Kristin Kaleidoscope by Benefitz

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INSIDE: A Beijing Adventure for Year 6 Pasifika Project in Poutasi Leadership Roles for 2013 Cats on the Kristin Stage

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From the Executive Principal

From the Board

Alumni

Whole School News

International News

Junior School News

Middle School News

Senior School News

Performing Arts

Sports News

Advertising

Publishing Kaleidoscope is published by the Department of School Relations of Kristin School and distributed to the wider school community. For all advertising and general enquiries please contact the Editorial Team: Pamela Peryman and Lucy Wilson Telephone: +64 9 415 9566 Email: kristin@kristin.school.nz Design and Artwork: Eddie van den Broek, Benefitz Telephone: +64 9 477 4700 Printing: Benefitz Web: www.benefitz.co.nz Cover photo: David Hare

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Transit of Venus

t was a very exciting day in the Junior School when everyone had the chance to witness the transit of Venus. A large number of enthusiastic students gathered together at morning interval to make the most of the clear weather. By using solar glasses and an image projected through binoculars, students were able to see Venus as a small black dot passing in front of the Sun. Not keen to miss the opportunity, Middle and Senior students also made sure to witness the event from the Science and Technology Block. As it will be another 105 years before anyone has the opportunity to see this event again, everyone felt very fortunate to be able to connect with our solar system in this way. Rob Hutton Assistant Principal, Junior School

principal from the

executive

I See What You’re Saying

fter 25 years of teaching, at the faces of those around us? And it mine is still the best job in really does only need to be a moment. the world. In fact, it only has The pioneering work of Paul Eckman one downside. As the decades go into reading people’s micro-expressions by, each new generation of students came to popular attention in Malcolm remains young, but I keep getting Gladwell’s book Blink. Dr Eckman found older. Ageing doesn’t need to be the that as our emotions change, they are end of the world, of course. I was signalled on our face in involuntary fine with some of the early signs. flashes of expression that last no more George Clooney has given greying than 1/25th to 1/15th of a second. If we hair some serious credibility and are in the habit of looking at the faces my daughter says that my recent of those we meet and we know what to adoption of reading glasses is look for, we really can read each other’s starting to make me look “vaguely minds. intelligent”. Even my failing knees As I have strained a little harder to gave me licence to hang up my catch people’s quieter conversations in running shoes and make the switch recent years, I have found myself also to a less-punishing road bike. searching their faces to confirm that Yes, I was coping fine with these their emotions match what I thought I minor mutinies of my once-reliable heard. Allowing people’s expressions body. That was until the hearing test. to fill in the gaps of the stories they are The nice audiologist kindly reassured telling is a fascinating lesson in empathy me that the minor hearing loss that I and the richness of our shared human am starting to experience is reasonably experience. Words can lie, but it takes common “at my age”. Gee, thanks. Of an extremely skilled actor to hide the greater concern was the fact that there truth on their face. is little to be done until it gets worse, The irony is that the people whose which apparently, it will. Thanks again. emotions we should care about most The worst thing, though, is that I – our families, friends, and colleagues don’t miss much in a conversation – – are the ones whose faces we most just the odd word – but it is enough commonly ignore. Those to whom we are to be irritating. It is as annoying as closest, those whom we live amongst “Allowing people’s expressions to fill in overhearing someone talking loudly on and work alongside are the ones whose the gaps of the stories they are telling is their cellphone in a public place. presence we most commonly take for Brain research shows us why. The granted. The ones whose eyes we often a fascinating lesson in empathy and the human mind can’t stand not knowing don’t meet because of complacency and richness of our shared human experience. the whole story. If we hear only parts domestic familiarity. Words can lie, but it takes an extremely of a dialogue, our brain is compelled So, as you flick through the pages of this to fill in the missing pieces. Lauren skilled actor to hide the truth on their face.” edition of Kaleidoscope, pay particular Emberson, a psychologist at Cornell attention to what is written, not only in University, has even coined a new text but in the faces of the young people word – “halfalogue” – to capture the special nature of an overheard pictured. Whatever the stories herein may say about our successes, phone conversation. Her idea is that it’s not the spoken words that the proof lies in a thousand happy photographs. And when you have distract and irritate us, but rather the unheard half of the dialogue. finished reading, call your child over, look them in the eyes and ask We can’t concentrate on what we are doing because we are trying to “How’s school?” Hopefully, the corners of their eyes will crease piece together a puzzle with missing pieces. slightly, their mouth will arc upward on both sides and their face will Fortunately, I have discovered an even better upside to all this. When tell you “It’s great”. the brain can’t get the full story from the ears, it calls on the other Then ask them to go and turn that music down! senses to work a little harder to help out – in particular, the eyes. Peter Clague The more concerned I am that I may miss what someone is saying, Executive Principal the more closely I find myself looking at their face, which in turn has opened up a world of interaction that we so often overlook – literally. How often do we miss important cues by not taking a moment to look

ISSUE No. 56

board from the

“We all know that development from a young age is very influential on the rest of our lives. But it is not at all fair to say that what is written now in school reports is written in stone for the rest of our lives. Each person has a future that starts every day.”

A Story 40 Years in the Making

e often think of spring as the time of birth and rebirth, the delicate beginnings of life and the cleaning off of the cobwebs of winter. We feel refreshed and full of possibilities. For all of us - students, parents and staff - there are celebrations and holidays to look forward to, the new year’s adventures, the challenges we all have along with the joys and successes of each year. The last few weeks of school represent something to be looked forward to, with high excitement or perhaps sadness - for most a mixture of both. There are of course the Year 13 and other students who are stepping out into the world or leaving Kristin for the last time, and a handful of staff who are moving on to new exciting opportunities or retirement. There are the parents and families who have been a part of our community while their children have grown, sometimes for their children’s entire school life. I wish we could say farewell in this publication to every single person who is going, but we cannot. We can, however, single out one very important person. While much will be said about our very special Junior School Principal Judi Paape at more fitting occasions, the Board wishes to honour and thank Judi for being such a wonderful Principal, educator and person. The enchanting stories from the Junior School found in this publication are a fitting testament to Judi’s fine qualities and proof of how blessed we have been to have had Judi in charge of our Junior School treasures for so long. Those that are departing are not leaving the Kristin family, of course. Maintaining the Kristin network, embracing past, present and future members of the community, is one of the school’s most important goals. The Alumni section of Kaleidoscope is a part of the publication which I always look forward to. It provides an affirmation of what a Kristin education is all about. Already this year there have been a number of highly successful Alumni reunions in Dunedin, London, Seoul and Auckland. Kristin was also privileged to be the organiser and host of the St Anne’s School Reunion in September. St Anne’s was a small but vibrant independent school on the Takapuna foreshore and when it was closed in 1972 after 40 years, Kristin was born. The ties that bind the two communities remain very strong, with many connections through former teachers, parents and students. In recognition, Kristin has set up a St Anne’s Scholarship, to be awarded 2

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to a Year 11 child to support that child’s studies in the Senior School. Preference will be given to those who have some connection with St Anne’s. The school has already left a great legacy, but in this way we hope that the legacy will continue even more strongly. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship please contact the Executive Principal. Kristin Alumni Reunion 2012 Next year it will be Kristin’s turn to celebrate its 40th year. More will be said about the celebrations later but there is already a long list of wonderful events planned. There is much to celebrate and, thanks to the skills of our Director of School Relations, Pamela Peryman, I’m sure we will do it in great style. The 40-year milestone is a significant one, but with age comes the reality of witnessing the passing of the generation which provided support in years gone by. What is true for people is also true for schools, and it was with great sadness that we said goodbye to Reverend Harold Clark – a very special man with an overwhelming love of the school, its teachers and students. It was a humbling and heart-warming experience to hear so many people – students, Alumni and staff – recount the many ways that Harold had been a part of their lives. Harold made a huge impression during his 16 years as School Chaplain and in the years since, when he was a constant visitor. His incredible contribution to the school remains an integral part of our community. A final thought... We all know that development from a young age is very influential on the rest of our lives. But it is not at all fair to say that what is written now in school reports is written in stone for the rest of our lives. Each person has a future that starts every day. Maybe what your teachers want to see, whether next year, in five, ten or twenty years, is not the same you but a ‘new’ you. Whether you are stepping out into the world or walking back into the school next year, remember that what was written before now was written in water. Those of you who are better at maths than I am might want to work out just how big is the stream of people who have been through Kristin in the last 40 years, and St Anne’s in the 40 before that. I for one am looking forward to the 40-year celebrations to see just what ‘new’ people I can find and what story their lives have written. Philippa Fee Chairman

alumni

Photo: Richard Gladwell/sail-world.com

Olympic Success

hile Olympic fever took over New Zealand, we were very proud to see some familiar faces at the heart of the Kiwi team. All eyes were on the Lauren Boyle (py 2005) in the pool as she set three New Zealand records in the 400m and 800m Women’s Freestyle events, making her way into the final race in both categories. Lauren produced some inspirational swims to qualify 4th fastest for the 400m final where she came 8th, and 5th fastest for the 800m final. In this final race Lauren surprised herself with her career-defining swim, finishing 4th and taking more than three seconds off the record which she had lowered the day before. Speaking after the race, Lauren said: “I’m so proud of myself; I never thought that I could come fourth at the Olympics. I’ve struggled for so long to believe in myself. I didn’t even think coming here tonight that I could do that. I don’t even care that I didn’t get a medal.” Lauren’s fantastic performances and down-to-earth attitude make her a perfect role model for up-and-coming athletes, so we will be very pleased to welcome Lauren back to Kristin to speak at the Senior School Sports Assembly in Term 4. Also on the water was Dan Slater (py 1994) - the only Kiwi sailor

competing in the Men’s Finn class - and his former Olympic crewmate Nathan Handley (py 1991) who was coach to Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie in the Women’s 470. Dan finished a respectable 7th and Nathan’s girls were on top of the world as they claimed Gold for New Zealand. When we last featured Nathan on these Alumni pages back in May 2011 he told us “to coach a yachting team to a medal at the Olympics is definitely still a goal”. It is fantastic to witness such a talented and driven sportsman reach this incredible goal – and not just any medal, but Gold! Behind the scenes at the Women’s Football tournament was New Zealand coach Tony Reading. Tony is a former Head of Football here at Kristin and when he’s not focused on leading the Kiwi girls to their best-ever result in an Olympic tournament he is coach of our very own 1st XI Football team. The Olympics was an opportunity to celebrate the best of our Kiwi athletes, but also a chance to celebrate the heights of success of some very special Kristin Alumni. We all enjoyed cheering them on for London 2012 and wish them the best as they each set their sights on their next sporting goal. Cherry Webster Director of Sport

Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards Four Kristin Alumni were invited to Government House in September to receive their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards. Hamish Borsboom, Juliette Hansen, Emily Sycamore and Kate Thimbleby were awarded their certificates by the Governor-General, The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae, and special guest Sarah Hillary. Augusta Connor was presented with her Gold Award at a similar ceremony in April, and Anna Guise, Michelle Harworth, Emily McDonald, Anna Spence and Emma van Tilborg were unable to attend the presentation ceremony but have also been awarded their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards.

ISSUE No. 56

An Exciting New Enterprise – Andrew and Emma Campbell (nee Pook)

e recently had the pleasure of catching up with a couple of Kristin Alumni who are carving a new and innovative path in the world of dentistry. Only two weeks after opening the doors at The Tooth Company, Andrew and Emma Campbell’s brand new practice was fully booked. A mere 10 months later and they are gearing up to open a second new practice in the city. Not a bad effort for the pair who, by traditional industry standards, could well have expected to spend a decade or two working their way up the ranks in a relatively conservative industry. The couple met while at Kristin and after graduating in 2002 they both moved south to the University of Otago – Andrew to study his Bachelor of Dental Surgery, and Emma a BCom in Marketing and BA in Design. Upon graduation they both returned to Auckland and went out into their respective industries. After a few years an idea had begun to form in the back of Andrew’s mind, and when the opportunity came along it seemed like the best time to bring the vision to reality. “One of the things that excited me most about dentistry – aside from the teeth, of course – was the potential for business development,” said Andrew while explaining their vision for The Tooth Company. “There tends to be a traditional ethos in the industry where it’s all about being a health practitioner and the business aspects all sit to the side. We had to ask ourselves, does it have to be done that way for the sake of the healthcare?” Utilising Emma’s experience in marketing and commerce and Andrew’s passion for business, the pair built their vision for a new style of dentistry with their customers in mind. “One in two people do not visit their dentist regularly. We really tried to look at why this was and build our business to suit our customers’ needs.” This approach led to their decisions about location, ease of access, opening hours and services, all of which are in response to their extensive research of their customers. The result is something new and fresh, but not entirely unfamiliar. The pair have taken influence from the retail and hospitality 4

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industries and while the practice is clearly a state-of-the-art dental surgery, it is a far cry from the dated and medicinal offices which many people may expect. “We’ve started with a ground-floor retail approach,” explained Emma. “People have responded to it really well. Our customers are noticing a change, and so are our staff. It’s not always something they can put their finger on, but it gets their attention and they like it.” Everything about this venture speaks volumes about the nature of the pair who are behind it. They are relatable, open-minded and their vision is clearly established. They are not limited by fear of the unknown; instead they are putting in the hard yards to make their dream a reality. Both Andrew and Emma are quick to acknowledge the help and support of their friends and family who have been an integral part of their journey so far. “We quickly realised that once all the homework had been done, the only thing that could slow us down was confidence. There were a lot of people who questioned the whole concept but we were surrounded by great people in our friends and family. Before we knew it, we were away.” They both also see their time at Kristin as an asset which set them up well for University and life beyond school. “There were so many opportunities,” reflects Emma; “I don’t think we realised how lucky we were to be exposed to so many things – especially to the teachers.” “They just kept drilling us; keep going, keep going, keep going,” joins in Andrew, “and it was great that we were associating with others who believed that no goal was unachievable. Even at 16 we all had an idea of where we wanted to go in life.” The pair still maintain close friendships with their friends from Kristin and will both be attending their 10-year reunion in October.

“One of the things that excited me most about dentistry – aside from the teeth, of course – was the potential for business development,”

Alumni

Beth McMahon - A Gap Year in the West Midlands After finishing Year 13 last year, Beth McMahon decided to take a gap year in the UK during which she has been living and working at Winterfold House School in Worcestershire. She recently got in touch to let us know how she was getting on. For the last eight months, I’ve been kept on my toes with a wide range of tasks and opportunities. From my timetabled work in a reception classroom (children aged four to five) where I work as a teaching assistant, to ‘bush craft’ trips with Year 8 and in-depth lessons on the mystifying sport that is Rounders, the variety is great and much of the work is very enjoyable. One of my favourite parts of the day is the individual reading. The progress I’ve seen with the children so far is unbelievable for someone as inexperienced as me, and the value of contributions from all the teaching staff has been striking and encouraging. Certainly my work in the preprep classrooms has been a pleasure – and amazingly informative! Topics such as phonics and even geography seemed much more advanced and interesting than I remembered. In the next academic year I will be moving to Year 1 with my current class and I expect this to be equally exciting and rewarding.

Niklas and Thomas Rieger –

18,000km to School

From Niklas: ur family first got to know Kristin School when I came to study there for one term in January 2009. I wanted to try out something new, exciting and in a completely new country; thus my parents had asked an organisation about good schools to study at in New Zealand, and this organisation had recommended Kristin. Back then the school sounded like an outstanding facility and, as it turned out, our expectations were widely exceeded. Our family was utterly amazed by the opportunities the school offers, the members of staff and the great infrastructure. I almost did not even want to return home because while at Kristin I was able to play my favourite sport – hockey – on great facilities and under a skilled coach (with whom I still maintain contact), all while receiving the best education possible. In spite of all my affection for Kristin School and my Kiwi friends, I finally returned back home.

While I have loved this time in the classroom, perhaps the most enjoyable task for a gap student is accompanying classes on field trips. So far I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Devon, London, Oxfordshire, Wales and various other places with classes from the prep school (Years 3 to 8). Activities have included archery, art galleries, a speedboat ride, the London dungeons, survival skills and coping with vast quantities of mud. All of these things have been brilliant, and a very welcome break from the daily routine. So far my experience at Winterfold has been thoroughly enjoyable and beneficial – although, I am looking forward to returning to life with a dishwasher, and not sharing a living room with vast numbers of irritable dinner ladies! It would be reasonable to say that I have learnt a lot during my time here and the time has passed incredibly quickly. I would do it again if I could!

From Thomas: This is where I come in. Nik told us incredibly fascinating stories about Kristin and New Zealand. That’s why, three years later, I decided to also go there without any hint of a doubt. Even with such anticipation, everything totally came up to my expectations. Just like my elder brother, I would have loved to stay longer than a term but unfortunately this was not possible. After having returned to Germany and reflected on all the experiences I had, I can confirm that New Zealand is a great country to stay and Kristin School a perfect place to study and do any kind of sport you want. We would like to thank Kristin School, the staff in the International Office, our homestay families and our Kiwi friends for the delightful experiences we shared. We are doing our best to keep in touch! Roughly 18,000 kilometres may sound like a long way to go to school, but we can confirm that it is worth every metre. ISSUE No. 56

news whole school

Remembering Harold Clark, Chaplain Emeritus

he Kristin community has been deeply saddened by the loss of Reverend Harold Clark in May this year. Harold was Kristin School’s Chaplain for 16 years, from 1992 to 2008. During that time he became the spiritual anchor of the school and a man beloved by all in his congregation. His care and concern for every member of the school, student, parent or staff, was legendary and he brought enormous strength and hope to all. When Harold retired in 2008, it was my honour to invite him to accept the title of Chaplain Emeritus, which he did so with his typical humility. In this role, he then continued his deep connection with the school over the next three years, visiting on an almost daily basis, attending functions for all three schools and maintaining his regular meetings and prayer sessions with a large number of staff. An incredibly stoic and selfless man, Harold persevered with his pastoral duties throughout a long period of incapacity and it was always very humbling to watch him moving slowly, but surely, throughout the school grounds in the course of his ministry. The Reverend Harold Clark leaves an extraordinary legacy in the heart of Kristin School. Though we are made poor by his loss, we remain blessed by his presence in our lives. God bless and keep this good and faithful man. Peter Clague Executive Principal

Kristin Family and Friends

ne of the main aims of Kristin Family and Friends is to foster networks and encourage friendship amongst our parent community here at school. Over the past two terms, we have held a number of social events where building friendships and strengthening our community have been our main focus. In June the LIC Foyer was transformed for an outstanding evening of festivities for the Midwinter Christmas Dinner Party, and what a fabulous evening that was. The winter chills were kept at bay by the great company, a wonderful meal and, of course, the beautiful vocals of Morag McDowell and Derek Hill of NBR NZ Opera - accompanied by Linda Kitchen on the piano. A surprise performance by our very own ‘three tenors’ - Peter Clague, Brendan Kelly and Adam Heath - kept us all entertained! Our MC for the evening, Aidan Lang, General Director of NBR NZ Opera, was equally as entertaining and guided us through the evening with great wit and charm. Thanks to the hard-working KFF committee for organising such a successful evening. Getting out into the fresh air, our KFF walking group had the pleasure of hosting two walking days during Terms 2 and 3. The first was in May and family and friends were invited to join us for a picnic and hike up Rangitoto Island. After a brief ferry ride we disembarked and headed for the summit where we enjoyed a relaxed lunch and admired the stunning views before heading back down to the ferry in time for school pick-up. Everyone enjoyed the day so much that we decided to hold a second ramble on Waiheke Island in September. This time our walk took us over a headland and around the beautifully idyllic Church Bay, giving us an opportunity to admire the stunning views looking back towards the city. After two hours we arrived at Oneroa for a hearty lunch at Wai Cafe before returning by ferry to Devonport. The only hitch was that we were all chatting so much we missed the disembarkation at Devonport Wharf

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and had an unexpected trip over to the city! Both events were well attended and the weather was kind. Everyone remarked that it was such a treat to get out of the city and enjoy this beautiful place where we live. The KFF committee also had the pleasure of welcoming a special guest to a recent meeting. Senior School Assistant Principal Justin Peat, who is responsible for futures and tertiary advice for Senior School students, presented some amazing new initiatives to help our students plan their next steps. This meeting was very well attended and provided excellent information for parents concerned about their children’s career pathways. Priscilla Collins Chairman, Kristin Family and Friends

Let us show you around... Over 90 people came along to reconnect with friends and classmates and to share memories of their time at Kristin.â&#x20AC;?

