Monday saw the return of the juniors from their selected elective activities the previous week. Many excited stories were told and experiences were shared. It is an excellent opportunity for our students to experience new things and many grasp the opportunity to excel in this situation outside of the school environment. Teachers have returned with many positives to report from the week about our students and the way they conduct themselves in the public eye and were proud to be associated with them.
Auckland elective members Tegan Mabey, Ashden-Rose Hemopo and Gabrielle Mudford sample the high life
Xtreme elective members about to take the plunge at Dive HQ in Palmerston North
Monday also saw the beginning of the partially Ministry of Education funded Network Upgrade at the College. This involves the replacement and upgrade of our existing fibre optic backbone and replacement of cabinets, switching equipment and obsolete cabling. This is a major contract and will be completed for the start of the 2010 school year. The refurbishment of A block continues with carpeting and window replacement.
On Sunday 6th December twenty six Year 12 students and four staff departed for a three day Leadership and Teamwork Course at the Wairarapa Outdoor Pursuits Centre, and returned to the College on Tuesday afternoon. Over this time students participated in team challenges and seminars in careers and goal setting, leadership and team building. Team challenges included a high and low rope course, problem solving tasks and night and early morning challenges to test their team work skills and adaptability. Students were asked to reflect on their performance over the two and a half days, and this proved to be a very positive exercise. Overall the camp was highly successful and will be beneficial for the student leaders at Tararua in 2010.
Mark Field tackles the high rope course at the leadership camp
Team work on the low rope course at the Wairarapa OPCThe Junior Prize-giving was held in the College hall on Wednesday evening. Elizabeth Prentice and her team had put in a great deal of work to ensure this was a memorable way to finish the 2009 school year. It was hot in the hall as we watched our junior students receive a wide range of awards for their endeavours in 2009.
The highlight was the presence of a past student from 1992 to 1996, Paul Whibley. This year, riding for the Kawasaki team, Paul won his first Grand National Cross Championship in America, the pinnacle of cross-country riding in the world, winning five of the thirteen rounds and finishing runner up three times. In his address to the assembled audience, Paul emphasised the need to set goals and to have the necessary determination to achieve them. However it may be necessary to reassess these goals at times, and to have strategies in place when things don't go as planned. Paul is fiercely determined to defend his title in 2010, and we wish him well along the way.
2010 is a big year for the College with the 50th Jubilee at Easter. To all of our School community we wish you a merry Christmas and look forward to working with you again, as well as meeting new faces in 2010.
Keep the registrations for the Easter Jubilee 2010 coming in. For further information on this column or about Tararua College events, including our 50th Jubilee in Easter 2010, please contact the School office, email Mr. Mcknight at the College.
Tararua College, Churchill St, PO Box 94, Pahiatua, 4941.
Phone 06 3768344, email: admin@tararuacollege.school.nz
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Site last updated June 1, 2010