College report

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 531, 12 April 1994, Page 8

College report

By Kirsty McIlroy and Kelly Scobie □ Hours and hours of rehearsals by college students past and present who make up the Maungarongo Marae Juniors resulted in their bringing back many honour from the Hui Aranga (Easter Gathering) held this year near Hastings. Pikimai Mareikura, competing in the under-25 age group, was placedfirstequalinthejunior women' s speech. Having won last year and therefore ineligible for the junior section this year, Che Wilson went on to prove himself the best speaker in the senior men's division. Juniors also shone in other areas. They gained first place in the poi and their action song won second placing. □ This term, Seventh Form PE students are learning abseiling, rock climbing and confidence skills with the help of New Zealand Army instructors. Together with Mrs Campbell they have been both up the wall and off the wall of the gymnasium and at Moawhango Dam. With further training on the assault course they will be well prepared to face the real thing at Mangatepopo in the near future. □ A student initiative has led to a large group of 40 people working towards the inter-secondary school Smokefree Stage Challenge to be held in Palmerston North today (see story in this edition.) The sizzling dance format portrays changing fashion, music and dance from the 1930' s to the 1990's. □ Parent interviews on 24 March provided a welcome opportunity to discuss students' progress which up till then had veen based more on logbood, rather than face-to-face communication. With each interview lasting at least five minutes, parents and students spent up to 30 minutes of quality time with subject teachers. □ Every year seventh formers endure a series of sporting challenges against the staff. Before the Easter break staff gained a 3-1 win over the students in a good-natured tussle at lunchtime. □ Warwick Allen departed for Thailand this week on an American Field Scholarship. Warwick wished he had more time to prepare for life in a Thai secondary school of just under 3000 students where all lessons are naturally in the Thai language. □ Last week saw the annual summer sports exchange with Taihape College. Games were drawn but Ruapehu College cricketers scored a satisfying long-awaited win. Being last year' s winners, Ruapehu retained the silver tray which they have won since its inception three years ago. □ Last week also saw 1 2 students taking part in the Link Shearing Course run by Mr Jim Pearce and co-ordinated by Mr Peter Matheson. At the end of the course the gun shearers in terms of time and efficiency were Shanita Bishop (first), BrianTeHore (second) and Rhonda Taumata (third). □ Well-known college supporter, Mr Clive Olsen, has presented the school with a Durst photographic enlarger which will be much welcomes by photography and media students alike. To round off the week, Bursary English students spent a profitable one and a half hours using extensi ve resources on Gallipoli at the Waiouru Military Museum in their research of the background to Maurice Shadbolt's play Chunuk Bair which they are currently studying.