We are very happy to organise tours for prospective students and their families. Please visit our website for scheduled tour times or contact the Registrar, admissions@kristin. school.nz or 415 9566 ext 2324. We are enrolling now for 2013 and beyond.

Global Alumni

ristinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global Alumni had the opportunity to catch up with classmates and connect with their local Kristin community this year with two international reunions for those based in the UK and Korea. This is the second time such an event has been held in both locations and the growing participation at these popular occasions is a credit to the strong bonds and networks formed through Kristin School. Over 90 people came along to reconnect with friends and classmates and to share memories of their time at Kristin. Peter Clague and Pamela Peryman hosted the London event on 5 July, and then Peter was

joined by Jenny Taylor and Helen Kim to welcome guests in Seoul on 15 July. By all accounts everyone had a great time, with guests staying on to share stories and enjoy the company of friends after the official functions were completed. Adding to the success of the evenings were the wonderful venues; from New Zealand House the London group had one of the best views in town for The Shard laser light show! If you or your friends were unable to attend these reunions but would like to stay in touch with your peers, we encourage you to do so through our Kristin Alumni Facebook page, www.facebook.com/kristin.alumni

ISSUE No. 56

Whole School News

Achieve Through Love –

St Anne’s School Reunion

very special part of Kristin’s history was celebrated at the St Anne’s School Reunion in September, when over 200 past students and teachers came together to remember their time at the school. Between 1932 and 1972 a steady stream of children passed through the doors of the small independent school, situated right on the beach in the heart of Takapuna. When the school was closed in 1972 a group of parents came together to build a new school offering quality education with a strong foundation in community and service. This was Kristin School, and almost 40 years on, the school continues to hold true the values of this small group of individuals. The reunion was organised by Kristin’s School Relations team in conjunction with a group of St Anne’s Alumni to honour the special place St Anne’s holds in the hearts of its many past students and teachers. While few records remain for the original school, the memories shared by guests at the reunion were a testament to the impact the school had on the lives of its people. Over the course of the weekend guests enjoyed a cocktail party in the LIC Foyer, a day of shared memories in Takapuna, a walking tour to the property where St Anne’s once stood and a Sunday service in the Kristin Chapel. For many this was the first opportunity to catch up with old friends since they left the school as children and it was heart-warming to see the strong bonds that have endured. It was also amazing to see the many layers of connections between St Anne’s families and our current Kristin community with many Kristin parents and grandparents also being St Anne’s Alumni. The original St Anne’s site on Gibbons Road is coincidentally owned by a Kristin family and it was thanks to their generosity that guests of the reunion were able to tour the garden and stand under the pohutukawa trees they remember so clearly. It was also an honour to host Dawn Wilkes who not only taught at St Anne’s but was one of Kristin’s founding teachers 39 years ago and Judith Weir who was a foundation pupil of St Anne’s and whose grandchildren both attended Kristin. The weekend was deemed a great success by all who attended and there is already work under way to document and archive the huge array of memorabilia, photos and stories which have surfaced so they can be shared with the community for many years to come. Executive Principal Peter

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Clague also announced the creation of the St Anne’s Scholarship which will be awarded to a Year 11 student each year. Pamela Peryman Director of School Relations

Kristin School 40-Year Celebrations Our Kristin School community will be celebrating this milestone with a series of commemorative events throughout 2013. We welcome everyone who has been a part of our community since 1973 to join us in celebrating the many achievements of our school and our people. The first 40-year celebration will be at our Family Picnic on Friday, 8 March 2013. All Alumni and friends of the school are welcome to attend. There will be no charge but please register your attendance. Other scheduled events include: 40-Year Foundation Day Assembly 26 March A special invitation to our foundation students and families. No charge but spaces are limited so please register your attendance. Kristin’s Night of Stars 3 July Revisit the magic of past productions and celebrate the talent of Kristin’s future stars. Get your friends together for the Champagne Cocktail Party and stay on for the complimentary supper after the show. Tickets on sale in April at www.iticket.co.nz Love the Dove Ball 30 August The ultimate celebration of our 40th year: a Ball for parents and friends in the finest of Kristin traditions. Details are still under wraps but the evening will include champagne, a three-course dinner, firstclass entertainment and live music at one of Auckland’s top venues. Tickets on sale in June - email: kristin@kristin.school.nz

news international

Yucai Exchange

Let the Colours Run

nternational Peace Night celebrates the heritage and diversity of our Kristin community and is always a highly anticipated favourite on the Kristin calendar. Created in partnership by the International Student Committee and the UNESCO Club, this year it was our turn to bring the show to life. Due to the growing support for the event and the huge array of performers, singers, dancers and entertainers here at Kristin, we decided that this year we would take the leap and hold the show over two nights. This change was embraced by our friends, family and Kristin community with the Dove Theatre filled to capacity for both evening performances. It was a great privilege to organise an event such as International Peace Night. We are both very connected to our multicultural backgrounds and feel a great deal of pride in attending a school which celebrates and supports cultural diversity in the community. Our audiences enjoyed colourful performances from rock bands, Chinese Diabolo and flag dancers, Korean masked dancers and Nanta drumming, Japanese Soranbushi dance and calligraphy, Indian and Taiwanese dance, Jazz piano, cheerleading, Pacifika and a cappella performances. Our respective committees worked extremely hard to produce the show across two nights and we are proud to say that it has all been so worthwhile. Over $3000 was raised for the Imani Children charity and Hadassah International Hospital. “I feel this concert has allowed many Kristin students to showcase their culture in front of friends, family and teachers.” - Priyal “I’m very grateful that I can proudly express my love for both Korea and New Zealand along with all the other nationalities at Kristin.” - Francesco Priyal Bhoola, Chairman, UNESCO Club and Francesco Kook, Chairman, International ommittee

In September of last year we were a part of a group of six Year 10 girls who had the good fortune to visit Beijing for a two-week exchange to Yucai School. Part of this experience was staying with the Chinese students and their families. To be welcomed into these homes really helped us to make the transition into the Chinese lifestyle, and at the same time it exposed us to some of the best cultural experiences China has to offer. It also helped us to form a great bond with our exchange partners, so when they visited us in July of this year we were keen to show them the same hospitality. Our exchange partners stayed with us for four days where they were able to get a taste for home and school life in New Zealand before travelling on to other parts of New Zealand. Although they were with us for only a limited time, the Kristin hosts made the most of this time and showed their partners some of Auckland’s best attractions, such as Auckland Zoo, Mt Victoria, Mission Bay and a popular favourite, Albany Mall. Both the guests and the host families greatly enjoyed this experience and it was a pleasure to reciprocate the generosity that they had showed us while we were in China. The Chinese students learnt a lot about the New Zealand culture which they had not previously been exposed to. Hopefully next time they will be able to stay for longer and help cement Kristin’s ongoing relationship with Yucai School in Beijing. Julia Francis, Paige Herbst, Elizabeth Lunn and Anna Wingham

ISSUE No. 56

International News

St George’s College, Buenos Aires

T A Trip of a Lifetime – York School, Canada The York Exchange was an amazing opportunity to visit Canada for six weeks and become a part of the buzzing York School. The three of us flew almost 18 hours to meet our new ‘York Buddies’ who we would be living with for a month and a half, and who will be visiting us in November. During our stay in Toronto we collected incredible experiences and got to see all the sights: Niagara Falls, the CN Tower, subways (underground trains, not the food), gigantic malls, new foods, Challenge Week and so much more! Challenge Week – which was similar to Camp Week here at Kristin – came at the end of our trip, and we got to experience many new things and make new friends. Anthony and Marsanne went to Ottawa and enjoyed cycling around the canal and visiting historical sights. This was where they had the opportunity to try beaver tails (a type of snack) for the first time. Danni went to Killarney, a small town surrounded by forests and wilderness. She got to see black bears while completing day hikes and spent time painting the landscape. We grew so close to all of our new friends, it was difficult to leave. It isn’t over yet, though: at the end of the year we get to host our exchange partners and show them all the wonderful things New Zealand has to offer. They will be a part of the Kristin community just like we got to become a part of York School. So Year 9 students, when the application forms become available in Term 4, don’t miss out! You are in for the trip of a lifetime! Anthony Tuxford, Marsanne Jordan and Danni Morgan

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

owards the end of Term 1, Nicholas Cameron and I set off for six weeks at St George’s College in Quilmes, Buenos Aires. We were surprised to find out that classes at St George’s are conducted in both Spanish and English and most students are really good at English. Their lessons are always vibrant and noisy which made us truly appreciate the unique atmosphere and environment we have at Kristin. Everyone at the school was very friendly – students and staff alike! We were fortunate to have the support of English-speaking teachers because we weren’t fluent in Spanish when we first arrived in Argentina. What could have been a challenging trip was made all the more enjoyable thanks to our host families who were both very welcoming, helpful and showed us a lot of things. They went out of their way to be accommodating. Nicholas especially spent a lot of time with his host family because they lived far away. On the one hand, he would’ve preferred to have more freedom but, on the other, that meant he came to know the family really well. Being absorbed into family life helped us to understand the language and culture so that by the time we came home we had gained a lot more confidence in speaking Spanish. Also, having smaller year groups in the school meant we were able to become familiar with everyone which helped a lot too. It is amazing when we look back at our exchange experience because there is a definite ‘before and after’ effect. I really think the six-week exchange period was just the right length of time for this exchange. We learned so many things on so many different levels and we both feel very privileged to have taken part. We gained so much but also had a great deal of fun. Ashleigh Allen

news junior school

Fabulous Friday Lunch

I want to be a

Policeman

s part of the Junior Kindergarten’s inquiry into ‘Who We Are’ we have been learning about our families. To find out what each member of their family did during the day the children decided they needed to do some homework and send out some questionnaires. Since Corban’s dad is the Albany Community Constable we asked him to come in and talk to us about what being a policeman was really like. The children thought very carefully about what they would most like to ask him. Some of the questions were: Do you catch baddies? Do you have a special key to get into the Police Station? Do you have girls in the police? Are baddies really scared of policemen? Do you have to have big muscles to be a policeman? How do you get big muscles? The children were totally speechless later on when given the opportunity to sit in the police car with a real police hat on. When asked what they wanted to be when they grew up we had a surprisingly high percentage wanting to be policemen! Funny that! Maree Kelly Teacher-in-Charge

A healthy lunch was on the menu on Friday 27 July when all of Year 4 took part in our Fabulous Friday Lunch. We each planned our menu which had to include a main meal, dessert and drink. We are learning about healthy choices so it had to be a healthy menu. We also made our own table settings which had to be as creative as possible. My favourite setting was Iain Lam’s in 4L because all his settings were beautifully presented. He had made paper lights and for his fruit salad bowl he cut an orange in half and filled one half with fruit salad. Oscar Wallace in 4L made a pirate ship out of his food. Joshua Daken in 4D chose a Mexican theme for his lunch and created signs and decorations and Digby Eele in 4D created a Fijian-themed lunch. Georgia Austin from 4C had real flowers on her desk while Hee Seo Kim in 4C had made her flowers out of paper. Christopher MacRae in 4C brought in salt-and-pepper shakers. We had a lovely time sharing our ideas and eating lunch together. Gina Kim

Dial 111 It was third time lucky for the Year 2 students who enjoyed the opportunity to closely inspect a fire engine from the local Albany Station as part of their Dial 111 inquiry after bad weather put off the previous two visits. The highlight was of course the fire hose being squirted and Michael in 2B had the honour of helping one of the firemen to do this. We are very grateful to the New Zealand Fire Service - and Albany station in particular - for their continued support of our school programme. We were also thrilled when Matt Evans from the Firewise Education Programme worked with all of the Year 2 classes. He told us that our children were some of the best prepared and most knowledgeable he has worked with. Barbara Taylor Year 2 Dean

ISSUE No. 56

Flying Machines As a part of our PYP Exhibition, all of the Year 6 students had the opportunity to participate in different electives. Our group chose to study flying machines so we were split in half for two three-week modules. The first module was about making hot-air balloons while the other module was on making and testing rockets, and after three weeks the groups switched around. The rocket group met in the Tech Suite and had a go at building rockets out of soft drink bottles, powered by water and air pressure. Once our rockets were built we would go outside and test them. We used a jug to measure the exact amount of water we wanted to use. We then hooked each of them up to an air pump and pumped and pumped with all our strength until we watched the rockets shoot up into the sky. Each week, we upgraded our rockets to make them fly higher and take longer to come down to the ground. Our first week we made a basic rocket, but in the second week we added a parachute made out of black rubbish bags. The next upgrade was to make a bigger rocket out of two bottles, add some play dough to the top to make it fly further and fins to keep it flying in a straight line. We also hooked our creations up to a bigger and more powerful pump. We measured the height of the rockets as they flew, using clinometers. The best one flew over 40 metres high! Paige De Seymour and Hamish Thornton

Exhibition Presentations

ur transdisciplinary theme for our Year 6 PYP Exhibition was ‘How the World Works’. After investigating, researching and learning about our topics for nine weeks it was time for us to demonstrate our knowledge by sharing what we learnt with the Kristin community in two different ways. We created static displays which were showcased in the Library Information Centre Foyer, and we put on a staging presentation in the Auditorium. We all started scripting our staging early in Term 3. We rehearsed a number of times and at last everything came together during the dress rehearsal. It was finally time to hold an evening performance where we showed our parents and guests our staging. When that was done we took them down to the LIC Foyer to show them our static displays. The room was packed with people and we were able to give out lots of the bookmarks and brochures we had prepared. The parents asked some great questions, and we were able to answer them using the knowledge we had gained through the whole process. The very next day, we presented our staging to the whole Junior School which was a great event. We hosted each class in the Junior School to a tour of our static displays during the week as well. We took the younger students around the displays ourselves, showing them different things and encouraging them to collect brochures, pamphlets and stickers along the way. For the older students, we stayed next to our work and they walked around themselves having a look at what we had prepared and asking us questions. We enjoyed the experience of the PYP Exhibition and now we know so much more about how the world works! Kaitlin Windmeyer and Anya Khalid

Junior School Speech Competition The annual Junior School speech competition was held in the Auditorium on Wednesday 25 July. We were honoured to once again have David Shaw, head of the English Faculty, to act as our judge. Mr Shaw commented on the ability of the finalists to move, inform, entertain and amuse the audience across the range of speeches they delivered. The winner of the FW McElrea Memorial Cup for excellence in English was Peta Kuluz for her speech about ‘What’s in a name’. Mr Shaw commended Peta for her sophisticated, funny and confident delivery. The runner-up for the school competition was Alyssa Chia with a speech about ‘How words came about’. Leona Marsh Teacher-in-Charge

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Junior School News

Wheely Day

s part of our Travelwise programme we participated in World Car Free Day on Friday 21 September. Wheely Day was a great excuse to come to school using alternative means of transport rather than by car. With the wide range of scooters, skateboards, bikes and blades at school we took the opportunity to celebrate at lunchtime by closing down different areas of the grounds and getting out on our wheels. The Years 0 to 3 students rolled around the tennis courts, Years 4 to 6 in the bus bay and everyone who had a bike rode it up and down the road behind the Kindergarten. This was a thoroughly enjoyable event and we look forward to doing it all again in 2013. Michele Barrell Teacher-in-Charge

Year 3

Move and Groove

Kindergarten Enrolments 2013

s part of their unit of inquiry â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Move and Grooveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the Year 3 students have been participating in different forms of expressive movement and choreographing their own dances. They learnt a range of different dances that the teachers and other students suggested. Cotton Eye Joe and Follow the Leader were two of the most enjoyable and memorable dances. They celebrated this unit by inviting all of the Year 3 parents to the Roy Munn Gym for a dance extravaganza. The parents also got a chance to dance along. Caitlin Tobin-Vile liked having the Year 3 Dance group involved in the Move and Groove display while Paige Hamilton really liked the folk dancing Year 3 did. This was a great day for all the Year 3 students. Georgia Tobin-Vile and Olivia Forbes, Year 6

Kristin Kindergarten is the entry point to our Junior School. As part of our enrolment process, our Junior School team is currently meeting with children who will turn four years of age during 2013. If you have not already completed an application, or if you are aware of friends who would like to enrol their children at our Kindergarten, please note that applications should be submitted as soon as possible. To visit our Kindergarten or for further enrolment information, please contact Linda Teagle, Registrar, admissions@kristin. school.nz or 415 9566 ext 2324.

ISSUE No. 56

Beijing Adventure

wenty-four Year 6 students had the experience of a lifetime during the October holidays when they travelled to Beijing for a 10-day cultural adventure. Right from day one, they were challenged by the unexpected when their flight was diverted to Qingdao due to thunderstorms and high winds on the intended route. However, the group coped well and when they eventually arrived in Beijing, tired from the many hours of travel, they quickly settled in and were ready to hit the ground running on their first day in China. Their tour took them to historic sites such as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Sacred Way, as well as to the Beijing Zoo and the Western Academy of Beijing where the children were able to speak to other Year 6 students about their experiences during their PYP Exhibition process. Each morning began with a quote for the students to consider as they took on the challenges of the day. Day one began with a quote from Bill Peach: “Above all keep in mind the traveller’s commandment. Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou hast at home, for thou has left home to find things different. The most essential thing you can pack is an open mind.” These words were to come in handy throughout the trip as the students encountered many things they had never seen before. From the very small and basic two-room homes in the alleys of Hutong worth NZ$6 million, to the Wangfujing Street market where vendors were selling live scorpions on sticks, as well as starfish, seahorses, snails and snakes! No Beijing experience is complete without visiting the Great Wall; in fact, Chairman Mao once said that “He who has not climbed the wall is not a true Continued over page >

Kristin Paparazzi

Inventive Ideas in Year 4 Year 4 concluded their Inquiry around their central idea that “Technological Developments affect our Lives” with a mini exhibition and staging. Students investigated how inventions originated, were changed and improved over time and how the inventions affected the lives of others. They followed a design cycle and made changes to an item. If their invention met with the stringent Kristin standards, they received a certificate from the ‘Kristin Patenting Office’. The staging was done in pairs and the presentations included poetry, songs, advertisements, stop-start animations and drama. Thank you to all the parents who came to observe the students’ creativity.

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

As part of their unit about who different people are at Kristin and what their roles and responsibilities are, the Year 1 classes have been out and about with their iPads taking photos and recording video clips. They are turning these into presentations which they will be able to share with the people they have been investigating, such as Ms Paape and Mr Clague. By all accounts it is an amazing feeling to be faced with a wall of iPads manned by such enthusiastic young reporters. Jude Griffiths Year 1 Dean

Junior School News Continued from previous page > manâ&#x20AC;?, and so the group prepared themselves for a tough climb to conquer the historic monument. The section of the wall that the group climbed had a very steep start and it was heaving with people of all shapes, sizes and ages. With their bright Kristin hats on, the students made a turquoise snake up the side of the stairs as they climbed to the top where they performed a haka and sang Chinese songs. For the children who had found the climb challenging and at times scary, it was a powerful moment to share the haka on such a great monument, and it was greatly appreciated by the crowds of people who were also climbing the wall that day.

Every day of the trip presented challenges and opportunities to the students, and the entire group conducted themselves fantastically as they absorbed the rich culture of Beijing, with its unique contrasts of ancient history alongside modern city life.

