| Participation at Pukekohe High School
   
We have a proud history of participation and achievement in sport and the arts. A wide range of activities is offered and every encouragement is given to students to participate in one or more of them. We believe this is an important dimension of a young person's education, particularly at secondary school level.
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
A message from the Social Prefects:
The 2011 Social Council has approached this year with an enthusiastic and proactive attitude. We are absolutely determined to utilise every opportunity to improve the school and further our relationship with our wider community. We got a guest speaker, Pat Buckley who spoke to students to give them critical life skills on their journey and transition from childhood to adulthood. When 80 of my peers responded to the Pat Buckley seminar by asking for help, we really felt like we had made a difference. We worked with the cultural council to run the 40 Hour Famine for which we hosted a performance night, which was attended by more than 100 people who thoroughly enjoyed themselves for a good course. Our council sat outside local supermarkets on weekends to collect donations for Child Cancer. We collected 10 000 worth of new items for the Red Cross Appeal for the Christchurch earthquake and raised over $3,300 for Cashmere High School, in Christchurch which is a school similar to our ours. This year’s the mufti days, which are all for worthy courses, have set new expectations and records and our biggest amount was $2 800. We are the kind of people who like to do things to help our community.
Joshua Clark and Elizabeth Hudson
Our school has a proud history of involvement in serving the community. A highlight of our school year is Canteen Day when our students and teachers work to raise funds for teenagers suffering from cancer. Two days a year our hall is set up as a blood bank for students to donate blood. Another tradition in the school is the 40 Hour Famine where students find interesting and innovative ways of raising funds to support people who are less fortunate than what they are.
In 2009 our students raised more than $2 800 for students who had suffered from the tsunami in Samoa. This was accompanied by four shipping bins filled with cans of food, bedding, clothing and 100 shoeboxes with personal gifts for children.
CULTURE
A message from the Cultural Prefects:
Our aim this year is to promote cultural interaction within our school, and between the school and the wider community. We have already achieved some of this successfully within our school through Race Relations Week which was about raising cultural awareness. We intend to carry cultural events throughout the year to promote the cultural diversity within Pukekohe High School. We hope to collaborate with many other councils to achieve our goals of raising cultural awareness. Overall, the cultural council is willing to provide a positive and fun atmosphere while educating our school about how culturally diverse we are.
Reece Keepa, Charlotte Heremaia and Rachel Creswell
We encourage students to be involved in our kapa haka group and are actively involved in forming relationships with the Maori community. We celebrate the achievement of Maori students by Maori Celebration Evenings at Nga Hui e Wha Marae.
Every year we host a Race Relations Week, when students have the opportunity to celebrate traditional dances, songs and food. This is a vibrant time when students can present their own traditions and learn about the traditions of the diverse culture groups within the school. We welcome every student by ensuring that their national flag is represented in our school hall.
This year our students participated in the Matariki festivities in Pukekohe.
Te Huarahi Strategic Planning
The combined schools of Pukekohe have a strategic plan for Māori education in Pukekohe from pre-school to high school. The model we have used is PATH – Planning Alternative Tomorrows With Hope. Pukekohe High School is committed to this project and the PATH is displayed in our reception area.
ENVIRONMENT
A message from the Environmental Prefects
Calling all tree huggers because we want you! Here at the environmental council we are dedicated to making a difference in Pukekohe High School to make it a more environmentally friendly place to be. Already this year we’ve made great strides in informing Year 9 students about what we are all about and encouraging and informing them on easy ways they can improve the environment around them whether it be at school or at home. We even managed to get our hands dirty in helping them with the worm farms that they made. But that’s not all! In early Term 3 we’re having an environmental week that coincides with Keep Franklin Beautiful Week which will be used to raise environmental awareness throughout the school and hopefully achieve some of the projects we set out to do and ideas we had upon being selected as environmental prefect. It was a huge honour being chosen and we are very grateful that we’ve been given the opportunity to make a difference. Coming through my years at Pukekohe High we noticed that there was no real significance or interest taken in the environment and we saw applying for the prefect position as a chance to change this. So we’ve taken it upon ourselves to give the best we can and to do the right thing and make a difference with the skills and knowledge we have. Peace out.
