Westlake Girls’ High School

Career Bites proves a tantalising taster

In 2020 our careers team launched an exciting new initiative called Career Bites. Each month we focused on a particular industry and every Wednesday lunchtime invited a relevant guest speaker to share their career story with students.

This proved a tremendously popular event, hosting a brilliant range of speakers. Sharing first-hand experience and advice, our guests provided invaluable insight to students contemplating particular career paths. Many of our speakers were past Westlake students, who proved to be particularly relatable to our current cohort.

In 2021 we will be continuing Career Bites, starting in February with Creative Industries, followed by Health in March and Earth Sciences in April. It’s a great way to gain insight into the reality and expectations of particular roles, and we are delighted to be continuing this exciting initiative.

Physiotherapist Grace Hall shares her insights with students.

Prefects embrace leadership programme

January was still summer break for most Westlake students, however a small, dedicated group gave up some of their holiday time to prepare for their roles as Prefects in 2021.

Our Head and Deputy Head Prefects, along with our five House Captains, spent two days at AUT Millennium undertaking a series of workshops and activities based around leadership. Organisers Rachel Bickerstaffe and Jemma Field said the aim of the programme was to build connection between Westlake’s key student leaders, prepare them for the responsibilities of their roles, and to encourage and build confidence.

“It’s great to lay the foundation early for what will be a big year of growth and leadership,” says Rachel. “These students have key positions within the school, and we want to make sure they are confident, equipped and excited about the opportunities ahead.” Earlier, in December, all of our Prefects and Tuakana also spent a day at school in preparation for their roles.

Westlake students take top awards in regional digital comp

Bree Souster, Hannah Richardson and Paris Headford with their award. Westlake Girls placed first and second in the Auckland Regional Tahi Rua Toru Tech Digital Challenge late last year. "Epilepz" was selected as the Auckland regional winner, with "No Justification for Discrimination" a very close second.

Hannah Richardson, Bree Souster and Paris Headford are the students behind Epilepz – an app they developed to help people with epilesy. "The app tells people when they will have a seizure and when to take their medication," says the team. "There are games, music and meditation courses to help people relax and there is a way to connect with other people with epilepsy. All their progress will be tracked in their virtual garden."

Epilepz competed in the National Finals in December.

Lina Amer, Ivy Doak and Adrianna Tobin are the students behind "No Justification for Discrimination" - a website which takes on the issue of discrimination in our community.

Ready for an exciting year ahead

Grace Chen

2021 Head Prefect

To represent such an all-rounded, diverse, hard-working school is a great honour and an invaluable opportunity for both Charis and I. I’m looking forward to representing a school that has provided me with lifelong skills and countless experiences that have helped me grow as a person.

Westlake Girls High School has always pushed me to try new things and to learn from my mistakes along the way - this will undoubtedly come in handy in 2021. Throughout my time at school, I have been passionately involved in groups such as the Westlake Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Amnesty, Cultural and Service Committees, Premier Advanced Debate Team, Smart Swans tutoring and being a librarian. I have also contributed to my community through external groups such as the UNICEF Ball Committee and being a UN Youth High School Ambassador. In 2020, I was the Top Achieving NCEA Level 1 student and also the Board of Trustees Student Representative and really enjoyed learning about the well-oiled cogs and gears of our school. I have always been passionate about giving back to my community and enjoy meeting new people along the way.

For 2021, my aim is to work with the Prefect team to amplify the cultural awareness at our school, creating a school community that is inclusive, caring and involved. I believe building a stronger sisterhood in our school will encourage our students to take even more risks and to express themselves more comfortably, which is essential for positive personal identity growth. Furthermore, after a whirlwind of a year in 2020, I want to promote values of organisation and balance to ensure that our students can learn and grow from the struggles they faced last year. All of us were faced with high stress at some point, so Charis and I aim to lead our students through 2021 with fresh, inspired, motivated mindsets.

Charis Allison

2021 Deputy Head Prefect

Leadership is a variable thing. It constantly changes as you work with different people, different groups, for different purposes and goals. But there are a few things that all good leaders need to have. The ability to communicate, to build consensus and the ability to let go of what you can’t control.

In primary school, I was the bossy girl. In just about every school report I ever received from Year 0-4 I always got the comment “... is very headstrong…” or “...needs to learn how to step back…” and even just a straight, “Is bossy”. In Year 2 my teacher even made me sit at my own desk in the back of the classroom. I didn’t know how to communicate, I couldn’t let go of what I wanted nor could I let go of what I ultimately had no say in. I struggled to make everyone happy and just assumed that my way was the best way. But in the eight years since then, I have had the opportunity to learn and grow – thank goodness! Now, I have developed skills that allow me to be the best leader I can be and I am so unbelievably honoured to be representing Westlake Girls alongside Grace and the Prefect team.

In my time at Westlake, I have been involved in a range of different areas. I enjoy sport, having played many codes throughout primary and intermediate, but currently tend to gravitate toward football and adventure racing. I served as Student Representative on the Board of Trustees in 2017/18 and have been on a number of committees such as Student Council and Service Committee. I have been involved in kapa haka for several years, participating in the Polyfest campaign for 2017, 2018 and 2020. I also enjoy a lot of activities outside of school including helping in a number of preschool and primary programmes at my local church. I have had the privilege of doing a week-long internship with Girl Boss at Fletchers and am looking forward to starting as a Fellow at Derek Handley’s “Aera Foundation”. All these things that I have been involved in, past and present, have shaped me into the person I am today. I hope to see Westlake become an increasingly holistic place; where we can support one another to achieve a healthy balance in all areas of life. These five years at high school are invaluable and I hope to make them even more special for the future girls coming through.

Grace (right) and Charis.

Monday 1 February:

Auckland Anniversary (school closed)

Tuesday 2 February:

Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 students at school

Wednesday 3 February:

Year 9 students only at school (along with year 13 leaders)

Thursday 4 February:

First day of teaching (full school)

Term 1 Important Dates

Monday 8 February:

Waitangi Day Observed (school closed)

Tuesday 16/Wednesday 17 February:

ID and class photos

Wednesday 17 February:

New Parents Information Evening

Friday 19 February:

Swimming Sports (competitors only – not the whole school)

Friday 26 February:

Athletics Day (full school)

Wednesday 31 March:

Junior and Senior Progress Reports Issued

Thursday 8 April:

Report Evening One (4-7pm)

Tuesday 13 April:

Report Evening Two (4-7pm)

Friday 16 April: Term ends