PJ Party in the LIC In Term 2 all of the Year 2â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s went to a movie night in the LIC. We could bring a sleeping bag, bean bag or blanket and pillow, and we got to wear our pyjamas! We had three movie choices and the one that was chosen was The Muppets. We all got set up and then the room went pitch black until the movie started. My favourite bit was when Walter got shocked by electric wires. It was lots of fun to have a PJ party with our friends and we all got to share the cakes afterwards. Olivia Lai

Book Character Day

he Junior School was awash with colour and excitement as we celebrated Book Character Day on Friday 3 August. Most staff and students dressed up as a character from a favourite book and enjoyed themselves as they shared their story with others. The day was wrapped up with an assembly hosted by Senior School students in the Auditorium with a retelling of Where the Wild Things Are which was highly entertaining. We asked some of the students what they liked about Book Character Day. Abbey Matheson enjoyed dressing up as did Olivia Reed. Caelan Burns said that he was happy that he got to bring his rugby ball to school and use it as a prop for his costume, while Tess Heath really liked having fun dressing up. Zoe Mutch

Red Sock Day To honour the life of Sir Peter Blake the Junior School participated in Red Sock Day in June. To raise money for the Sir Peter Blake Trust the House Captains sold socks and badges for everyone to wear. The Sir Peter Blake Trust promotes leadership and the environment and is dedicated to young people. Red Sock Day gives us the chance to honour leaders in our school and to also think about Sir Peter Blake and the things he enjoyed doing and believed in. The Junior School students had a great time wearing their red socks and look forward to the 2013 Red Sock Day. Zoe Mutch

ISSUE No. 56

Brian Falkner Visit Friday 1 June was an exciting day for us avid readers of Year 5. Acclaimed author Brian Falkner came to visit and share his knowledge and experience around writing. Some students participated in a taste-testing competition where they had to identify different types of cola. They did this because Brian wrote a book about the secret formula of CocaCola. He read a passage from his book and the group of students recreated the story by trying to identify the flavours. In a second competition about story writing we had to write the beginning of a book chapter. We were challenged to put the story of Shrek into a different writing style. We learnt so much from this exercise and it immediately helped our own story writing. The best part of the day according to Emmanuel in 5B was meeting Brian and telling him all about what he was going to be when he grew up. Cam Scott

It’s a Jungle Out There!

he Chapel was transformed into a jungle during Term 2, complete with tropical palms, vines, parrots and even our resident safari animal expert – Madge. Using the animals found in the stories of the Bible, we explored a range of characters and their virtues including the courage that Daniel showed in the lion’s den, Jonah who ended up in the belly of a whale when he failed to co-operate and the lesson in diligence that even the ants can teach us. A couple of highlights from the term were the visit we had from George and Grace Kingsnorth’s piglets, and the last week of term when a select number of students released 40 doves into the air. We all oohed and aahed as the doves circled once, twice, three times – before flying back to their home in West Auckland. Phoebe Atkinson, Assistant Chaplain

Ideas in Action In preparation for our PYP Exhibition, the Year 6 students were joined by our teachers, some parents and Kristin staff for a brainstorming activity known as the PYP Action Ideas Summit. This was an opportunity for us all to share our ideas on the types of action we could take while we conduct our investigation for our Exhibition issues. Everyone who went to the Ideas Summit ended up gathering a wide range of suggestions. Ella Tobin said “It was difficult but it got easier” and her action was to hand out pamphlets to people who came to their stand. Romeo Dean said “It was helpful to have more than one action idea” and his action was to present information to the little kids in a different way so they can understand it. Some of the other ideas that were generated include: making board games, creating models and brochures, writing books, making pinhole cameras, cleaning up a beach, making paper cranes, joining clubs, collecting things to donate to others, holding a palm oil-free week at Kristin, making door hangers and planting trees. The wide variety of action was exciting to hear about and we look forward to carrying it out. Hamish Thornton

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Junior School News

Sir Peter Blake Young Leader Award

Year 9

Reading Day

s part of the Year 9 Reading Day during Term 2, the Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 classes enjoyed a visit from Year 9 students. It was wonderful to see the Year 9 students sharing with the Junior School students as they read a story to them which they had selected specially for the task. When this was done the Junior School students took the opportunity to read to Year 9 a story they were currently reading in class. This was a marvellous opportunity to share across the two schools and one that is keenly enjoyed each year by the students. Robert Hutton Assistant Principal, Junior School

That is a lot of snow! During the record-breaking winter snowstorms in Christchurch, class 2T began recording the snowfall and comparing it to things around them. They came up with a very interesting list of ideas: • At Mrs Taylor’s waist - Mrs Taylor • Much bigger than my cat - Carlos • Bigger than the table - Keira • Smaller than my Dad - Campbell

• Smaller than me - Carlos • Bigger than the computer - Campbell • It was up to my chin - Yeon Seo • Bigger than my bag - Amelia • Smaller than my Mum - Jacqueline • Taller than my brother - Caitlin • It would be almost as big as me because I looked at the height chart and I’m about 1 metre 30 centimetres - Luke • Taller than my dog - Olivia

The Junior School came together for a very special assembly in June when Hannah Reddy was awarded the inaugural Sir Peter Blake Young Leader Award. Hannah was nominated for this prestigious award because of her determination and team leadership skills. She is a proven team builder, leader and member and is well known for her work ethic and willingness to have fun along the way – not only in the classroom but on the stage and sports field as well. Steve Roberts, Branch Manager at Westpac Albany, was on hand to present Hannah with her award at the Junior School Assembly. Rob Hutton Assistant Principal, Junior School

Student-Led Conferences During Term 3, everyone in the Junior School took part in the Student-Led Conferences. As part of this day we invited our parents to our classes to show them the work we have been doing. We also gave them a tour of our school including the Performing Arts, Physical Education, REAP and Chinese classrooms to show them the work we had been doing there as well. This is a great opportunity to present our work to our parents, rather than have the teacher tell them what has been going on. The best part of the day was being in charge and telling our parents what to do and what was coming next. It was a very enjoyable and everyone was really proud of the work they showed their parents. Paige De Seymour

ISSUE No. 56

news middle school

Everest Tips and Tricks The Everest group had a fun Amazing Race-themed day in Term 3 where we were sent around the school completing tasks and solving clues to get to the next station. The tasks helped us with organisational tips and tricks; for example, we had to send Mr Riseborough a class absence email saying we would not be able to make it to class for the next two days. Emails with the correct punctuation and manners could win a bag of lollies or Everest points, and so did getting to the next station first! During the activities, I learnt to make new friends instead of hanging out with the same friends every single day. I also learnt the correct method of sending an email to a teacher. It was a great day and all of us Everest boys enjoyed the activity. Leroy Budden

Tiritiri Matangi Island

n early May the Year 8’s all spent a day on Tiritiri Matangi Island to have a go at becoming expert bird-spotters. Our favourites were the Bellbird, Saddleback, Tui and we will all remember the Red-crowned Parakeet because he was mainly green! Some amazing volunteers took us around the island and shared their wonderful knowledge with us. I know our group was hooked on the idea that cabbage trees didn’t even have a single cabbage on them, so none of us could figure out why they were called that! We then met Greg the Takahe at lunchtime; we all adored him even though he liked to steal our food! To top it all off, the boat trip on the way back was amazing! We had huge gusts of wind up on the open top deck of the ferry, where we felt like we were one of the actors in the final scene on Titanic (although we were keen to make it back in one piece!). Finally, on behalf of all the Year 8 students, we would like to thank the volunteers on the island, the parents who made time to be with us and, last but not least, the teachers who organised the whole trip. It was certainly an experience we will never forget and gave us a lot to think about back in the classroom. Emilia Kelly

Japanese Experience As part of our Japanese Experience field trip, the Year 10 Japanese class was lucky to have the opportunity to visit the Japanese Consulate in Auckland City. Our visit began with a slideshow presentation on interesting aspects of Japanese life. This included traditional and modern Japanese culture, etiquette and rituals. We learnt the difference between traditional and modern Japan and how much Japan has changed over the years. The consulate staff also showed us some traditional Japanese food and let us try Japanese calligraphy (書道 - Shodo), the Japanese brush writing. We then had the great experience of Japanese cuisine at a traditional Japanese restaurant. Most of us had the Teriyaki Chicken Set which was really tasty. We also enjoyed traditional green tea and dessert. After a long day out in the city we were reluctant to head back over the bridge to school so, before hitting the road, we stopped at a Japanese store; it was full of Japanese items such as sushi wraps, pots, toys, dinner sets and Japanese drinks and snacks. On behalf of the whole of our Japanese class, I would like to thank Ogata Sensei and Chapman Sensei for organising and taking us to the city for this wonderful experience. We all had a great day out and learnt a lot about Japan and its culture. Harrison Gosling

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

MYP in Action

arents and friends of the Middle School turned out in staggering numbers on Friday 7 September for the annual MYP in Action Day - a very important day on the Middle School calendar, where parents are given the opportunity to take an active part in lessons with the students. Parents visited classrooms to view the richness of learning taking place and were invited to take an active role in the lessons they visited. Our visitors took part in everything from a science investigation involving acids and chemicals in Year 8, to a dance lesson with Year 7 students learning the Foxtrot and Samba. In one room, Year 7 students took parents to Mars, while in another room parents were taken to an island after a shipwreck - as part of the narrative-based learning taking place in these classes. Students were eager to share their learning and the parents and friends were just as eager to take part in the Open Day activities. Guests were invited to have a ‘play’ with some amazing digital technologies that are being used in today’s Middle School classrooms. This included using iPads to record gymnastics in Physical Education, manipulating 3D pictures on interactive whiteboards and creating narrative podcasts for storytelling. It was great to see so many parents exhibiting the characteristics of the IB learner profile - most notably by being risk-takers, especially when taking part in the Year 8 science experiment. As one grandmother put it, “This is the most fun I have ever had learning - I wish I could come back to school.” Jason Gurney Assistant Principal, Middle School

Star Gazing On 24 and 25 September, Year 7 went to the Auckland Stardome Observatory and Planetarium. The purpose of our visit was to learn more about the solar system as part of our Earth topic. After our bus journey we had morning tea in the sun. Then we went into the Planetarium, we lay back in the reclining chairs and watched an amazing video teaching us all about star constellations and seasons. When we finished we were let loose in the foyer to explore the exhibits and complete a quiz. Next we went into the Space Room where we learnt about why the South Pole is always so cold. Hector Fleming

Kristin Dress for Success ‘Clean Out Your Closet’ Drive Last year we initiated the Clean Out Your Closet community project to collect interviewappropriate clothes for Dress for Success. We were overwhelmed with the response from the Kristin community who donated 88 bags of clothing and accessories, so we felt it was important to run the campaign again this year. The response of our community was once again overwhelming. This year an amazing 112 bags were donated. Thanks to everyone’s support, Kristin has donated a total of 1,469 items to Dress for Success - an increase of 312 items from those collected last year. This wonderful result will assist hundreds of Auckland women for many months ahead. The generosity of everyone who donated to the project should be recognised as we have now helped more than 1,000 women prepare for job interviews and employment. Holly and Olivia Roberts

ISSUE No. 56

Pasifika Project 2012

group of 16 Year 9 students have recently returned from a life-changing three-week expedition to the island community of Poutasi, Samoa â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a village tragically impacted by the massive tsunami which ripped through the area in 2009. After visiting the area in 2011, Year 9 Dean Carl Murray connected with Poutasiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief, Jon Annandale, and began to form a partnership between the local community and Kristin School. Together they created the Pasifika Project, a service-based initiative designed to provide longterm, ongoing assistance in the rebuilding and regeneration of Poutasi. The first goal for the partnership was to collect donations of essential equipment and supplies from the Kristin community. These items included mattresses and bedding for the Poutasi community centre, sewing machines and computers for the primary and secondary-school classrooms, mosquito nets, kitchen equipment and sports gear. For months the Kristin community gave generously to the project, filling a shipping container with 14 tonnes of much-needed equipment. The container was shipped out to Samoa in June, with the group of 16 Year 9 students and support staff following in July. For three weeks the students lived amidst the Poutasi community. They distributed the donated equipment, attended classes in the local schools, formed friendships with local children of all ages, set up computers, installed goalposts, taught English, and embraced the warm and welcoming culture of the local community. As you will see from the reflections below, this first year of the Pasifika Project has made a lasting impression on our students, and the actions of these students and the support from the Kristin community have already made a significant impact on the regeneration of Poutasi. For your support we are genuinely grateful and we look forward to welcoming students from Poutasi to visit the Middle School next year. Adam Heath Middle School Principal 20

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Pacific Reflections Looking back on our trip to Samoa we find it impossible to not wish we were back there. From the moment we stepped off the plane and walked into a wall of heat we knew this was going to be an amazing experience. When we arrived in Poutasi we received a wonderfully warm welcome before setting off to the secondary school. Here, we were again welcomed with a traditional ceremony before being adopted into the classes. We spent most of our first week learning with the students and understanding their culture. We were lucky enough to be there for the inter-school athletics competition which was held in Apia. The whole school was involved in either the athletics or the chanting. This was a great experience for all of us. The atmosphere in the stadium was like nothing we had ever experienced before and it gave us an amazing insight into their culture. They have such massive amounts of school spirit and pride, despite the fact that they had very few resources. Each classroom had 10 chairs and desks between 35 children and they shared very few materials beyond the one blackboard in each room. Besides attending classes, we also completed a few projects during our time in the secondary school, such as setting up basketball hoops and a computer room with some of the equipment which was donated to the project, as well as creating a mural. During our second week, we headed into the primary school where we were to take on a teaching role. We were split into small groups to work with the different year levels. The language barrier meant that we were quite nervous, but we quickly learnt that much of their learning is based around music so as we got to know the kids better we became more confident and were able to take songs we all knew and change the words of them to match their curriculum. On the last day, when we said farewell to the primary school, we brought Continued over page >

Middle School News Continued from previous page > out the gifts and as they were given out we could see the joy in their faces. Leaving the primary school was quite overwhelming with a tearful farewell showing how close we’d grown to these students in just one week. While some of our group were teaching in the primary school, four of us went into the preschool and spent the days singing songs, dancing and playing with the kids. The kids were just starting to learn English and we were trying to help as much as we could by reading books, singing English songs and speaking English to them. This was an amazing experience, especially when we brought out a box of sporting equipment, with rugby balls and soccer balls. Not many of them had used this equipment before and the smiles on their faces showed us just how grateful they were. We also spent time in places such as Nusafee Island which was known to us as Survivor Island. We spent one weekend completing challenges to earn the necessary equipment that was needed for survival. This was a challenging experience as we got to try to use the Samoan method for hunting and gathering. Despite our best efforts our hunting was unsuccessful. We each had our own favourite moments, but for all of us our three weeks in Samoa were amazing, unique and something that we all learnt from. One of the main things we took away was a strong sense of how lucky we are and how grateful we are for what we have. We would recommend this trip to anyone as a great way of learning to be more independent and experience a new culture. We are looking forward to hosting some students and a teacher from Poutasi School next year. We would like to offer our special thanks to Mr Murray who co-ordinated this incredible experience, and to Mr Taylor and Mrs Newbold who took such great care of us during our time away. Nick Miehlbradt and Issy Pasley

Literary Quiz Masters

Creative Inspiration Aiming to be amused and inspired by the tall tales of our favourite writers, a group of Years 7 to 10 English students set off for the annual Auckland Writers and Readers Festival on Wednesday 9 May. This year’s event once again showcased a school’s programme, including a line-up of author Eoin Colfer, illustrator Oliver Jeffers and archaeologist and writer David Veart. Most of the speakers shared interesting anecdotes about where their ideas came from - such as Eoin Colfer, who shared hilarious stories about his family and inspiration for Artemis Fowl, and Oliver Jeffers, who drew live for the audience and talked about his New York studio. The authors also signed books for us, which was a mad scramble - but, like the rest of the day, everyone was extremely satisfied by the end. Matthew Flower

On Tuesday 5 June, Year 7 and 8 students from schools all around Auckland united for the Annual Kids’ Lit Quiz run by Wayne Mills. Everyone was extremely excited, especially when Mr Mills announced that there were prizes to be won and that the winning team would receive $1000! All of the representatives from Kristin love reading and had to do a many test quizzes before competing. Gemma, Victoria, Anriena, James, Ben, Marty, Natasha and I formed the two terrific teams who represented Kristin School. Together we battled against 30 other Auckland Literacy teams, all vying for a place in the National finals. We competed vigorously to correctly answer questions from all genres. We had to answer questions like ‘How many stripes are on The Cat in the Hat’s hat?’ and ‘What colour is Bob the Builder’s hat?’. A lot of the questions were very hard and had twists that were difficult to identify but we got there in the end. It helped that everyone in the Kristin teams loves to read widely! The pressure was intense, especially while we were waiting for the winning team to be announced. Sadly, neither of the two Kristin teams won but we were all very happy with where we had come in the placings. We all had a great time and can’t wait to compete in the Lit Quiz next year! Eadi Scott

Middle School Enrolments 2013 Interviews are well under way for new students to enrol in our Middle School next year. We look forward to receiving your child’s application and including them in our enrolment process. For a Middle School tour or enrolment information, please contact Linda Teagle, Registrar, admissions@kristin.school.nz or 415 9566 ext 2324.

ISSUE No. 56

Mercy Hospice Six members of the Middle School’s Community and Service team made a visit to the Mercy Hospice in Ponsonby in September. Year 10 student Emerson Dobbs organised the visit as her late grandfather had been a frequent visitor to the centre. We were welcomed by Diane, one of the organisers, and soon joined in the activities which were going on. These ranged from arranging flowers to sewing rag dolls. Some of us decorated dolls, while others spent time talking to people and listening to stories about their past. Courtney Dyson sang two songs which were greatly enjoyed by everyone and then we all helped to serve up lunch. What we all found really special was talking to different people about their lives; they were all extremely positive and loved hearing about Kristin. We left feeling very thankful about how fortunate we are, and also heartened by the fact that, with a little effort, we can make a big difference in people’s lives. We are looking forward to going back to the hospice again later this year. Jack Andersen, Courtenay Burt, Emerson Dobbs, Courtney Dyson, Hannah Foster and Declan Weir

Holocaust Survivors As a part of our ‘Abuse of Power’ unit, all Year 10 Humanities students had the honour of spending a double period with two Holocaust survivors, Bob and Freda Narev, when they visited Kristin in August. They came to share their story of survival during the times of the Nazi persecution of the Jewish people. The story they told was deeply confronting and gave us a real-life connection to the work we have been doing in class. Getting a firsthand account of what happened from the Narevs was particularly inspiring. The vivid experiences they had as children, and the information they imparted to us helped us to better understand the harsh rejection and persecution that so many people faced under Hitler’s rule. At the time of their visit we were working on an assessment which was a newspaper article on the short and long-term effects of the Holocaust, so being able to listen to the Narevs’ stories and ask questions helped us to broaden our understanding of how Hitler’s abuse of power impacted the lives of these two survivors. Mitchell Hageman

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

The Sports Studies Careers Day was an opportunity for all three Year 10 Sports Studies classes to spend a day in the workplace. Many thanks go to the 18 businesses that provided mentoring for the students: Millennium Institute of Sport and Health, NZ Army, Prime TV (The Crowd Goes Wild), TV3, Takapuna Fire Station, Basement Recording Studio, Snowplanet, Rebel Sport, Muriwai Surf School, Metro Films, Bell Gully Lawyers, Les Mills Fitness Clinics, Summerfield Kindergarten, TVNZ, Ronald McDonald House and Albany Vet Clinic.