Alysha Dowling and James Oakley
THE ARTS
A message from the Arts Prefects:
Hi! This is Ruby and Albert and we are the Arts Prefects for 2011. We think it is important to create lots of opportunities for the students to see what “the Arts” are all about. Also, we hope students will have a chance to showcase all their different talents. This year we have a lot of goals and ideas which we plan to implement. Our first focus was to start up some drama based events such as theatre sports. Our big focus for this year is a talent show which includes past favourites such as lipsynch and wearable arts. The arts council is excited for the events happening this year.
Ruby Judson and Albert Lee
MUSIC
Our school boasts some of the best school bands in New Zealand. In 2010 the school’s stage band was awarded the title “Best High School Band” at the Manawatu Jazz Festival continuing a string of successes. Individual musician received awards for most outstanding drummer, bass player, trombone player and trumpet player. Two trophies were won at the Easter Jazz Festival in Tauranga. These were the New Orleans Trophy for Best Big Band and the Best of Festival Award for Most Outstanding Jazz Band. As well as the band’s awards, one student received the Rodger Fox Trophy for Most Outstanding Trombonist and another was acknowledged by the judges for his outstanding performance playing drums. Our school also participates in the Smokefree Rockquest from which we enjoyed success. In 2010 the school’s two rock bands made it through to the Smokefree Rockquest heats and have been selected to perform at the Rock Quest finals next month.
ART
Each year we have a vibrant arts festival week. Our students have been encouraged to participate in a wide range of competitions and exhibitions. In 2010 thirteen of our students took part in the Franklin District Council ‘Graffiti Art’ Competition. It was a ‘live’ artwork competition in the Pukekohe town square. Students had from 9am-2:30pm to reproduce their designs onto large panels. The top 3 artworks were awarded to Pukekohe High School students. The folio boards of two students have been chosen to tour the country as part of the national secondary schools' Top Art Folio Exhibition.
DRAMA
The school has a cycle in which a stage production takes place each year. We alternate between major production, Stage Challenge and Wearable Arts. In 2010 the school continued its success in Stage Challenge with its entry “Slash Dot Slash” which focused on the impact of technology in our everyday lives. The judges presented our performers with awards for: Concept; Soundtrack; Drama, Performance Skill; Stage Use; Set Design and Function; Visual Enhancement and Initiative (a very prestigious award). In 2009 a group of over 40 talented performers and 20 musicians produced the musical, “Fame”.
48 HOUR FILM FESTIVAL
A competition which has become a new tradition at our school is the 48 HOUR FILM FESTIVAL. In 2010 the team, “Cokecan Philosophy” won the best use of line of dialogue at the Regional Final for the 48 Hour Film Festival. The school won the prize for the Best Teen Team in Hamilton in 2010 and 2008.
PUKEKOHE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS COMEDIANS
Lewis Dean, a senior student, is the youngest professional comedian in the country, performing with Ben Hurley and Ewen Gilmour as part of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. Lewis went on to win the RAW competition, which carries a cash prize.
STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOLLOWING CULTURAL, ARTS AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES:
| • Art Club |
• Jazz Bands |
• Rock Quest |
| • Art Exhibitions |
• Kapa haka Maori
Culture Group
|
• Shakespeare
Competition |
| • Artist workshops |
• KBB Music Festival |
• Stage Band |
| • Arts Festival Week |
• Lip Synch |
• Stage Challenge |
• Caricature &
Cartoon Club |
• Magazine
Production |
• Talent Quest |
| • Choir |
• Major Production |
• Tauranga Jazz
Festival |
• Christian Youth
Group
"The Rock" |
• Manawatu Jazz
Festival |
• Theatre Sports |
• Concert Band
Festivals |
• Ngā Manu Kōrero
Maori Speech
Competition |
• Tongan Group |
| • Concert Bands |
• Orchestra |
• Wearable Arts |
| • Debating |
• Pottery Group |
• Y10 Band Class |
• Franklin Arts
Festival |
• Rock Bands |
• Y9 Band Class |
SPORT
Participation in sport is an opportunity for students to develop skills in teamwork, communication and commitment. A large number of parents and teachers are involved in coaching and managing teams. We encourage fair play, participation and enjoyment while encouraging students to achieve excellence to the highest possible level.
