave me, you only get these chances once so put your hand up for all the opportunities you can, whether you think you are good enough or not.

Last day of school 2011

Also, for me personally whenever I get to talk to school or university students, who person to person are far more impressive than my generation was at school, is not to get too worried about knowing what you are going to do with your future. Most of us still do not know, just focus on what you love and what is important to you. I am very lucky that everyday I get to go to work and contribute to making this beautiful city I love just a little bit more awesome through focusing on what I enjoyed and was passionate about.

Sam met his wife here at Ōtūmoetai College!

Where are they now continued... Eva Griffin-Jones Eva is an Account Executive on the Wattie’s sales team at Kraft Heinz. She attended Ōtūmoetai College from 2015 – 2019. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you have been up to since you left school? I’m Eva Griffin-Jones, a 22-yearold living in Auckland, New Zealand. I moved here from Tauranga to study and start my career. I’m lucky enough to live in a great flat with three amazing friends who I met during my time at uni. After leaving school I went to university and studied a Bachelor of Communication Studies at AUT, and it was such an incredible experience. I met some of the coolest people, who I know will be lifelong friends, and the tutors were awesome too. The degree has provided me a great launching platform to my career. If you’re looking to study communications, I highly recommend AUT - the opportunities are endless. After searching for a job that aligned with my passions for food, connecting with people and being in a fast-paced environment, I landed a role as an Account Executive at Kraft Heinz on the Wattie’s sales team. I’m based in the head office which is located in central New Market. This is a huge step towards my dream job of being a full-time foodie and traveling as a food journalist. There’s so much room to grow within the FMCG industry, and I’m excited to see what the future holds! Tell us about being a student here at Ōtūmoetai College? From Year 11 onwards I decided to take Food Technology, and it turned out to be my favorite subject. But I also wanted to keep my options open and took Statistics, Biology, Chemistry and English. Outside of classes, I volunteered for

the peer mentoring programme that helped introduce Year 9s to the college. I also got a chance to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, and in Year 13, I was a Prefect in the Special Events Committee. It was such an awesome experience! Entering and participating in food competitions were also a highlight for me. Do you have a favorite / lasting memory from your time at Ōtūmoetai College? One of my fondest memories is the leaving day for Year 13’s, the leaving dinner and the Year 13 ball. It was such a special time to hang out with everyone and celebrate our time at the school. The atmosphere was great to be around. Were there any teachers that particularly influenced you? Choosing the teachers who influenced me the most is tough to decide! But I would love to give a shout-out to the awesome teachers who made my day brighter by creating a special bond with me during their classes. Big ups to the following teachers: Mrs May, Mrs Nicholson, Mr and Mrs Shefferd, Mrs Smythe, and Mrs Bruce. Do you have any advice that you would give to current students here at Ōtūmoetai College? I would say take advantage of all the resources available to you at school, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your teachers and the careers team are there to guide you and help you find your way. I spent a lot of time chatting with Mrs Shefferd and a career coach outside of school to explore different possibilities for my future, and it was super helpful. It is important to pursue your passions and do what you love. There is a job in the world for everyone.

From the Archives Can you guess the date of this publication?

JANUARY 2024 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

25 MAIN OFFICE

26 STARS Mentor Training

OPENS

29 AKL / BOP ANNIVERSARY DAY

I F F S O R I E N TAT I O N

FEBRUARY 2024 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1 New enrolments in the Library

2 Head Students and Whare Leaders meet

5 TEACHER ONLY DAY

6 WAITANGI DAY

7 Year 9 start Induction Day

8 Full school in attendance

9 Sport Expo in PAC

12 Special Needs students start

13 STARS Session One

15 Year 9 Oteora Camps begin

19 Year 9 PATs start this week

22 Year 9 Parent Evening 5.30-7.30pm

28 STARS Session 29 ID PHOTOS Two

MARCH 2024 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

5 ATTITUDE Presentations

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1 ATHLETICS DAY

8 ID PHOTOS

(Catch up Day)

11 Class Photos

12 Class Photos

15 Swimming Sports

22 Start of Year Reports emailed out.

29 GOOD FRIDAY

Student Health & Safety Courses 24

27 Parent-Teacher 28 Interviews Day One

105 Windsor Road, Bellevue, Tauranga ph. 07 576 2316 www.otc.school.nz