Build Up to Kick-Off

– Careers Day with Prime TV

att and I waited patiently in the back of the van. Ours was the last stop. The excitement was growing as we passed by the other students’ Careers Day venues. Today was the day that Matt and I would be among the Crowd Goes Wild crew. The thought was extremely daunting but we were guaranteed an unforgettable experience. We walked into the reception of the Sky TV studio and were welcomed. After a thorough guided tour of the studio, we finally came to a rather quaint room off the side of a hall. “Crowd Goes Wild Headquarters,” read the sign. Inside, six people were involved in an intense discussion on sport. One guy shot up and shouted out “Oh, look at the newbies!” Everyone burst into laughter. We hung out for the rest of the afternoon with Mark Richardson and Hayley Holt, the main presenters of the day, and a few others. On our televisions we only see a fraction of what goes on behind the scenes. Everyone has a job to complete in the lead up to the show. Some jobs are more strenuous than others, generally those of the people not seen on TV. When each person has completed their job, they get free time until the show begins at 6.30pm. A few hours before the show kicked off, Greg Stubbings, co-producer and potential comedian, directed us to the audio man. After Stubbings commentated over clips of different sporting bloopers, Matt and I yelled “Smashed him bro!” at the top of our voices into the microphone. Our voices were now going to be on TV! We ended the day by watching the show on the set. Matt and I could not stop smiling for the rest of the night. All in all, Careers Day opened my eyes to the interesting job possibilities that are available to us. Because it is difficult to decide on a future career pathway, it is a good idea to experience what various jobs are like, meet some interesting people and have some fun! As well as this, Sports Studies shows us we should try to take as many opportunities as we can to get the best out of our time at school. Many thanks go to Mr Brown for organising the day. Gen Woods

Middle School News

The Principles of Flight

group of Year 9 and 10 students had the opportunity to investigate and experiment with aircraft design, aerodynamics and the principles of flight when they were invited to attend a workshop with Mr Sutherland in the new Tasman Room in the Library Information Centre during Term 2. Mr Sutherland explained how we can minimise drag and increase velocity by making an object more aerodynamic by its shape, size, weight and the way in which the air can flow off it and travel around. We were able to examine the theories by designing our own planes and building models which were then put to the test. Mr Sutherland brought along a wind tunnel which could measure the aerodynamic properties of our designs. Everyone in the workshops truly enjoyed the experience and it was a great way to learn a lot more about aerodynamics. Grady Bower

Entertaining Persuasion There are many topics that are close to our hearts. Some make us laugh and bring us pleasure and joy, others make us think and reflect, and more still leave us reeling as we helplessly hear stories of pain, suffering and injustice in our world. To watch the Middle School speech finalists take to the stage in August it seemed that bringing these ideas to us was second nature to them. All of the speakers managed to capture the human essence of issues around the world that have affected all of our lives, precisely but with so much humanity. The first Year 9 speech finalist, Joel Cattell, used his powerful speech and even greater delivery to convince us that we should remember Martin Luther King Jr as one of the greatest history-makers who has ever lived. In similar style, Jack Ramsay, winner of the Year 10 speech competition, put the rhetoric techniques learnt in class to good use. He took analogy and anecdote and put them into his speech to convince us of the dangers of smoking from a new angle. The runner-up speakers had strong speeches, too. Thomas Greenop of Year 9 talked about Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg’s contribution to the world, while the horrors of factory farming were covered by Emily Quirk of Year 10. All of the speakers used the speech techniques learnt in class to deliver the stories of people who changed the world, and of causes worth fighting for, in convincing fashion. Together, they covered issues in a way that hit close to home, leaving us with a strong impression and messages we are sure to remember. Matthew Flower

Tackling Human Rights Human Rights was the topic for this year’s Future Problem Solving New Zealand qualification exam and we had 12 Year 9 and 10 teams taking part in the Middle Division. We had been researching the topic for over a term but it was still a very daunting challenge, even for those of us who sat the exam last year. We were given two hours to complete six steps in our respective teams. To give you some perspective of how hard this can be, in Term 2 we do the same six steps over the entire term and even then we use up every minute available for us to complete them! The six steps are as follows: • Find possible problems within the given Future Scene. • Determine the most important or consequential problem. • Write solutions to solve the problem. • Write five criteria by which to judge the solutions. • Judge the solutions with the criteria, and determine which solution is the best overall. • The highest-scoring solution, as determined by the Grid, is elaborated into a detailed plan for the implementation of that solution. As Year 10 students, everybody in my group had done the exam before so we roughly knew what to expect, but nevertheless it was still a huge challenge. The atmosphere was intense and we had to work hard on our teamwork; under pressure I have to admit that we all got a little testy with each other, debating over the underlying problem and the criteria - however, this soon passed and we managed to complete the tasks together. We all left the room laughing and speculating about whether we had done enough to make it to the Nationals. Our answer booklets have been sent for marking where they will be ranked against the other 130 Middle Division teams from all over New Zealand. We won’t see our booklets again until next term when they will be sitting in Mrs MJ’s classroom, with their yellow covers and white grids, holding our fate within. I can’t wait! Courtney Dyson

ISSUE No. 56

Auckland Museum On 14, 15 and 16 August the Year 10 Humanities classes each spent a morning at Auckland Museum. We were there to look at the World War II and Holocaust exhibitions. Our museum guide took us through the Remembrance Gallery to the halls dedicated to World War II. She gave us a lot of historical background about the Nazis and we learned about how education of impressionable children was vital for growing Hitler’s influence. Children were taught Nazi ideals and sometimes became so brainwashed that they would ‘snitch’ on their own parents. The book The Poisonous Toadstool was an example of the Nazi ideal, with Jews being used as scapegoats. The publisher was later tried as a war criminal and executed. The Holocaust display was confronting as we realised the enormity of the loss of six million Jews under the command of Hitler. The survivor stories demonstrated how difficult it was for the Jews to survive. We were surprised to see how many Jewish survivors relocated to New Zealand, intent on building new lives here. There were lots of interesting symbols and sayings which stuck in our minds, making the day fascinating and educational. Samantha Weston

Junior Premier Debating Finalists Just as in any sport or competition, when a final comes along, so does the pressure. Debating is no different; so the stakes were pretty high for the Kristin Junior Premier team as we battled in the Auckland Schools’ Final against Westlake Boys, debating the moot “This house would ban cosmetic surgery”. Words were traded and arguments thought out as members of both teams endeavoured to out-think their opponents, to find the perfect argument that would ultimately decide their fate. As the final speaker stepped away from the stand, it was still unclear which team had the advantage. The tension in the room became unbearable for us all while we waited for the adjudicators to finish their deliberation. When the decision was finally announced it came down in favour of our opponents. The result was devastating for us as it was such a closely-contested battle, but we are so proud to have made it to the final. Thank you to everyone involved with our Junior Premier team, in particular Mrs Casey and Mitchell Smitheram for coaching and mentoring us throughout the year. Yezen Kubba

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

An Excursion to

Auckland Zoo

n Tuesday 12 June the whole of Year 8 went to the Auckland Zoo to gather information for our Rainforest assessment for Humanities. We all arrived at school full of excitement. As the bell went and the rest of the Middle School prepared for yet another long day in a classroom, we headed to the bus. We arrived, the weather was perfect and you could already hear the monkeys squealing, or maybe that was just us in our excitement! We quickly set off to explore. There were so many different attractions to see and learn about. We studied our map and headed off to see the animals of the Rainforest. Once we had had a chance to visit the animals we were shown a presentation by the Zoo staff. They explained the effects deforestation has on the fauna and flora of the Rainforest and how we can help. We even got to see the Zookeeper feed live buzzing locusts to some Cotton Top Tamarins, one of which had diabetes. All in all, it was a very memorable, educational and enjoyable day. Luke Smillie

Financial Literacy In Weeks 5 and 6 of Term 3, class 7LHD and 7SBE took part in a pilot financial literacy programme. The aim of this was to introduce some key aspects about finance. The students spent four periods learning about interest, bank accounts, credit cards, budgeting and saving. It was a practical session and students broke into small groups to work their way through a number of tasks using physical and digital resources. They asked relevant questions throughout the day and had started to become familiar with terms such as tax, debt and loans by the end of the sessions. The students wrote a reflection at the end of the programme about what they had learnt and here are some of their responses. “I didn’t know what interest rates were, but now I do.” “I didn’t know that tax helped the Government.” “Financial literacy makes us smarter with money.” “If you don’t budget then you will spend all your money.” “Credit cards can be dangerous.” “There are so many different parts about money that I didn’t know about.” The students enjoyed the range of activities that engaged them during their sessions on financial literacy. Alastair Ferris Teacher-in-Charge

Middle School News

Year 9 Formal The Year 9’s Formal this year was an event not to be missed. With great music, great food and a great atmosphere, the evening was off to a good start. Everyone looked amazing and endless compliments went around. Thanks to the teachers, we were rehydrated with delicious punch. We had a great playlist, packed full of popular songs for everyone; from Justin Bieber to One Direction to PSY’s Gangnam Style, everyone enjoyed the night. The theme was ‘Hawaiian’ and we even had a hula competition. The Year 13’s organised some fun games for us, including musical statues and the limbo. Luckily we didn’t have to do any formal dancing this year! Each tutor class had to bring a plate of food or drink so we were well catered for and everything was delish! The event would not have been possible without the organisational skills of the Year 9 Class Captains, the Year 13’s, the tutor teachers and Mr Murray. Overall, the night was a huge success and everyone had fun! Sophia Doak, Grace Neely and Lucy Revell

Year 7 Formal

n the last Monday of term the Year 7’s had a fabulous time at the Formal where we got to dance and enjoy ourselves on this special occasion. We started the night with photos with our friends. The LIC Foyer looked fantastic so we posed by the amazing props and decorations that the parents had put together. Sticking to the theme, we were thrilled to see our teachers in hilarious fruit costumes. After the photos, we did some partner dancing and free dancing, with many prizes getting handed out to the best dancers of the night. Our MCs Robert Vela and Michelle Meuli helped everyone to have a fun time dancing to the latest music, and even the teachers joined in! We even taught Mr Page-Wood the moves to Gangnam Style! When we finished dancing, we watched ballroom dancers from a dance school do the same dances as we have been learning, but theirs were much more complex routines! They were really impressive and as they twirled and jumped around on the dance floor, they were flawless! Finally we tucked into some delicious food brought along by the Year 7’s, before hitting the dance floor again, this time for some line dancing. Our Year 7 Formal was a night to remember and I know we will all be looking forward to next year’s event. Oriana Follas

Year 8 Formal We walk through the sliding doors, say goodbye to our parents, and enter the biggest night of the school term. Hawaii is the theme, with teachers as lifeguards and a mannequin with a hula skirt. Backdrops of beaches and monkeys in palm trees. The colours of the dresses, shirts and ties fill the room. The constant buzz of everyone’s tension and excitement echoes around everybody. Gangnam Style fills the room with crazy dancers! Playlists of songs play the whole night long. Smiles and laughter all round, everyone is happy to be here at the Year 8 Formal. Later on, supper comes: sweets, savouries and drinks. Punch with tropical flavours and savoury sausage rolls - too much in fact - and pizza. Sweet food, with muffins and biscuits. We asked some students what they thought of the Formal and they said, “We absolutely loved the teachers’ outfits! They were nearly better than ours! Their massive stripy glasses stole the show and pretty much filled up the room!” The teachers were floating through the crowd of Year 8’s with their bright-coloured floaties! The 2012 Year 8 Formal has been our best so far and we all can’t wait until next year’s! Rosie McRobie and Houston Murray

Year 10 Formal Sparkling lights, beach chairs, colourful mocktails, cascading chocolate, crazy photos – this sums up the Year 10 Formal. What a night! Everyone was treated to a tropical mocktail on arrival and invited to pose with friends in the very popular photo booth. Queues soon began to form as the captivating images poured out of the machine. The chocolate fountain drew a never-ending crowd who all waited eagerly to sample the delights of marshmallows and fruit, generously covered with dripping chocolate. Strangely enough, there was no spillage or mess on the beautiful outfits – probably because the ‘delights’ entered the mouths very quickly! Entry to the Formal was by way of a stylised wristband which is going to serve as a reminder of that magical night. It was lovely to see the energy and enthusiasm on the dance floor as everyone gyrated to the techo-beat of the music. Thanks

to Ollie Chalmers for his excellent DJ-ing skills. Boys were chivalrous and the girls gracious as they negotiated for the partner dances. High heels were soon thrown into a corner as a popular number came on and cares were thrown to the wind in the sheer enjoyment of the music. A wonderful group of mums acted as ‘waitresses’ during the evening, serving drinks and the excellent array of food that had been provided by the parents. Huge thanks to them for their tireless efforts. Thanks also to all the teachers who could be seen tapping their feet and indulging in a marshmallow or two at the chocolate fountain. This, the last Formal of the Middle School, was certainly a fitting end to the term. Colleen Wassung Year 10 Dean

ISSUE No. 56

news senior school

Cultural Committee Report This year the Cultural Committee has been focused on bringing forward the talents of our Kristin community. Students from across the school have been involved in a number of major cultural activities and events organised by our committee, from the House Music Competition to weekly musical items for our Friday Senior School Assemblies. The Family Picnic is one of the biggest annual events which our committee supports and we had a great time helping the 2012 event to be an ultimate success. There was a fantastic turnout in spite of an unsettled weather forecast, and our team looked fantastic, dressed up as their favourite Disney characters to entertain the younger students. Book Character Day was another highlight and all-round success for our team. It’s a favourite of the Junior School students as well as our committee members, in particular our performance of Where the Wild Things Are at assembly which generated a fantastic response from the audience and rave reviews for the team. George Freeman Chairman, Cultural Committee

Debating Champions

itchell Smitheram, Verity Johnson and Matt Bartlett were emphatic victors at the Auckland Secondary Schools’ Debating Championship in August where they took top honours in a challenging final against King’s College. Competing in the highest grade in Auckland Premier Advanced - the three were negating the moot: “This house believes that children should provide financial support to their parents in retirement.” Cheered on by a large crowd of friends, family, teachers and supporters, each member of the team contributed to a fantastic performance. All three team members were placed among the top 10 speakers in the Auckland region. This result follows on from a season of high achievements for our Kristin debaters. Only weeks before this Senior final, Mitchell was in Wellington to represent Auckland in the Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools’ Debating Championship. He was selected for this team after being awarded Speaker of the Tournament at the earlier Auckland Regional Schools’ event. Our Junior Premier team of Conrad Edwards, Max Holms and Yezen Kubba made their respective final also, which they lost by a very narrow margin to Westlake Boys. The boys worked hard for this result and are exceptionally grateful for the coaching of Raewyn Casey and support of their mentor, Mitchell Smitheram. Much of the reason for this success is because of the many hours of coaching put into our younger students by people like Mitchell. It is a delight to see our student leaders mentor our Junior teams. David Shaw Head of Faculty, English

Kowis Can Fly As part of my IB Visual Arts course, I wrote and illustrated a picture book titled Kowis Can Fly. The book is about a ‘Kowi’ (Korean-Kiwi) growing up in New Zealand which is a character I based on myself. Through the book I cover stories from my childhood, and even some of the activities I have undertaken at Kristin such as my Duke of Edinburgh Award tramps. In order to create the book I had to find a drawing style that was quirky and fun, like the drawings you see in children’s picture books, yet unique. I also had to write the story which I came up with after talking to my family and friends about some of the funny

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

moments from my childhood. After completing the book, I was astounded at the positive response from my community which was very rewarding after the amount of work I put into it. As well as displaying the book at my end-of-year IB Visual Arts exhibition, I will be adding the book to my university portfolio. I really enjoyed the entire process which I would not have been able to do without the freedom the IB Visual Arts course offers. I strongly encourage all students who have a passion for art and design to take this course! Hannah Oh

Giving more

than just Roses

he 2012 Prefect Project is alive and growing in three homes across Auckland’s North Shore after the 22-strong team gave more than 680 collective hours to redevelop of the outdoor living areas in three group homes run by Intellectual Disability Empowerment in Action (IDEA), a service offered under the IHC umbrella. This year the Prefects team chose to work with IDEA to assist in the development of the outdoor areas of three group homes so residents with limited physical capabilities could engage with their outdoor spaces, but they also wanted to make a personal connection with the people they were helping. After months of planning and fundraising, Deputy Head Prefects Joel Granger and Michelle Meuli spent two weeks of their school holidays overseeing the hard physical work of the project at the three IDEA homes, while 20 other Prefects worked rostered shifts. Each individual was booked in for at least four days each; however, many turned up to contribute on their days off. While their work was distributed over three homes, their main project was for one particular residence which housed a group of elderly autistic women. Through speaking with the residents and their carers the team came to understand that they seldom left their home due to the lack of suitable facilities and access-ways. They all had a love of flowers and gardens, so by special request the design of the new landscaping included rose gardens (for a resident named Rose), raised vegetable and herb patches, and a butterfly garden complete with a hand-painted mural. These were built around wide concrete pathways, new wheelchair access ramps, and comfortable and sheltered outdoor living areas. The official handover of the 2012 project was held recently at the IDEA home which was the centre of their efforts, but for the team of 22 students their project does not end there. Through the many days they spent with the residents at each home, the students have formed relationships which they hope will form a lasting connection between IDEA, the residents and Kristin School.

Sustainable Farming At 7.50am on Thursday 14 June, the Year 11 NCEA Level 1 Geography classes hopped on a bus and travelled down to the Waikato region to research information for our internal assessment on sustainability. The sun was shining, giving us a positive start to the day even though the crisp morning air was freezing! Our guide, Michelle, gave us a brief talk about how the land of the Waikato region has changed over time. A quick walk into the bush and back landed us back on the bus for a quick five-minute ride to Lakeland Dairy farm, owned by Andrew Hayes. Andrew’s family explained to us how they have different solutions to keep their farm sustainable and ‘green’. After a 20-minute session for questions, we headed down to the wetlands. We tried our best to keep clean and dry but unfortunately a few of us weren’t as lucky as we had hoped. Once we got down to the wetlands, Andrew told us how a buffer zone prevents the nutrients going into the lakes. By doing this, it stops scum from building up in the lakes, which can kill off the birds and fish. To finish off the farm tour, we got into groups of five and planted Kahikatea saplings. We also saw the ones that previous Kristin students had planted. Around 1.30pm, we thanked Michele, Andrew, his wife Jenny and son Trevor and climbed back aboard the bus to head home to Auckland. It was a great day to have the geography trip; the weather was fantastic and we got a lot of information that would help us with our internal assessment. Donna Jiang

ISSUE No. 56

Prefect Camp

refect Camp 2012 was a unique training experience where our outgoing Prefects were debriefed and the new Prefects trained in the beautiful rural setting of Ahuroa Camp, near Puhoi. For three days the 2011/12 Prefect team had the opportunity to reflect on their time in leadership and review how their year has been in these important roles. They took part in activities which demonstrated how far they have come as a group since they attended their own Prefect training camp, this time last year. They worked together to cross muddy lakes, tackle rope courses and target future goals. The traditional Prefects’ Dinner on the Friday night was suitably celebratory for a team that has achieved so much in its time in office. From the end of 2011 and throughout 2012, this outstanding team has been wonderfully led by Matthew Burrows (Head Boy), Kimberley Leece (Head Girl), Joel Granger (Deputy Head Boy) and Michelle Meuli (Deputy Head Girl). In this time team members have achieved a great deal through the genuine altruism and enormous passion for improving the well-being of others. They have done much to enhance the life of students at Kristin, and they will always be remembered as one of the truly great Prefect groups. I would like to express my appreciation to Matthew, Kimberley, Michelle and Joel as well as Andrew Alder, Ferris Bradley, Victoria Brownlee, Nicholas Cameron, Haylee Clarke, Annabelle Cray, Angus Dowell, George Freeman, Maddy Healy, Jocelyn Ho, Nicola Kluger, Francesco Kook, Julitta Lam, Madeleine Lister, Thomas Lloyd, Cormac McCullough, Thomas van Schaik and Robert Vela for their outstanding leadership over the last 12 months. On the evening of the second day, the new Prefects team arrived at camp and was warmly welcomed by their experienced Prefect colleagues. This passing of the baton is a fundamental part of leadership at Kristin and to prepare the new group for the year ahead, the outgoing Prefects hosted a valuable introduction evening full of helpful tips, amusing anecdotes and insiders’ secrets. They had prepared a helpful booklet, The Fellowship of the Prefects, which is a hilarious but always helpful guide to what’s ahead for the next 12 months. 28