A message from the Sports Prefects:
Pukekohe High School has a strong sports culture and by offering a range of sports to students and encouraging them, we maintain our success and strive for high achievement. This year the Sports Council promoted equestrian sport in our area by hosting the Counties Manukau Secondary Schools Show Jumping event at Pukekohe High School. Other events that we are arranging are the inter-house sports event and the Sports Awards Dinner in term 4. We feel like an important part of the school when we organise and are a part of the school’s sporting events. It makes our school feel more like a student-orientated community. This year we even got to be a part of the Property Committee and contributed our ideas about what property developments should take place in the school in the next five years. Pukekohe High School participates in two sports exchanges throughout the year with Papatoetoe and Mount Roskill. We participate in the winter tournament week which takes place throughout New Zealand. An important part of sport at our school is the house spirit as students represent their house colours in athletics, cross-country, swimming tennis and interhouse sports. We have thoroughly enjoyed our role as Sports Prefects this year.
Natalie Jamieson and Chelsea McLeod
Highlights of Recent Sport Activities are:
Athletics: Sophie Bowman, Liana Morgan, Laura Wilson, Ethan Vaughan and Callum Gibbs were in the Counties Manukau Athletics team which competed in Hamilton at the North Island Secondary Schools’ Championships. Sophie achieved 3rd place for 3000m run.
Clay Target Shooting: The Boys’ A Team won the Tauranga Boys’ College Secondary Schools Shoot held at Thames Gun Club.
Equestrian: Our Gold Team consisting of Aleisha Collett, Natalie Jamieson, Rachel Creswell and Natalya Wyatt emerged as overall winners for the Restricted Division at the NISS Dressage Championships.
Gymsports: Olivia Gillott won the Women’s A Grade Trampolining and the Elite Women’s Tumbling at the Auckland Secondary Schools Gymsports Championships.
Hockey: The Boys’ 1st XI Hockey team won the Counties Manukau Secondary Schools A Grade Competition.
Lawn Bowls: Matthew Pulman won the Counties Manukau Secondary Schools Lawn Bowls Singles.
Motocross: Hamish McCulloch was 3rd in the Hauraki Plains College Secondary Schools Championship
Orienteering: Cosette Saville and Lachlan Caudwell received Gold medals in the Regional Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships. Callum Cleary won Gold at the AKSS Orienteering Championship held in the Woodhill Forest in stormy conditions.
Rowing: Ashlee Caskie received a Bronze medal in the Under 16 Single Sculls A Final, second place Under 17 Single Sculls B Final and paired with Lucy Coyle to win the Under 16 Double Sculls B Final.
The School also celebrates the success of students who have excelled in their club sports:
Cosette Saville was selected as a non-travelling reserve for the Junior World Women’s Under 21 Orienteering Team to travel to Poland.
Matthew Pulman has been selected in the New Zealand Golden Nuggets Lawn Bowls team to compete in Australia in August.
Olivia Gillott travelled to Sydney and competed at the New South Wales State Trampoline Championships, where she brought home 2 Gold Medals, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Medal for Trampolining and Tumbling.
Nathan De Thierry and Anthony Glass have been selected into the Under 18 Waikato Chiefs Rugby team.
Bronson Marsh was awarded his Level 1 NZ Touch badge when he was in Year 9.
Corey Hunter was selected for the New Zealand Taekwondo squad.
Courteney van Lieshout and Olivia Willetts have been included in the Auckland Football Federation National Women’s Youth League
ASB COLLEGE SPORT YOUNG SPORTSPERSN OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2010
Five students from Pukekohe High School were finalist in their sports codes. Three of these went on to win the title of Sportsman of the year in their respective sports: orienteering, wrestling and bowls.
WE CURRENTLY OFFER THE FOLLOWING SPORTS:
| • Athletics |
• Kartsport |
• Softball |
| • Badminton |
• Lawn Bowls |
• Swimming |
| • Basketball |
• Motocross |
• Table Tennis |
| • Cheerleading |
• Mountain Biking |
• Tennis |
| • Clay Target Shooting |
• Multisport |
• Touch Rugby |
| • Cricket |
• Netball |
• Volleyball |
| • Cross country |
• Orienteering |
• Waterpolo |
| • Distance Running |
• Rowing |
• Wrestling |
| • Equestrian |
• Rugby |
• Sports Exchanges |
| • Hockey |
• Soccer |
|
|