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

The new Prefects team for 2012/13 is: Callen Baxter, Lucy Bayliss, Paul Beale, Caitlin Beattie, James Bishop, Rebecca Cheng, Tait Gaze, Jessica Harvey, Florence Hinder, Liam Jacobs, Phoebe Jasper, Wade Kindred, Mack Lee, Ella MacKenzie, Patrick Nicholls, Gemma Revell, Emma Sinclair, Anton Sunde, Nadia Sussman, Holly Thomas, Alice Todd, YuXiang Wang and Riley Wilson. Early on the third day, the new group was immediately put through a demanding outdoors challenge against the outgoing group, The Wide Game. This three-hour epic version of Race to the Flag forces the new Prefects to quickly came together as a strong and effective team which we were delighted to witness. Like those who have gone before them, this is a highly talented and capable group and I have no doubt that it will continue to build on the fine traditions of the outgoing Prefects. Following a moving farewell from the camp for the old team, the new Prefects then focused for the remaining two days on a series of specific sessions and challenges aimed at preparing them for the many new experiences they will encounter as student leaders. Tired but excited they returned to school with great enthusiasm for the time ahead, and we eagerly anticipate their principled student leadership over the next year. Brendan Kelly Senior School Principal

Senior School News

Leadership Roles

for 2013

n the last day of Term 3 we were privileged to have our 2008 Head Girl and Otago University Scholarship recipient Kristin Borley as our special guest for the Leadership Assembly. This assembly recognises all leadership in the Senior School and we were proud to announce our Prefects, House Captains and senior committees at this special occasion. All leaders received their badges of office and enjoyed the warm acclaim of the rest of the Senior School. A very special part of this assembly was the formal commissioning ceremony where the current Prefects hand each new Prefect their badge and tie, before leaving the stage for the last time. The loud ovation these students received was a testimony to the respect they have been held in by their peers. To conclude the ceremony the new Head Prefects were announced and introduced to the school to much acclaim. The new Head Prefects are: Head Girl: Head Boy: Deputy Head Girl: Deputy Head Boy:

Phoebe Jasper James Bishop Nadia Sussman Anton Sunde

The Prefects’ leadership extends to many areas of Kristin, including house leadership, school liaison and senior committees. The House and Liaison Prefects are responsible for outworking the Prefects’ vision in each of the three schools at Kristin, and for developing a strong house spirit. These Prefects are as follows: Apollo: Jupiter: Mariner: Saturn: Junior School Liaison: Middle School Liaison:

Patrick Nicholls Wade Kindred Ella MacKenzie Tait Gaze Florence Hinder, Emma Sinclair Paul Beale, Caitlin Beattie, Jessica Harvey, Riley Wilson

Each of the Committee Prefects will chair a selected committee, members of which will then undertake a range of initiatives and responsibilities in the Senior School. These are: Cultural Committee: Events and Hosting Committee: International Committee: Tertiary Futures Committee: Management Committee: Publications Committee: Service Committee: Sports Committee: Well-being Committee:

Gemma Revell Lucy Bayliss YuXiang Wang Callen Baxter Liam Jacobs Holly Thomas Rebecca Cheng Alice Todd Mack Lee

At the Leadership Assembly we were delighted to be able to also announce a very strong list of students who have been successful in selection as House Captains and for the senior committees. These important leadership teams are critical to the school and we are pleased to be offering over 100 students a formal leadership role. All of these groups will go on to play a major role in the life of Kristin over the next 12 months and we look forward to seeing their wonderful leadership at work. Brendan Kelly Senior School Principal

James Allen

Brings Home Bronze

ear 13 student, James Allen has returned home from the International Mathematics Olympiad in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with his second IMO medal. Attracting teams from more than 100 countries, the IMO is the world-championship mathematics competition for high-school students. Competitors were required to complete six mathematical problems over the course of the event, each gaining a maximum of seven points. James achieved two perfect scores to secure a Bronze medal and the second-highest mark in the New Zealand team. One of the most qualified and experienced members of the New Zealand team, James took part in the 2011 event which was held in Amsterdam. On his impressive debut, James scored a total of 27 points which gave him the highest score on the New Zealand team and a Silver medal – only one point shy of Gold. James’ good form continued in the lead up to selection for the 2012 event. In December, James took part in the Round 1 exams of the British Mathematical Olympiad. Twenty New Zealand students took part and James was the only one of them to achieve a perfect score. The New Zealand team produced some good results in Argentina, particularly on the first question in which they all got a full 7 marks. This qualified them all for an honourable mention, and James’ second perfect score put him over the threshold of 14 and qualified him for a Bronze medal, along with team-mate Natalia Chen.

ISSUE No. 56

Service Committee Report The 2012 Service Committee has initiated a wide variety of events, all of which were both successful and rewarding. In Term 1, our main focus was Valentine’s Day. We created an order system whereby students and staff alike could place orders, sometimes anonymous, for roses and chocolates to be delivered to recipients on Valentine’s Day. We sold over 800 red roses and chocolates and raised $500 for Cure Kids. Term Two brought about involvement in the Middle School’s Pasifika Project. Through partnership with the Junior School, the committee worked to collect books and classroom supplies for delivery to Samoa. This was a very successful initiative with many children in the Junior School bringing multiple items from home. Over the course of Term 2 and 3, the committee organised and carried out a small-scale project. We ran a Try-Out Technology Day for a group of 36 people aged 65+ in collaboration with Age Concern. Here, we took participants through the use of modern technological devices such as cellphones, iPads and video games. The event was concluded with an afternoon tea and deemed an overall success with many indicating they looked forward to future training days. We then organised a drive for the Cancer Society through Daffodil Day. This involved an advertising campaign to sell daffodils and teddy bears throughout both the Senior and Middle School. At the same time, we prepared for the Service Awards Assembly. The committee compiled photographs from all service groups and events within the Senior School so as to create a slideshow presentation. We also arranged musical items and a guest speaker. Overall, 2012 has provided the Service Committee with a multitude of great opportunities, all of which we have enjoyed taking. Victoria Brownlee Chairman, Service Committee

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Ladakh Service Trip

n the July holidays, a group of students and staff from Kristin travelled to Ladakh, India. The main purpose for our visit was to do some community service and to help out the locals in Ladakh who were affected by the devastating flash floods which occurred in 2010. The first day we arrived, we were welcomed by Bill Kite, the main organiser of the trip, and were given white prayer scarves when we entered the hotel in Stok. Many people throughout greeted us warmly and said “Julley” (which means “Hello” in Ladakhi). Over the first couple of days, we visited Lamdon, Kristin’s sisterschool which is in Leh. We were officially introduced to the students by the principal during an assembly in the morning. The same day, we donated the toothbrushes we brought from Auckland to assist a small clinic, the only dental healthcare provider of the 1800 students at Lamdon. Currently, the school has various ongoing projects, some of which Kristin has initiated or become involved in. For example, for a number of years our school has participated in an ongoing forestation project. Our main act of service this year was painting the newly-built fences near the boys’ hostels. Over two major sessions, we painted for a total of seven hours under the ferocious sun. In addition to the community service aspect of the trip, we went on an eight-day trek in the Markha Valley. For many of us, tramping at altitude, being vegetarian for the whole two weeks, living in tents and not having any showers for the 8 days was a whole new life-changing experience. Each day consisted of having breakfast, packing up our main belongings which the horses carried, trekking for four to seven hours to the next camp, setting up our tents, having dinner and then going to bed to be well rested for the next day. The trek had many physical challenges as Ladakh is a high-altitude region – at least 3,000 metres above sea level where oxygen levels are low, hence causing our fitness levels to reduce. The highlights of the trek included reaching the first pass at Ganda La (4,900 metres) on the fourth day, playing with a few of the adorable Ladakhi schoolkids in Markha Valley on the afternoon of the sixth day and climbing up to the final summit at Kong Muru (5,268 metres, level with the Everest Base Camp) on our last day. Overall, the trip was an awesome opportunity for service, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to trek in a highaltitude area and a culturally rich experience. We gained an insight into the simple life that the Ladakhi people live and when we compare it to the type of lifestyle that we live in New Zealand, it really reminds us to be appreciative of what we have and to be humble about it. Tabitha Yeoh and Carol Shen

Senior School News

Events and Hosting

Committee Report

hroughout the past year, the Events and Hosting Committee has helped to host many schoolrelated events including the Kristin Family and Friends Evening and the New Parents Dinner. We have helped with the Sports, Cultural and Service Prize-givings, the Alumni Reunion and, most recently, the St Anne’s School Reunion at which Kristin welcomed back past students from the foundation school. These evenings and events had very large turnouts, resulting in charismatic and lively atmospheres. They were each a great success with the Events and Hosting team members acting as aids for the service of food and drinks, and generally being helpful by greeting guests and in some cases taking tours. The Events and Hosting Committee also has the major responsibility of organising the Senior School Ball and After Party. This year we held ‘An Evening in Paris’ at The Edge in the Aotea Centre with the two parts of the evening held in two separate locations within the same venue. The committee members put in a huge amount of hard work to creatively satisfy the Senior students and ensure that they were able to enjoy a formal evening with their peers. It is always an enormous challenge to match everyone’s fantasies of a magical evening unlike any other, but our team did a great job and both the Ball itself and the After Party were successful events in their own right. Andrew Alder Chairman, Events and Hosting Committee

Management Committee Report The Management Committee has done a fabulous job this year with our varied responsibilities, perhaps the most challenging being to keep the common room clean, tidy and organised. Possibly against the odds, we have been successful in this enterprise thanks to the help and support of the Year 13’s, so the committee arranged small events for the Seniors as a reward. These included the enjoyable but intense week of table tennis games, and of course the traditional Year 13 sausage sizzle on the deck. No one could go past a $1 sausage so we inevitably had lots of Year 13’s lining up, most trying to get the limited-edition onions before stock ran out. Our committee members have also sacrificed their lunch breaks to man the desk of the Senior School Office, giving us an opportunity to develop and improve our customer service skills. While these smaller events and tasks are an important part of the Management Committee’s responsibilities, our most important is to organise the leavers’ gear. Our year group has been divided when it comes to choosing one style, so we have allowed for both the hoodie and letterman jacket as a choice. They will be distributed soon, so we are looking forward to hearing everyone’s feedback! Overall, it has been a fantastic year, with some highs and a few lows on the way, but definitely a very enjoyable and fun-filled one working with a team that I will always remember. Julitta Lam Chairman, Management Committee

International Committee Report The International Committee of 2012 has spent a very meaningful year working with the International Office, supporting our visiting International Students and organising events to showcase the international culture of Kristin. Throughout the year, we welcomed numerous International Students to Kristin and organised enjoyable social events to make their stay in New Zealand much more memorable. A picnic at Long Bay and a laser-tag pizza party were just a few of the many activities we prepared for the students. As the year went on, the committee found it very difficult to farewell our new friends with whom we had developed strong friendships. From the beginning of Term 2 the International Committee, in collaboration with the UNESCO Club, dedicated much time and effort to the production of the International Peace Night concerts which were held on 30 and 31 August. It was a great privilege to have been facilitators of such an inspirational display of the cultural talent of our school and to have successfully extended the annual event to two nights for the first time. Hosting a full house across both performances we were able to raise over $3,000 for the Imani Children’s charity and Hadassah International Hospital. It has been an exceptional year, full of invaluable opportunities and experiences for our committee members. It has been a privilege to work with Mrs Jenny Taylor and Mrs Megan Hobson, and this will remain an unforgettable year for our International Committee. Francesco Kook Chairman, International Committee

ISSUE No. 56

Exploring Opportunities for Tertiary Futures The Tertiary Futures Committee has organised several highly successful seminars throughout the year, culminating the Term 3 Careers and Options Evening. The committee’s effort in the preparation of this event paid off as the night was a great triumph. The sight of parents rejoicing as their children eagerly entered the law and medicine seminars was memorable, while the worried sight of parents whose children entered the arts seminar was even more so. However, by the end of the seminar the parents’ minds had seemingly changed and the idea of their child entering an English/ philosophy conjoint did not seem to indicate the end of the world! This highlights the purpose of the Careers and Options Evening. It provides the opportunity for students and parents to investigate and explore different tertiary options. Over 20 industry professionals turned out to the evening, not only enticing students into their particular industry through free gifts and snacks but also providing invaluable information and advice. I would like to especially thank Opus Engineering for the bountiful supply of free jaffas! The Careers Expo in the common room not only left committee members with new bulging muscles from rearranging the furniture, but the large turnout was also evidence of the huge interest from students. They enthusiastically explored all the opportunities available to them once they leave school. Representatives handed out their seemingly never-ending supply of posters, pamphlets and prospectuses, to the joy of parents and students alike. They left the common room carrying, or should I say steadily balancing, the inordinate amounts of prospectuses to attend Universities and Institutions all around the world. They also left slightly less bewildered and unsure of their future career choices and opportunities. This signalled that the purpose of the evening was fulfilled and that the Tertiary Futures Committee had successfully achieved its goal for 2012. Tom van Schaik Chairman, Tertiary Futures Committee

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

“The Senior Ball was a stylish event, held in Auckland’s Aotea Centre. More than 400 people attended the main event where they enjoyed a buffet dinner followed by hours of dancing to the live band.”

Sober Seniors

have a Ball

aturday 9 June marked one of the social highlights of the Kristin Senior School calendar: the Senior Ball and After Party. As with recent years, the event was an ultimate success. Once again our students rose to the occasion, demonstrating what teenagers are capable of when given the opportunity. The Senior Ball was a stylish event, held in Auckland’s Aotea Centre. More than 400 people attended the main event where they enjoyed a buffet dinner followed by hours of dancing to the live band. The theme of A Night in Paris provided inspiration for the beautiful gowns chosen for the evening and, in line with school ball tradition, the students were transformed by the glamour of the occasion. By 11.30pm the formalities were out of the way, the titles of King and Queen were awarded to Thomas Kingsmill and Elise Beavis, and it was time for the second act. For the second year running, the Events and Hosting Committee took it upon themselves to organise an official After Party to provide party-goers a safe, alcohol and drug-free environment in which to dance the night away into the early hours. More than 240 stayed on after the end of the Ball, quickly changing into casual clothes and moving to a second room within the same venue for the After Party. The space was transformed into a club-like setting with a dance floor and lounges, while the DJ created the party atmosphere. A team of Kristin staff was on hand to keep an eye on the event, and a professional security team ensured that only those with tickets and identification gained access. The atmosphere was electric, especially when Lady Gaga tickets were given out as a spot prize. Fuelled by energy drinks, our students partied into the small hours – eventually heading for home at 3am. As a school we have learnt a lot from trialling this new structure for the Senior Ball over the last two years. Students want to enjoy their night, and are often not ready to go home when the Ball comes to an end. By creating this second event we are now able to confidently offer them a safe place, free from the pressures of alcohol or drugs, where they can continue to party and enjoy this special night with their friends. It is a big occasion for everyone and I am immensely proud of how our students have embraced this idea. It demonstrates what responsible young people we have here at Kristin. It has been a pleasure to work with the 2011 and 2012 Events and Hosting Committees to establish the building blocks of this new format, and I look forward to continuing this new proud tradition of the Senior School with future groups. Brendan Kelly Senior School Principal

Senior School News

Golden Adventure

n Friday 6 April a group of 10 Year 13 students began their Duke of Edinburgh Award’s Gold-Qualifying Adventurous Journey in the Tongariro National Park. Day one involved a long walk of 22 kilometres to Oterere Hut. They set off in perfect weather conditions and reached the hut late in the afternoon. After an early night to recoup, the group set off again early the next morning, heading towards Mangatururu where a car park marks the beginning of the Tongariro Crossing. Along the way they met with a fair amount of tourist traffic who were walking the crossing so, as it was a perfect day, everyone decided to climb Mt Ngauruhoe to the top of the crater. After lunch they set off for the car park and then carried on back to Kristin Lodge. Day three was a walk around Mt Ruapehu to the Mangaturuturu hut which involved crossing several rivers. The walk was along barren landscape carved out by previous lava flows and eruptions. On arriving at the hut the group discovered that it was already full so, as the forecast was for clear skies, it was decided that they would sleep outside next to a fire. It seemed like a great idea at the time but the reality was a lot colder and less comfortable than they’d expected so nobody got a lot of sleep. On day four the group continued around Ruapehu on tired legs, in the direction of Ohakune where they were to follow the track through alpine forest before meeting up with the school van. After a quick opportunity to freshen up it was back on the road, heading for home after an exciting and challenging adventurous journey. Andre van den Bergh Teacher-in-Charge

40km for Silver Our Year 13 students haven’t been the only ones earning their colours for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. In May, a group of 18 enthusiastic hikers set out for Bethells Beach to begin their 40-kilometre Silver tramp. On the way over the sand dunes of Bethells Beach, we spotted the New Zealand Hockey team doing some pretty intense fitness training. The early stages of the tramp presented some challenging uphill climbs but once these were out of the way the tramp settled to a steady level all the way up to the hut. It was always muddy but we were fortunate to not be faced with any of the rain which had been forecast. We made good time so had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the comfort of the hut at the end of the first day. Day two involved a climb down to Piha Beach and then on to Kitekite Falls where only a handful of students were game to brave the icy-cold pool at the bottom of the waterfall. The steady climb up to the top of the Waitakere Ranges was a big challenge as everyone was very tired after stopping for lunch; however, our aching muscles and sore legs were motivated by the thought of a comfortable hut and log fire. After two testing days, everyone’s legs were grateful for the easy walk down to the Waitakere Dam on the morning of day three. After a quick morning tea it was on towards Falls Road where everyone was proud to complete their 40-kilometre Silver tramp. Andre van den Bergh Teacher-in-Charge

Service and the Arts Rosaria Kelly was recognised for her dedication to the arts when she was invited to attend the 11th Pat Hanly Art Student Awards at Auckland Art Gallery in August. Each year, schools are invited to nominate a Year 13 student who shows outstanding commitment and passion for the visual arts and community awareness. Rosaria’s commitment to creativity and her full community involvement made her a most deserving candidate. She was presented with her certificate by the Right Honourable Helen Clark and also received a student membership to the Friends of the Gallery for one year and art supplies courtesy of Gordon Harris.

ISSUE No. 56

Senior School News

Top Honours in Global

Collaborative Project

Y Sports Committee Report This has been a year full of fantastic sporting accomplishments, not only for Kristin’s own teams and individuals, but for New Zealand sport in general. The London Olympics have seen New Zealanders strive for excellence in representing their country, whilst back here in New Zealand Kristin’s own aspiring sportspeople have been achieving success across a myriad of disciplines. Back in January the Sports Committee attended the AdventureWorks high ropes course at Unitec in Mt Albert. This two-day experience gave us the opportunity to face challenges as a team which in turn helped us to set goals for the year ahead. With the recent change to the Senior School’s house system it has been the Sports Committee’s focus to promote house pride by getting students to support their peers and wear their house colours. We have also been focused on encouraging students to attend important games to support our Kristin athletes. The Sports Committee is busy throughout the year, providing support and manpower for the numerous school sports days. Athletics, Swimming Sports and Cross-Country days in the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools are important occasions for our committee. These events are opportunities for us to encourage participants to excel in their various areas of excellence, whilst also incorporating a sense of fun and enjoyment for everyone partaking. Our team is also fortunate to work alongside the sport enthusiasts in our own Sports Department. Being part of this committee allows us to work closely with sport lovers of all ages within Kristin; in particular, it gives us the opportunity to encourage and motivate younger students to participate in these sporting days and beyond. The most significant task that the Sports Committee undertakes, however, is the annual Sports Dinner. We had spent numerous hours organising various aspects of this night with the assistance of members of the Sports Department, thus it provided us with a huge sense of achievement seeing our efforts turn into success on the night. I would finally like to add that I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the group that drives Kristin students to participate and achieve success in their respective areas. Kristin’s own sporting potential is continuely growing and I look forward to seeing more of Kristin’s teams and individuals strive for excellence on the world stage. Maddy Healy Chairman, Sports Committee

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

ear 12 students Niall Cairns and Sam Messinger have taken top honours in the NetGen Education Project 2012 – an international collaboration which involved hundreds of secondary-school Information Technology students from around the world. The NetGen Education Project is designed to inspire and challenge students to study leading technology trends and to create their vision for the future. Based on the work of award-winning author Don Tapscott and the annual NMC Horizon Report (which looks at technology developments over a fiveyear period), students from around the world work in collaborative teams to create a detailed understanding of the changes occurring in education because of technology – a task they complete in an entirely digital learning environment. Once this knowledge base is established the students each produce an individual short video in which they demonstrate their understanding of their area of learning. The videos are then judged by a panel of international judges. Sam won first place in his category, Game-Based Learning, with his creative video which investigated the benefits and potential of this developing technology in education. Sam’s video then went on to be awarded third place overall for Multimedia Excellence. Niall and Sam,who study Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) as a part of their IB Diploma, achieved individual awards within their chosen category as well as overall awards for their multimedia creations. Niall was awarded second prize for his video on The Internet of Things which was based on the concept that everyday real-life objects could have virtual data which could be accessed by other devices. Niall then went on to be awarded the top honour – first place overall for the entire project. This is an exceptional result for both Niall and Sam who were working with, and competing against, secondary-school students from more than 10 countries around the world. Andrew Churches Head of Faculty, Arts and Technology

arts

performing

Dance in the Dove

ance in the Dove is always an unforgettable show for members of the audience, as well as for the dancers from Years 3 to 13 who are involved. I experienced Dance in the Dove for the first time as an audience member when I was 10 years old and I remember watching the Seniors with admiration. Now, six years later, I have been involved in four memorable shows myself. For the Seniors and Year 10 students, Dance in the Dove is an assessment occasion and an opportunity to present our work that we have created and developed throughout the year. By having an audience, we, as performers and dancers, try to push ourselves further so that we can clearly express our intention through our movements and expressions. Since we are showcasing our personal choreography, we are also given the chance to have creative input with regard to lighting, projection, music and costumes, which I found very interesting. It is another aspect of the show which sets it aside from the standard assessments completed in the dance studio. Furthermore, it was also a night for some of the Junior and Middle School students to experience dancing on the Dove stage for the first time, and to experiment with their dance abilities. Dance in the Dove is the one show at Kristin devoted to dance, and because of this diverse way of assessing and showcasing our work, I believe that my dance assessments will be the ones that I will remember and cherish in my future years. Alisha Lee

ISSUE No. 56

Performing Arts “The performance was delivered by four talented young professional actors who played a number of roles.”

EnsembleImpact Visit On 14 June we were pleased to host the EnsembleImpact theatre company from Wellington as part of their national tour of In Spite of Himself. Drama and Theatre students from the Middle and Senior Schools, NCEA and IB, enjoyed a collection of scenes from nine plays. Each of the scenes dealt with a different political issue which young Kiwis may confront in either their day-to-day lives or in their future. The issues that were explored through dramatic play included genetically modified crops, the tension over whether or not to vaccinate one’s child and sustainable energy sources, to name but three. The performance was delivered by four talented young professional actors who played a number of roles, with rapid changes of both character and location. These actors also performed, unusually, in traverse - with the audience on either side of them - which greatly enhanced the event. Feedback from the students has been very positive, and many expressed how helpful such events are in their development as Drama and Theatre Arts students. Nick Brown Senior Curriculum Manager, Drama

Treble Clefs Win Gold

he Treble Clefs, our premier Junior School choir, set out for the Auckland Town Hall on 1 August to compete at the Kids Sing, a choral competition which brings together schools from all around Auckland. Under the enthusiastic guidance of Edith Poon-Lai, the Treble Clefs spent weeks preparing for their debut performance. They selected four songs which they performed throughout their day of competition and then returned in the evening to perform one song again in front of a packed audience. The feedback from their performance was fantastic and the judges were blown away – adjudicator Mr Timothy Noon even admitted to shedding a tear while listening to our choir perform their test piece. The team members were ecstatic when they were awarded the Gold Award for their performance. They also picked up awards for the best performance of the Compulsory Test Piece and the Best Contributing Primary Performance. On top of all these accolades, Edith Poon-Lai was awarded the Conductor’s Professional Development Award, a highly prestigious award which was well deserved by a very dedicated and hard-working teacher. Congratulations to the staff and students involved on this outstanding achievement! It was quite overwhelming to hear such complimentary accolades from the judges for our Treble Clefs Choir, accompanist Renee Morin and for Edith Poon-Lai, particularly as this was the first time this choir has entered the competition.

Symphonia Since the beginning of the year, Kristin Symphonia, conducted by Ryan Youens, has spent Monday afternoons rehearsing a variety of pieces in preparation for the KBB Music Festival. Our efforts culminated in the regional music festival held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell on 22 August. Our repertoire included the famous Dambusters March by Eric Coates and Slavonic Dance No. 1 by Dvorák, as well as a few other shorter works. It was a fantastic morning spent listening to a range of other school orchestras and was a great opportunity to perform to an interested audience. We played our best and had great fun in the process. Thank you to Ryan and Ms Nugent who accompanied us on the trip; we look forward to next year! Stephanie Townend

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

A New Creative Perspective

Guys & Dolls

hen I first heard that the Middle School was going to put on Guys & Dolls, my first thought was “I’m definitely auditioning”. My second thought was “What’s Guys & Dolls even about?” Even without any background knowledge, I felt like it would be well worth doing. That feeling was right. From the very first rehearsal, my expectations were confirmed: this would be an unforgettable experience. To be able to work with such incredible teachers who brought the music and dialogue to life with such energy and vision was a privilege. My peers, too, were absolutely incredible to work with, and friendships were strengthened as we worked on stage. Right through the rehearsals, I learnt so much about performing - from acting a completely different personality from my own, to simply learning an American accent - and I saw a huge change in my own work as well as in everybody around me as we slowly started to get into character and come to grips with the story and show. As we neared performance time things started to slot into place; the work being put in by students and teachers alike started to take shape. Once opening night arrived, the whole experience reached a completely new level. To stand on the stage, in front of an audience with the lights up and all eyes watching, was incredibly exciting, more than a bit daunting, and enough to make everyone a bit nervous. Each performance went well. That was when all the hard work we had put in for so many weeks paid off tenfold. It was an honour to have been part of this experience, and everything I took out of it has made me sure I will be back to audition again next year. Conrad Edwards

Having performed in five Kristin musicals during my five years at Kristin, it was a real eye-opener to be given the opportunity to be on the creative team for the Middle School production of Guys & Dolls. Being part of the creative process meant having shared responsibility for the show’s creation – something I had never experienced before as a cast member. I enjoyed teaching and drilling the choreography with members of this cast who were always so positive and hardworking, and watching my vision and work come to life through the rehearsal process was extremely gratifying. My biggest challenges came in the form of choreographing large groups in innovative and visually appealing ways. Our team did not want to create a carbon copy of any other Guys & Dolls performance, and I also wanted to create a differentiation between the choreography seen in the 2006 Kristin production and that used in our 2012 show. I am familiar with nerves on opening night, having played lead roles in my last two Kristin productions, but that was nothing compared to my nerves on the opening night of Guys & Dolls! It has been extremely daunting having no control of the outcome of events from the moment I took my seat, but I am so proud of the outstanding performances the cast and crew produced. I know these students will have fond memories of Guys & Dolls for the rest of their lives. Hamish Mouat Alumni, Co-choreographer

ISSUE No. 56

The Jellicle Ball

s the opening bars of the Cats score were played in last year’s Cultural Assembly it was announced that this iconic show would be our major production in 2012. We were overwhelmed with excitement, anticipation and even a little apprehension. Cats is such an incredible production; it has achieved international success on Broadway and the West End and boasts a dedicated following all over the world. We were faced with the daunting and double-edged task of living up to the hype of this much-loved show, as well as convincing many people that, yes, a show about a bunch of cats can be entertaining. It wasn’t until we first moved our rehearsals onto the stage that we realised how difficult it would be to find, and then sustain, our ‘inner feline’. It seems that we have all taken for granted the practicality of human characters and that this experience would provide challenges like nothing Kristin has ever faced before. There was one moment that helped bridge this divide, however: when we first put on

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

our spectacular costumes and incredible makeup, to walk out on stage and feel completely transformed. This amazing show provided so many perfect opportunities for the range of talents within Kristin to express their comedic chops, their skilful dancing or their powerful and moving vocal skills. The ensemble nature of this piece created a collective energy that allowed us to share in this unique experience and learn so much from the production team. Above all, the Cats experience reminded us why so many of us love the theatre, cast, crew and audience alike. Whether playing a tap-dancing cockroach, plodding around the stage in a fat suit, or even just watching supposedly mature and dignified Senior School students leap and crawl around the stage, Cats provided an incredibly joyous experience for all involved. Joel Granger

Performing Arts

ISSUE No. 56

Kristin Jazz Band The Kristin Jazz Band (KJB) is a group of very talented and passionate young students from Middle and Senior Schools. Every year, KJB competes in an Auckland Secondary Schools’ competition called KBB which is a huge week-long festival involving all kinds of music. Our journey in preparing for this competition every year involves a lot of hard work, determination and commitment, traits which are brought out in us by our conductor Mr Norman – no matter what the problem was, he would find a way to push us and get everyone through the barrier. Our manager, Mr van den Bergh, also helped to keep us all in line and on task. Our rehearsals began at the beginning of the year and during the first two months we mostly just played through different songs together to get a feel for the music and for the other players around us. From there we began to single out which songs we were most confident with and which ones would work the best together. In the end we decided on five different songs: Just Friends, How High the Moon, Just in Time, Level the Playing Field and Basic Basie. Jazz songs require soloists and we were very fortunate to recruit the talents of our guest soloist, singer Hannah Schunk-Hockings. Our band’s soloists were Ferris Bradley on the piano, Zeljan Kust on the drums, Rory Chignell on the guitar, Toby Hunt and Christopher Wiseman on the trumpet and Christian Silver and Scott Sung on the saxophone. Our KBB performance date was set for 24 August at St Mary’s Church in Parnell. It was a long day and we were scheduled to be the third-to-last performance of the day. We absorbed performances from other musical groups throughout the afternoon until it was our turn to perform. As we took to the stage, we all felt the eyes of the other competitors and judges bear down on us and after a camera flash we began to play. When Hannah took to the stage, with the rest of the band playing in the background, her voice mesmerised everyone in the church. When the final chord collapsed, the church was filled with waves of applause. KJB received a commendation for our performance, and we are looking forward to building on this promising result next year. YuXiang Wang

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

“The moment Euphony was awarded Gold, tears fell from my eyes, tears of pride, happiness, thankfulness and sadness: pride and happiness for all of our hard work being recognised, thankfulness for being able to be a part of this legacy with great friends who I love, and sadness because it is my last year.”

Finishing on a

High Note

uphony was selected as one of 18 choirs to attend the National Big Sing Finale held in Wellington from 16 to 18 August this year, which made this our third consecutive Finale since 2010. Directed by Mr David Squire, accompanied by Mrs Sheryl Clark, Miss Catherine Douglas and Mr Rowan Johnston, we were ecstatic to come away as one of the top secondary-school choirs in the country with a Gold Award! We had performed six pieces across two separate recitals: In a Glorious Garden Green by David Hamilton, Malagueña by Einojuhani Rautavaara, It was a Lover and his Lass by William Mathias, Lift Thine Eyes by Felix Mendelssohn, Men’s Shadows by John Ritchie and Don’t Tell Mama from Cabaret arranged by Mark Brymer. The moment Euphony was awarded Gold, tears fell from my eyes, tears of pride, happiness, thankfulness and sadness: pride and happiness for all of our hard work being recognised, thankfulness for being able to be a part of this legacy with great friends who I love, and sadness because it is my last year in Euphony. Singing (chanting, acting, performing…) in Euphony for the past few years has been an incredible honour and an unforgettable experience. I will miss being a part of Euphony and the Big Sing terribly. The feeling of being in a music festival where everyone loves the same thing you do is just indescribable. Similar to what a former Euphonite had said, the Euphony French plait is more than just a hairstyle: it is a symbol of all the efforts put in by everyone, carefully woven into a magnificent, magical moment which just happens to look good at the same time! I think it is fair to say that the Big Sing has been a series of life-changing experiences for many of us and from it we take memories that we will never forget. “It was such an amazing experience singing in the Big Sing and being able to watch all the other choirs. I really hope I am able to do it again in the future.” - Livia Wicks “...The Big Sing is such a great experience to be a part of, giving us a chance to appreciate choral music, meet new people and have fun!” - Alexandra Tunui Amy Chang

Performing Arts

Chamber Music Competition

Morning Melodies

n most Mondays at 11am, the Bruce Mason Centre holds a concert called Morning Melodies that runs for about an hour. Recently, Kristin performed in such a concert. On Monday 13 August, Euphony, Encore, Symphonia and the Chamber Orchestra headed to Takapuna and presented a selection of pieces from their repertoires on the Bruce Mason stage. We were backed by lights as we faced an audience made up of members of the public who share our love of music. It was truly the ‘real deal’ and was a great way to show Auckland the high standard of Kristin’s Performing Arts. Furthermore, it was a fantastic chance for all the students there to practise performance in a professional environment. The opportunity to have a real audience was especially priceless for Euphony as we were heading down to the Big Sing competition finale that same week. While waiting backstage, there was a continual buzz of excitement that extended to the various performances on stage. From a rendition of Gloria Festiva with Encore to Dvorák’s Slavonic Dance No. 1 with Symphonia, a wide range of musical styles was covered, giving something for all tastes. It was an event thoroughly enjoyed by all who participated and I’m sure a memorable moment in the lives of our future famous performers. Anna Townend

Theatresports – The Team to Watch At the end of last year a group of enthusiastic but novice theatresports players met in the drama studio to discuss founding a new theatresports team. Flash-forward to Term 3 2012 and that same team has just been voted “the team to watch in 2013”, after a string of terrific performances at Auckland theatresports events, including the team’s 1st place in competition. Theatresports Youth Programme is the professional body that runs theatresports events in Auckland. Hosted by local schools, each event has four school teams competing against each other in a series of ‘open’ and ‘blind’ rounds, focused around improvisation. The teams are provided with a variety of stimuli, often a location and a relationship, and then given three minutes to demonstrate their ability to improvise: to be spontaneously creative, which is no mean feat. The criteria for successful improvisation include Storyline, Entertainment and (the hardest) Technique. The team meets every Monday after school as well as every Wednesday lunchtime, during which the students ‘practise how to be spontaneous’. Although this sounds paradoxical, it basically entails working on the elements that make up an effective improvisation: relationships, furthering the story, wit - and bravery! This is something that the team has become respected for, and which led to their first victory and recent award. Nick Brown Teacher-in-Charge, Theatresports

Kristin offers many opportunities for its students to explore music and each year chamber groups have the chance to be coached by a member from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in preparation for the Chamber Music Contest – the longest-running youth music competition in New Zealand. This year I was lucky enough to be in a group with Tina Zhang (violin), Elton Chang (viola), Ann Kwak (cello) and me on the piano. Together we formed a piano quartet called Symmetry. We chose a movement from a piece composed by Schumann and we started practising it at the beginning of the year so we would be ready to perform at the Auckland competition in June. Claudia Price came in every Wednesday afternoon to coach us for an hour. The week before our competition, we had the opportunity to perform alongside other students at a music recital in the Dove Theatre. It went well and gave us the experience of performing our piece, making it easier to identify last-minute changes before the big event. After one more practice session with Claudia, 9 June came around and with it, the chamber competition at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre in Epsom. Everyone was excited and a little nervous. We had a room to ourselves to warm up and practice in before it was our turn. When we were called up, we finally got the chance to show what we had been working so hard for. It was an enjoyable experience and I would definitely encourage anyone with the chance to participate in it. Also performing at the event was the Kristin Flute Choir, or KFC, made up of Jason Ng, Donna Jiang, Maya Hay, Jiayi Man and Emily Quirk. Rebecca Cheng

ISSUE No. 56

Performing Arts

Showdown!

ristin has received an unprecedented total of 27 nominations for this year’s 2012 Showdown Awards. The two productions of Cats and Ghetto were entered into the competition alongside musical and drama productions from 27 other secondary schools across Auckland. Judged by a panel of five judges who attended every production in the competition, Kristin was nominated as many as three times in a single category. Kristin’s productions have achieved great success in this competition over the past few years, taking out best overall production three times since 2008, most recently for Jesus Christ Superstar in 2011. The two casts, 11 students and six staff members who have been nominated in their respective categories are now anxiously awaiting the awards night which will be held on 31 October at the Bruce Mason Centre. As well as the 20 nominated categories, awards will be announced in four additional sections: People’s Choice, Outstanding Play, Outstanding Musical and Best Production 2012, for which all entered shows are eligible. Lorna Rood Director of Performing Arts Kristin’s nominees are:

Award

Nomination

Best Costume Design

Jeanette Verster, Cats Jeanette Verster, Ghetto

Best Lighting Design

Bruce Stewart, Cats

Best Properties Design

Jeanette Verster, Cats

Best Set Design

Jeanette Verster, Cats

Best Sound Design

Ian Robinson, Cats

Best Choreography Performance

Cast of Cats

Best Chorus Vocal Work

Cast of Cats Cast of Ghetto

Best Lead Female in a Musical

Poppy Smithers (Grizabella), Cats

Best Lead Male in a Musical

Joel Granger (Munkustrap), Cats

Best Supporting Female in a Musical

Hannah Foreman (Jennyanydots), Cats Shannon De Kock (Jemima), Cats

Best Supporting Male in a Musical

George Freeman (Bustopher Jones), Cats

Best Female Soloist

Phoebe Jasper (Rumpleteazer), Cats

Best Male Soloist

Matthew Burrows (Rum Tum Tugger), Cats

Best Lead Female in a Play

Hannah Schunk-Hockings (Hayyah), Ghetto

Best Lead Male in a Play

Angus Dowell (Kittel), Ghetto

Best Supporting Female in a Play

Hannah Foreman (Ooma), Ghetto Senka Bosnyak (The Dummy), Ghetto

Best Supporting Male in a Play

Joel Granger (Gens), Ghetto Matthew Burrows (Kruk), Ghetto Sam Burden (Weiskopf), Ghetto

Best Choreographer

Teresa Lauago, Cats

Best Musical Director

Nick Richardson, Cats

Best Director

Lorna Rood, Cats Nick Brown and Lorna Rood, Ghetto

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Incomparably Alive with

Shakespeare

O for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention ouldn’t it be surreal to have your plays transcend all conventional theatre, with some godly intervention, so that it may live on for ever - a timeless masterpiece? I think it would be quite surreal, but I wonder if Shakespeare ever thought about that. Did he really feel his plays would become the commandments of English literature for hundreds of years to come? One can ponder this, and I for one have certainly done so. However, being part of the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company of 2012 made me realise how relevant, and irrelevant. the pondering surrounding old Bill is, in the grand scheme of things. My trip to the Globe Theatre in London with 23 other bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young players was packed to the brim with so many fantastic things that it is hard to try and describe the journey in a deserving fashion. So, before I begin, I would like to say that this is only a snippet of what actually happened. After some extremely long flights and sightseeing, as a company we were ready to embark on the theatrical aspect of our journey. Every day, we had rehearsals, movement workshops, voice lessons, text lectures, Shakespearean context talks and much, much more. At night or in the afternoon we saw fantastic plays such as Henry V, The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III (in Stratford-UponAvon) and other non-Shakespearean performances. Each one held its own very high standard, but nothing topped the two performances (Henry V and The Taming of the Shrew) which we saw as groundlings in the Globe Theatre. The energy, vibrancy and vitality of every single performer created two spectacular productions, worthy of much praise. The Globe Theatre is a place I will never forget. Walking in through the authentic thatch-topped round was mesmerising and I can honestly say it was then and there that I decided I will be in theatre for the rest of my days. It makes you realise how grand and powerful the history of theatre is, and it makes you yearn to be a part of it, no matter how big or small. How could I truly describe the Globe Theatre? I cannot - but I can make an attempt at trying to describe how I felt when inside of it. So how did I feel? Incomparably alive. With our culminating performance on the Globe Stage, our trip to Stratford and every moment in between, I have realised that Shakespeare wrote for the happiness and fulfilment of people. His plays were written for the entertainment and enjoyment of thousands. Their purpose was never to make elite the certain some who understood the subtle subtext of his language. So when you get down to it, you can ponder all you want, and sometimes this is very worthy but this can never replace or take over the enjoyment and personal fulfilment brought about by the performance of his work. That is the lesson I learnt while I was in the midst of the most life-changing and terrific journey I have ever been a part of. “The play’s the thing” - never truer words. Hannah Schunk-Hockings

news sports

A Hard-earned Win at the

North Harbour Zones

hat has 20 legs, wears blue and green, and jumps around on a sunny August school day? We are the Kristin 7/2 Netball team members and we played in the North Harbour Intermediate Schools’ tournament. Weeks of early-morning trainings in the cold and wet prepared us for the five gruelling matches that we played. Our team was strengthened on the day by having Imogen Harwood and Elodie d’Anglejan Chatillon. In our first game against Albany 7/4 our awesome shooters, Emily, Ashley and Imogen, set us up for a good day by giving us a big score and a win 201. The second game against Whangaparaoa was closer but we managed to win 13-8. In the third game against Birkdale 7/3 the injuries began to happen and players visited the physio to

get knees checked and legs strapped; however we won the game, 18-8. This win put us into the semi-final play-off against Birkdale 7/5. We fought hard to win our fourth game in a row, which put us into the final. When the whistle blew for our game against Homeschool Auckland Sport and Cultural Assocaition (HASCA) the tension began, with the opposition scoring every chance they had, but our team was fighting and ready to jump and intercept at any time. Our phenomenal defenders – Sarah, Sophie, Holly and Elodie – worked hard. At half time we were losing by two points and desperate to get on top of the game. The mid court of Gabrielle, Greta and I worked hard to get the ball to the shooters. Soon the game evened up and then the bell rang for full time. It was a tie

and we were really disappointed. The next thing we knew, the umpire blew her whistle and called us back out on the court. We were confused. Then, loud and clear, the umpire explained that there had to be a result. We scored a goal and jumped for joy. But it wasn’t finished: we had to win by two points! Luckily it was our centre pass and our shooters were composed and scored quickly. We were the winners of the B grade! It was an awesome feeling. Maddison Gaze

Combined Points Netball Tournament On Wednesday 1 August three of our top Netball teams attended the Combined Points Tournament in Mt Wellington; these were Year 9 Team 1, Year 10 Team 1 and Senior 1. This annual event is an exciting competition, full of great displays of Netball from Auckland’s best teams. It provides a lot of opportunities for our players to tweak aspects of the game learnt throughout the season and to prepare the Premier team for Tournament Week. Each of our teams achieved their goals for the day and the level of netball was exciting with some great wins against some tough competition. The highlight of the day was Year 9/1, who came through to beat Auckland Girls’ Grammar School, Whangaparaoa College and Hillcrest High School, qualifying them for the semi-finals and an exciting game against Baradene College. The team fought hard but unfortunately finished five goals short on the final whistle. Nevertheless, the sideline was very happy with the display of netball and the courageous effort on court. Stacey Morgan Head of Netball

ISSUE No. 56

AIMS Tournament Week

fter all our hard work and build-up to the trip, the day was finally here. We were getting ready to attend the New Zealand AIMS National Sporting Championships (NZANSC) in Tauranga. Bursting with excitement, we loaded up the vans and then received a powerful team talk from Mr Murray. Before we knew it, we were on the road, and after quite a few singalongs and games of eye-spy, we were in Tauranga. First up was the opening ceremony. This was just amazing and it was made even more special when Mahe Drysdale and Sarah Walker made guest appearances. They gave us an inspiring speech, leaving us all in awe of their achievements. Our first matches were played against Tauranga Intermediate, Diocesan School for Girls, Whakatane, Te Wharekura Tauranga Moana and St Cuthbert’s. We were really proud of our performances in all of our games, but in particular in the matches against Diocesan and St Cuthbert’s which we won by 4 and 9 points respectively. At last the time came for our final game. We were all pumped up and ready to finish the tournament on a high note. Our game was against our previous opponents, Diocesan School for Girls. It was a very close match, with the lead switching between our two teams as the game progressed. In the end our opponents edged ahead by one point before the final whistle, but, while other teams may have been disappointed with the score, we knew we played our hardest and that we did, indeed, finish on a high note. Going to AIMS was an awesome experience and we were so privileged to share it with all the wonderful teachers and parents who came down with us. I think I speak for all of us when I say that without these teachers, parent-helpers and parents at home, this trip wouldn’t have been possible. It was an experience we’ll never forget and we will carry these memories with us for ever. Chanel Brodeur-Muir Girls’ Basketball Team 44

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Other AIMS Results: Tennis – Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Team Cup It was a fantastic week for Kristin on the tennis courts with top seed Macsen Sisam winning the Boys’ singles, only dropping one game as he took the title for 2012. Hector Fleming won his first game in three sets but lost his second-round game to the 7th seed in two sets. Hector progressed into the consolation round, winning his first game and losing his second. Macsen and Hector joined forces in the doubles to proceed through to the final where they took the Silver in a super tie-breaker. Together, Macsen and Hector collected the Tennis Team Cup for the Boys’ section. Badminton – Silver Medal Christine Zhang was seeded 2nd heading into the tournament. She cruised through the pool rounds and then won the next two knockout games. Her semi-final was against Rebecca Ye from Palmerston North Normal Intermediate School, and Christine demonstrated great composure to out-master her opponent. In the final against top seed Sally Fu from Bucklands Beach Intermediate, Christine levelled the game at one set each, only to lose some long rallies in the middle stages of the third, allowing Sally to take the title. Christine’s Silver medal is a great achievement and well deserved after a great performance. Squash As 3rd seed, Ben Kennedy cruised through the first four rounds of the tournament. In the quarter-finals he was placed against Llwamba Chileshe from Chisnallwood Intermediate in Christchurch, which ensured a good workout for Ben leading into the semi-finals. Ben won the game in three sets. In the semi, he was to play the 2nd seed, Corban Faint from Palmerston North Normal Intermediate School, against whom he went

Sports News

North Harbour Basketball Zone Day

down in three sets. Vying for 3rd position in his final match against Levi Casey, Ben fought hard but it wasn’t to be, going down in three sets to his opponent. Golf Dexin Kong played some great golf during the week, but his best game was the third round at Tauranga Golf Course, hitting a 6 over 77 which was the second-best score on that day. He finished the tournament in 5th position, which was a great achievement after the difficult weather conditions threw many competitors. Hockey The Boys’ team played well throughout the week, with Connor Greentree and George Manaton standout performers. An unfortunate result against Taupo made the struggle difficult to get out of the ‘Group of Death’ and, even after a great game against Rosmini College, they ended up in the bottom half of the draw. The boys won their remaining games comfortably to finish a credible 13th. The Girls’ team played well in all of their pool games, losing only once to Northcross Intermediate 1-0 which meant they progressed through to the quarter-finals where they played Berkeley Intermediate. It was a nail-biting match right to the end where a 0-0 draw at full time meant the girls faced an intense penalty stroke-off. The girls went down by one stroke, sending them through to the play-off for 7th and 8th. A nil-all draw meant their final ranking was 7th for the tournament. Congratulations to Emily Maclean who was selected into the NZAIMS Games Hockey Tournament Team for Girls. Boys’ Basketball Our Basketball boys competed well in their pool games, winning two of their five matches. Progressing into the play-offs, Kristin beat Papamoa College and Ashbrook Intermediate before a heartbreaking one-point loss to Fairfield Intermediate, 19-18. Highlights for the week were beating Papamoa College and coming up against Knox School from Sydney in their final play-off match. Players who worked exceptionally hard during the week included Matthew Phillimore on the boards, Nicholas Thompson and Callum Hay on attack and Taine De Alwis who directed play well.

Two Kristin teams attended the annual North Harbour Intermediate Schools’ Basketball Tournament in Week 3 of the third term. Everyone who represented the school had a fantastic day but the best results were those of the girls’ team who progressed through to the play-offs after beating Mahurangi by two points and Whangaparaoa by one point. The quarter-final pitched them against Northcote who eventually won the match by two points. Their last game finished with Chanel Brodeur-Muir scoring on the buzzer to give Kristin the two-point victory to finish in 7th place overall. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Basketball

Kristin Jade on top in North Harbour Basketball League Our Kristin Jade Year 8 Boys’ Basketball team finished their season on a high note by winning the North Harbour Basketball Boys’ League 2. They beat Belmont Bulls 28-12 in the semi-final and then went on to beat Northcross Nuggets 12-8 in a very close final. This is a great result as the team lost to both of these opponents during the regular season. Kristin Navy has continued to improve and had a solid season, finishing 5th in their competition. Kristin Black has been in a very competitive grade and finished 9th in the top Year 7 Boys’ league. Kristin White has continued to work hard and finished in 10th equal in their competition. In the girls’ competition, Kristin Doves finished 5th in Girls’ League 1, while Kristin Dovettes overpowered Northcote Hawks 22-4 to finish 5th in Girls’ League 2. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Basketball

Netball The Netball girls were placed in a tough pool to start the tournament but managed to secure a win in each group stage. The team played excellent Netball in their match against Ashbrook, displaying their best teamwork of the tournament, but Ashbook had the height advantage and took the game from us. Their last game saw a sluggish Kristin team hit the court against Waihi but, after a stern reminder and a wake-up call, the girls got into the swing of things, dominating play in third and fourth quarter to take the match, 29-16. Chrystal Baker proved strong in the defence throughout the week and linked well with Georgina Dibble at Centre and Danielle Alexander in either Wing Attack or Goal Attack. Sheena Vaswani caused problems for her opposition throughout and Isabella Howarth’s steady shooting added to our goal tally each game. ISSUE No. 56

Year 7 and 8 North Harbour Zone Cross-Country A team of 13 Kristin students competed in the Year 7 and 8 North Harbour Schools’ Cross-Country event which took place at a very wet and muddy Shakespear Regional Park in Whangaparaoa in August. All of our runners competed very well in very large fields in both age-group categories. The performance of the day came from Freya De Raadt who finished an impressive 4th in the Year 8 Girls’ event. Well done to all Kristin runners who competed: Chrystal Baker, Freya De Raadt, Connor Gauld, Maggie Hanham, Grace Hickson, Sophie Katavich, Ben Kennedy, Annabel Lister, George Manaton, Joshua Robertson, Annabella Simmons, Rory Sutherland and Helena Wiseman. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Cross-Country

Junior School Cross-Country In fantastic conditions, the entire Junior School competed in year-level races over the fast and flat Cross-Country course in Term 2. The highly sought-after trophies in the Year 6 races went to Thomas van Tilborg and Kaitlin Windmeyer. Fiona Ackroyd Junior School Sports Co-ordinator Our place-getters were: Year 1

Position

Girls

Boys

Zara Preece-Twose

Ruslan Vassiliev

Katie Brown

Cooper Clague

Dasha Galiyeva

Patrick Vezich

Charlie Twose

Daniel Wyber

Maya Harrison

Harry Hart

Keira Spilling

Indi Patel

Kylie Holgate

Nicholas Sparg

Eloise Jenkins

Luke Swanepoel

Chantelle May

Mauro Diependaele

Claire Liang

Jesse Harrison

Bella Johnson

Mitchell Orchard

Soraya Melsness

Oscar Wallace

Ayla Hall

Taine Murray

Yasmine Knight

Max Johnson

Erika Bruce

Matthew Archer

Kaitlin Windmeyer

Thomas van Tilborg

Paige De Seymour

Mitchell Davern

Hannah Reddy

Calvin Norcross

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

West/North Harbour Secondary Schools’

Cross-Country

ristin was very well represented at the West/North Harbour Secondary Schools’ Cross-Country event which was held at Moire Park, Massey, in May. The Kristin athletes all performed well in a very difficult field. Well done to all the students who participated in this event and special congratulations to Emily Pearce who was Kristin’s most outstanding athlete, finishing 2nd in the Senior Girls’ event. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Cross-Country Event

Name

Result

Junior Girls’

Hattie Jones

8th

Clodagh McCullough

10th

Britt Kindred

14th

Eloise Loughlin

16th

Ruby Alexander

19th

Sarah Wardenburg

22nd

Connor Petrie

12th

Taylor Gauld

19th

John Mosheim

39th

Lucy Josephson

4th

Katie Wardenburg

24th

Remy Gasston

21st

James McArthur

35th

Kevin Chiu

47th

Emily Pearce

2nd

Junior Boys’

Intermediate Girls’ Intermediate Boys’

Senior Girls’

Sports News

Kristin Golf Championships

Junior Badminton Success Kristin’s Junior Badminton players pulled out a series of outstanding performances at the North Harbour Primary Schools’ Badminton Tournament in Term 2 with both teams making it through to the finals. Kristin Team 1 placed 1st in the A grade, winning all five of their matches. Samuel Sun was relentless in attack and showed no mercy. Dominic Chen and the twins, Dennis and Christina Yang, played with great skill also. Cory Peters, Dylan Brooke, James Buckle and youngster Kevin Wei were all impressive as Kristin Team 2 continued to improve and grow in confidence over the day. They progressed to the final too, however on this occasion came away with 2nd place in what was a very closely-contested match. The teams dedicated their performance to Mr Bowyer in respect for his dedication and commitment to Kristin Junior School sport. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Badminton

n Tuesday 8 May the Middle and Senior School Golf Championships were held at the North Shore Golf Course. It was a very wet day and when the rain became horizontal and the light limited, we decided to shorten the competition to nine holes. There were some very good scores recorded by Matthew Cope who finished only two over the card to win the Cattell Cup for the Open Boys’ Championship. Nicholas Cope won the Middle School Cup for Boys and Julitta Lam won the Girls’ Open Championship in a sudden-death play-off with Rosie Hartwell. The Kristin championship isn’t limited to the Middle and Senior students, however; in a separate competition the Junior School tournament was held over nine holes with David Park finishing 1st, Cory Peters 2nd and Taine Murray 3rd on 59, 62 and 67 respectively. Bryce Cattell Teacher-in-Charge, Golf

North Harbour Intercollegiate Golf On Monday 14 May, the Kristin Premier Golf team played in the North Harbour Intercollegiate Teams competition at the Waitakere Golf Course where the best three out of the four scores counted. The team comprised Julitta Lam (captain), Matthew Cope, Nicholas Cope and Liam Costley. The Waitakere course is a unique and challenging course compared to other North Harbour Golf facilities. There are a number of blind holes and tees that are placed in the bush and local knowledge is very helpful. The team members posted some respectable scores, but were unable to better the Westlake Boys’ team. Julitta was lucky enough to also play with the World Number 1 Amateur Lydia Ko who shot par. All of our players worked very hard throughout the competition and, as a result, posted better results than did most other teams. Bryce Cattell Teacher-in-Charge, Golf

National Cheerleading Representative Victoria Ford has been named in the Team New Zealand Junior Development Cheerleading Squad after competing against the best cheerleaders from all over the country in the trials. The squad is chosen from talented cheerleaders who are aged 14 and under. The emphasis at the trials was on stunting and tumble, and Victoria executed a running full-twisting layout and a standing 3 x flicks to full, to secure her place in the team. The team will represent New Zealand in Australia later this year.

ISSUE No. 56

Winter Tournament Week Netball – Upper North Island Championships, Auckland orrential rain, widespread flooding and an allocated court under water did not stop our Premier team on its journey towards a fantastic, memorable sporting experience and the Upper North Island Secondary Schools’ regional qualifying tournament. Competing in A grade is a notoriously difficult task and our young development players certainly took this in their stride as they made their debuts against Saint Kentigern and Sacred Heart Colleges. Lucy Josephson, Olivia Kitson and Grace Steele produced some truly remarkable performances considering their limited experience at this level. Rachel Segar showed how to come back after injury and was playing some very effective unit defence with Sian Anstis, Sarah Strom and Natasha Perree. Natasha showed her true versatility which gave us options to play her at both ends of the court. Our mid-court players Sophie Corser, Stephanie Rich and Grace Tobin were a combination of pure speed and strength, their talent of linking the team throughout the court a value asset throughout the tournament, delivering the ball to the shooters with confidence and understanding. Always a consistent shooter, Lucy McNicoll adjusted to her ever-changing combinations in the circle well and worked exceptionally hard at playing as a unit with her various shooting partners. Teaming up with Anna Katavich, these girls continuously slotted much-treasured possession through the hoop. Wednesday was the catalyst for some special things to come, with a welcomed win against Hillcrest High School, 31-24. The afternoon’s game against Tauranga Girls showed the brilliance of a smart team under pressure and as the last few moments of the game ticked away, Kristin took control of the game to steal an exceptional win, 34-33. The whole team showed strength in its ability to make decisions on court and worked together to take the next two wins against some well-respected teams, Massey High and Botany Downs Secondary. With a final placing of 20th out of 100 top secondary schools, this is an achievement to be proud of. The girls can all be congratulated in representing the school exceptionally well throughout the week. Thank you to Katie Alexander, Yvonne Walker and Abbey Beaumont for their

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

contributions in order to make this tournament a successful one. To the supporters, thank you for all your amazing support; it is so very nice to have you experience this with us. Stacey Morgan Head of Netball Hockey – Johnson Cup, Christchurch This year the 1st XI Boys’ Hockey team attended the Johnson Cup held in Christchurch at the new home of Canterbury Hockey, Nunweek Park. Here we played some of the best hockey seen all season from our team. There were excellent personal skills on display and the team played well together. After finishing 1st in pool play, the boys were confident of progressing further. Unfortunately we played a strong St Bede’s College team in the quarter-finals and went down 2-3 to the eventual winners. Our team kept their heads up and while we were hugely disappointed with this match, we won the remainder of our games to finish 5th. Everyone seemed to have a really good time and we got on well, leaving with some great memories. The trip was a great hockey experience but it was also a huge eye-opener to the damage done by the earthquakes all around Christchurch and the conditions being lived in and dealt with, still, on a day-to-day basis. Kyle Greentree Captain, 1st XI Boys’ Hockey Hockey – Federation Cup, Rotorua In Tournament Week the 1st XI Girls’ attended the premier national secondary competition, the Federation Cup, which was held in Rotorua this year. With a new team comprising two Year 12’s, six Year 11’s, three Year 10’s and three Year 9’s, we were young and small compared to other teams. To start off the week we had a long and slow eight-hour drive to Masterton, arriving in the dark, and headed straight to the turf for training. Over the course of the week we played six of the most challenging games of our entire season. We played like a team that had been together for years and really stepped up to play the best we could. Our defence was solid and we were threatening on attack. A pivotal

Sports News moment in the week was taking St Matthew’s Collegiate, a top-seeded team, to sudden death strokes in the elimination game. Although the result didn’t favour us in the end, we can walk away from this tournament proudly, knowing we have improved immensely and have bonded as a team. We all look forward to the future and another season with one another. Alice Todd Captain, 1st XI Girls’ Hockey Basketball – Junior Premiership, Rotorua The U15 Boys’ travelled to Rotorua for the regional Junior Secondary Schools’ Basketball Premiership Tournament where they produced some solid results. Kristin finished 7th out of the 12 teams in their grade and placed 2nd in their pool after losing to Cambridge High School. They then went on to beat Gisborne Boys’ High School by 50 points. The boys produced a spirited performance against Rosmini College in their quarterfinal match, narrowly losing by five points. After a tough loss to One Tree Hill College, the boys regrouped to overpower Trident College and finish the tournament with a great all-round team performance. Standout performers for Kristin were Matthew Fenn, Rory McCutcheon and Vincent Rong.

North Harbour Junior Rugby Tournament Kristin entered two tackle and three Rippa Rugby teams into the North Harbour Primary Schools’ Rugby Tournament which ran over three Thursdays in Terms 2 and 3 at East Coast Bays RFC, Mairangi Bay. It was great to see so many Kristin teams involved in the competition and although the teams did not make it to the finals, there was significant improvements made throughout the year, notably the Year 5 and 6 Tackle team, coached by Mr McDermott, who finished on a high by winning all their games in the final competition. In addition, the Year 5 and 6 Mixed Rippa team, which is coached by parents Mark Power and Sean Nixon, showed great improvements over the season with some fantastic wins against top teams. Thanks to all the coaches involved in Kristin Junior School Rugby this year who put in so much work to ensure the teams continually progressed and improved throughout the season, specifically Mr Nichol, Mr McDermott, Ken Darvell, Tait Gaze, Mark Power and Sean Nixon. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Rugby

Basketball – Zone 1 Premiership, Waitakere Our Premier Boys and Girls’ Basketball teams competed in their Zone 1 Premiership Tournaments at Trusts Stadium in Waitakere. The Premier Girls’ team produced some great results to finish 6th in their tournament, qualifying for the Nationals. During the pool stage the girls finished 3rd, beating Diocesan School and losing to both Auckland Girls’ Grammar and Westlake Girls. In the critical play-off match for 5th and 6th against Massey High School, Habiba Tawfik and Sarah Strom shot the lights out from three-point range in the second half, leading Kristin to victory and on to the Nationals. Emma Haldane and Florence Hinder had strong performances and both Paget McCutcheon and Zeynep Semiz added vital toughness at the defensive end of the court. Claudia Baillie, Sorina Casvean-Muresan, Rosie Hartwell, Ella MacKenzie, Anna McDonald, Rachel Segar and Anna Wingham and made valuable contributions off the bench throughout the tournament. After being drawn in the tough Pool 1, the Boys’ team suffered two losses to Rosmini and Onehunga High School but secured two wins against Waitakere College (80-32) and Mt Albert Grammar School (77-65). The deciding pool game against Onehunga was close throughout, with Kristin leading by 10 at half time, but in the last 90 seconds Onehunga scored easy points on turnover ball. Kristin finished 3rd in the pool, just missing out on qualifying for the top section in the knockout draw. The boys won their next three games against Green Bay School (88-71), Glenfield College (105-55) and Mt Albert Grammar (60- 55) to finish 9th, the highest they could achieve after the pool games. Captain Thomas Kingsmill led by example throughout, top-scoring in four games, and was assisted by solid performances from Matt Freeman and Liam Jacobs. The other starting players were Andrew Barratt and Danyon Gould while coming off the bench were Henry Glenn, Mitchell Palmer, Hamish Stewart, Nicholas Thornton and Liam Wong. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Basketball ISSUE No. 56

Kristin students excel in Representative Basketball teams Congratulations to Matthew Freeman (North Harbour U17 Boys’ Basketball team) on winning the U17 National Championships. Also, congratulations to Liam Jacobs (North Harbour U19 Boys’ team) and Habiba Tawfik (Waitakere U19 Girls’ team) on their respective teams both finishing 2nd in the U19 National Championships.

Equestrian Cup Congratulations to Kristin Green (Sarah Auton, Isobel Campbell, Tayla Keon, Clodagh McCullough) who placed 2nd and Kristin Blue (Sophie Alexander, Alix Campbell, Josie Clarke, Maia White) who placed 3rd at the Secondary Schools’ Equestrian Cup on Friday 3 August at Woodhill Sands Equestrian Park. It was a tough competition with some of New Zealand’s best combinations representing their schools. Each team consisted of four riders, two to compete in Show Jumping and two in Show Hunter, with each rider completing two rounds. Both Kristin teams produced some fantastic rounds and the consistency of their performance makes the 2nd and 3rd team placings very well deserved. Key contributors were Isobel Campbell who received two 1st-place ribbons, Alix Campbell and Sophie Alexander who received one 1st-place ribbon each and Clodagh McCullough who received two 2nd-place ribbons. Rochelle Fogarin and Abbey Beaumont Teacher-in-Charge and Sports Administrator

Sisam 3rd in Queensland Championship Year 7 student Macsen Sisam continues to impress, on home turf as well as across the Tasman. Macsen travelled to Brisbane during the mid-year break to compete in the Rod Laver Queensland Junior Championship Tennis Tournament. The event brings together 470 leading players from across Asia Pacific and this year there were representatives from nine countries, including a touring party of 24 from the Hong Kong Tennis Association. Macsen rose to the occasion through fierce and consistent play to finish 3rd place overall – an amazing experience and an incredible result for the 12 year old. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Tennis

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

North Harbour Champions

- Again!

he Premier Girls’ Basketball team has made it two in a row when its members won the North Harbour Women’s Open Grade Championship for the second year running. They defended their 2011 title in the nail-biting final against Carmel College at the North Shore Events Centre to come away with a decisive 63-45 victory. It was a tough match for the Kristin team who had lost two games to Carmel College during their regular season. The first half of the game was closely contested, with Carmel ahead by six points at half time. Kristin quickly pegged back the lead in the second half as Sarah Strom changed the momentum, hitting two big three-pointers in the third quarter and also adding another in the fourth. Habiba Tawfik gave a solid performance and kept pressure on the opposition, scoring regularly on back-door cuts and drives to the basket. Paget McCutcheon and Zeynep Semiz had strong defensive games, good finishing and chased every rebound. Florence Hinder and Emma Haldane worked hard at both ends of the court and scored key baskets. Carmel had our backs against the wall going in, but the girls rose to the challenge, especially in the second half. It is to their credit that they came away with an 18- point win. A lot of the strength of this championship team comes from the strong relationships of the players as well as the motivating influence of their new coach. Sarah Strom and Habiba Tawfik have provided great leadership to the girls throughout the season, and the entire team responded well when Amanda Harris took on the coaching role at the start of the season. Amanda’s competitive experience of playing at the top levels of New Zealand Basketball is something all of these girls admire and aspire to. As well as being a back-to-back win for the team, this is the third time in four years that the North Harbour title has gone to the girls from Kristin. Meanwhile our Premier Boys’ team had a convincing 69–50 win over Glenfield College in their final game to secure 3rd place in the North Harbour Men’s Open Grade. Cherry Webster Director of Sport

Sports News

Tips and Tricks from the

All Whites

ristin School played host to the All Whites for their final training days in the lead up to their World Cup qualifier match against Solomon Islands in September. A fullstrength team was on site at Kristin, braving torrential rain on the weekend and then four seasons in one day on the Monday as they ran through their drills under the watchful eye of Coach Ricki Herbert. Journalists, photographers and TV crews were lining the sidelines, taking the opportunity to record the team’s final preparations. These professionals were joined by our own Junior School students who tested their journalism and media skills. Mrs Griffith’s Year 1 class came prepared to capture the action on their class iPads and a group of Year 6 students seized their chance to interview a visiting photographer for their PYP Exhibition investigation into photography. A proud group of Junior School students performed the National Anthem for the All Whites when their training was completed, before presenting each of the players with a small token of thanks. The players returned the favour by taking the time for autographs and photos with their fans. Their practice must have paid off as the All Whites went on to secure an emphatic 6-1 victory the following night at North Harbour Stadium. Photos of the training and a video of the Junior School Choir can be viewed on the Kristin School Facebook page, www.facebook.com/kristin.school.nz

Photo: Photosport.co.nz

Winterfest

Toorak Sports and Cultural Exchange Every year, a group of Year 6 and 7 students take part in an annual sporting and cultural exchange with students from Toorak College, Melbourne. This year it was our turn to welcome a group from across the Tasman who came to join us in June. To mark the occasion a netball and football round-robin tournament was played between Kristin, Toorak, Northcross Intermediate and Albany Junior High School, with the final overall prize going to Northcross. In addition to the sporting aspect of the exchange, the visiting students were integrated into the Kristin Middle School classes and hosted by some very generous Kristin families. We now look forward to the 2013 exchange when our Kristin teams will once again be visiting Toorak College with planning already under way. Andre van den Bergh Teacher-in-Charge

Kristin’s Year 7 and 8 Water Polo team came together to compete in the annual Winterfest and Tim Sonderer Water Polo tournaments which were held across Auckland pools in September. For the majority of the players in the team, Winterfest was their first tournament; however, Coach Jeremy Friedrich and Manager Mr Winthrop went into the competition with high hopes of securing a B-grade win. Kristin started well with a narrow defeat of 5-4 at the hands of Blockhouse Bay School and a convincing victory over Rangeview Intermediate, 9-7. The team continued to improve and on the Saturday they produced some of their best performances of the competition, beating both the Glen Eden Rockets and Pasadena, 12-2, in each game. Kristin justifiably headed into the final day of competition with confidence; however, after coming up against some very strong teams, they had to settle for a very respectable 7th overall – a result they repeated at the Tim Sonderer Water Polo tournament five weeks later. The team faced a slow start, losing their first three games, but they bounced back and started to gel as they headed into the second day of competition, winning all four games comfortably against Rangeview, Waikowhai B, ACG Parnell and Glen Eden Rockets. Well done to all the players involved in these tournaments which have seen all players develop significantly and a big thank-you to Jeremy Friedrich, Mr Winthrop, Miss Grant and all the parents who helped out during these events. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Water Polo

ISSUE No. 56

Mountain Bike Champs The Auckland Secondary Schools’ Mountain Bike Champs were held at Sanders Reserve, Paremoremo, and the tough course featured many challenging downhill sections, some strength-sapping climbs and a tough finishing straight which proved very tricky and slippery as it took in large sections of the gravel horse track. The collective points from the three stages of the competition were totalled towards the final position, and I achieved an overall placing of 6th, from a field of 35 riders. This was my first competition and it was a great experience. From the schools that competed, Kristin came 10th out of a very competitive field of 23 secondary schools. Samuel McDonnell

North Island Secondary School

Cycling Champs

he Kristin Cycling team travelled down to Cambridge to compete in the North Island Secondary School Cycling Championships during the last weekend of June. Our young team of Joshua Burt, Rory Geare, Charles Michel, Thomas Trengrove and Charlie Watson-Jones entered into the 16-kilometre Senior Boys’ Team Time Trial event on day one of the competition in which they worked very well together to finish in 24th position. This is the first year that many of these riders have been racing together so it was a very respectable result and gives the team a fantastic platform to work from in their continued training. Kristin also had six cyclists represent the school in the North Island Secondary School Individual Road Race event on the Sunday. All of our competitors managed to finish the difficult course without major incident, and together they recorded some reputable results. Thomas Trengrove had the result of the day in his first year of competition, finishing 26th overall in a very strong field of riders. Charles Michel rode a fantastic race to lead the U17 Boys for much of the race, before an incredibly unfortunate incident saw him run off the road in the final sprint for the finish line. Well done to all Kristin’s cyclists who took part and an especially big thank-you to the parents who were a great help throughout the weekend. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Cycling

Determination on the Pitch Football is my passion – I can’t imagine my life without it; that’s not extreme, that’s passionate. After trialling in the July holidays I made it into what I had only dreamed of as a young footballer. I was selected to be part of the New Zealand U17 wider squad. From this group, a team will be selected after further trials from training two times weekly. The New Zealand U17 Football team, if successful in qualifying in Oceania, will compete at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi in November 2013. I have been involved in New Zealand Football’s regional representative programmes – United Soccer 1 (now Northern Football Federation) and Auckland Football Federation. From these representative programmes, I have further been selected into the National Talent Centre over the last two years – the pathway for national representation and becoming a professional footballer. The National Talent Centre’s focus is on all aspects of football: technical, tactical, physical, social/emotional and mental. It has been a great journey so far, but, at the same time, it has taken a lot of hard work and dedication. At least one-and-a-half hours each day is dedicated to football. Also, Kristin Football has played a huge role in my development as a player from Year 9 onwards. There is still much hard work ahead, but with ongoing development, together with focus and determination, I feel prepared for the challenge ahead. Marko Nuich

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Sports News

Regional Representatives Hockey

Burning Ambition

fter representing New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last year, Reid Harker returned to the senior ranks of Karting in New Zealand. His progression from the Junior division has meant that 2012 has been a year of development for the Year 12 student who has used the time to get up to speed, ready to launch a serious attack on the Rotax Challenge Senior Light class next year. Securing a 1st or 2nd place in this competition will mean instant qualification to represent New Zealand in Italy at the end of 2013. With a focus on development, Reid has recently completed the 2012 series with the final event in Rotorua where he ended the day in 5th position, battling throughout the race with the lead group and swapping places with current and past New Zealand champions. This was a great performance from Reid at the fast-paced Rotorua International KartSport track in the Mamaku Ranges. Frustrating chassis issues at an earlier event in Auckland were forgotten and his great result in the final round meant that Reid finished the series in 6th place overall. Reid has one final hurdle for the 2012 season: the North Island Champs in Taranaki, where he is aiming to finish in the top three to cap off a great year. It is Reid’s burning ambition to get into the recently formed NZ V8SuperTourers’ class and on to the Australian V8 series in coming years and he is certainly on target to achieve this. Cherry Webster, Director of Sport

North Harbour Zone Day Winners Selected students from each of the local school’s hockey teams competed against one another in the North Harbour Zone Days in June. With this year being the inaugural year of the Year 7 and 8 groups being split, the boys had some tough challenges against the rest of the North Shore. They played well in pool play and play-offs to progress to the final against Northcross unbeaten. It was an end-to-end game of hockey, with both teams playing well and scoring early on. It was Kristin, however, who scored in the last few minutes of the game and were too strong defensively to be breached again. Kristin held out to be eventual winners, 2-1. The Year 7 Girls finished in 2nd place and the Boys’ Year 8 team came 3rd. All of the Kristin teams worked really well together and were well deserving of these fantastic results. Simon Brill Head of Hockey

Our Kristin Hockey players have been making their mark on a regional level once again, with a large number of students from all levels being selected to represent North Harbour. Susannah Howlett, Julia Francis and the North Harbour U18 Girls’ B team which took out the championship at the Nationals in Wellington after being unbeatable throughout the round-robin stages, and Jonny and Robbie Capizzi, Kyle Greentree and Alexander Hanham were critical members of the North Harbour U18 Boys’ team which secured 3rd place at the same event. Alex followed up this performance by being named on the New Zealand U18 trial squad, the players of which will be vying for a place on the NZ team in November. Congratulations to the following students who have also been selected to represent North Harbour for 2012: North Harbour Boys’ U13A Connor Greentree, Ben Sellar, Patrick Stone North Harbour Boys’ U13B Connor Gauld North Harbour Girls’ U13A Maggie Hanham, Emily Maclean, Bridie McCullough, Laura McKissock North Harbour Girls’ U13B Zara Felstead North Harbour Boys’ U15A Peter Felstead, Connor Petrie, Harrison Stone North Harbour Boys’ U15B William Harman, Ante Tolich, Henry Will North Harbour Girls’ U15A Kelsey Lewis, Clodagh McCullough, Madeleine Williamson, Renee Wiltshire North Harbour Girls’ U15B Juliette Jenkins, Fritha Jones, Hattie Jones North Harbour Girls’ U18A Amy Smit, Hannah Williamson North Harbour Boys’ U18B Nathan Sycamore North Harbour Mens’ U21 Alexander Hanham

ISSUE No. 56

Ski Weekend at Ruapehu Saturday came so quickly we didn’t know what to expect but once we stepped outside and saw the mountain, we knew we were in for a treat. The air was crisp and cold as we hopped off the bus at the mountain car park. We set up base camp in Happy Valley, hired our gear, and then we were off, speeding at 1 km per hour up the mountain on the chairlift, admiring the amazing view. The snow was amazing, for skiers and snowboarders. We had fantastic snow school instructors who helped all of us, at any level. We spent the whole day on the mountain and when we were fully tired and couldn’t move at all, we finally went home to Kristin Lodge, had dinner and went to sleep, excited for what would come tomorrow. Sunday was just as good as Saturday, except we only had half the day and the other half was spent travelling back to Kristin in the van. Overall, I’d have to say this trip had been my favourite out of four and as usual, I’m hoping I can go on the next one. Marco Tyler-Rodrigue

Auckland Secondary Schools’ Snow Champs Kristin was exceptionally well represented at the Auckland Secondary Schools’ Snowboarding Championships at Snowplanet in August. We had fantastic results in the Giant Slalom with Sebastian Judge taking 1st place, Liam Whiley 2nd and Thomas Christie 3rd. In the Slopestyle event, Andrew Taylor secured 4th place and Seb Judge followed in 5th. Solid performances were contributed also by Sam Hassall, Stewart Campbell and Cairan Lee. The Northern Snowsports Ski Racing Interfield event brought home some great results too. Harrison Messenger came 1st in the E1 Boys’ event and Rhys Davies came 2nd in the K1 Boys’. This season Rhys was awarded an Emerging Talent scholarship from Snowplanet and Alex Jefferson was awarded a Black on White scholarship. These scholarships are awarded to young skiers in New Zealand who show promise and they cover some of the cost of their training fees. Overall, it was a fantastic way to kick off the season. Yvonne Walker Sport Manager, Snowsports

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

North Island Primary Schools

Snow Champs

den McKay produced the performance of the competition for Kristin at the North Island Primary School Ski Champs to take the Senior Girls’ Giant Slalom title for the fourth consecutive year, making her the first-ever girl to do so. All of Kristin’s representatives produced some fantastic results, with their hard work evident on the final scoreboard. Kristin Team 1 and Team 2 both finished on the podium in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The Kristin teams were: Kristin Team 1: Fraser Brownsey, Rhys Davies, Finlay Jackson, Eden McKay, Harrison Messenger Kristin Team 2: Caleb Brooke, Dylan Brooke, Sam Gentry, Anna-Lise Hinton, Grace Johnstone Our Snowboard team cleaned up, with Samuel Christie 1st, Joshua Arnold 3rd in the Senior Boys’, and Mitchell Davern placing 2nd in the Junior Boys’. Thank you to all the parents who supported us over the week - you were amazing, especially Ken who was Chief of Course for the Junior Boys’ event. Yvonne Walker Sport Manager, Snowsports

Secondary Ski Champions An astounding team performance has secured the North Island Secondary School Ski Championship for Kristin for the 5th consecutive year. Everyone in the team was exceptional, especially Laura and Sam who skied in number four and five spot; they had a hard job and made excellent points for the team. The winning team was made up of Conrad Barry, Sophie Corser, Laura Jackson, Alex Jefferson and Sam Tweedie. Our team produced some fantastic results also in the individual events: Name

Result

Event

Name

Result

Event

Sophie Corser

1st

Senior Girls’ Giant Slalom

Sam Tweedie

10th

Junior Boys’ Giant Slalom

Conrad Barry

2nd

Junior Boys’ Giant Slalom

Alex Jefferson

14th

Junior Girls’ Giant Slalom

Albert Todd

2nd

Junior Boys’ Slopestyle

Laura Jackson

23rd

Junior Girls’ Giant Slalom

Congratulations to all the students in the NISS Ski team. We are all very proud of you and to be NISS champions is an amazing achievement. We have now held the ski trophy since 2008 and our aim is to keep it for a few more years yet. We have some great talent coming through the ranks and just being selected into the Kristin Ski team is becoming quite a feat! Thanks to all the parents for their support, especially to John who was our Course Official on the first day and to Ken who did this job on the second day. Yvonne Walker Sport Manager, Snowsports

Sports News

Bachmann Orthodontics Sponsorship Kristin’s hockey and rugby teams have teamed up with Bachmann Orthodontics this year to provide the Premier teams with custom-fitted mouthguards. Rugby is responsible for the greatest proportion of ACC’s sportsrelated dental claims, with hockey also ranking highly, so providing our players with quality protective gear is important to guard against impact injuries and dental damage. Kristin Sport is most grateful to the team at Bachmann Orthodontics for this generous sponsorship, ensuring that our players are well protected and better able to focus on their game. Cherry Webster Director of Sport

Wanaka Experience

ach year, at the end of Term 2, a small group of Kristin’s hard-core ski racers and snowboarders relocate to Wanaka for three months to train and compete nationally in ski racing. Our group is made up of skiers Sophie Corser, Conrad Barry, Eden McKay and Sam Tweedie, and snowboarders Sam Christie, Sebastian Judge and Liam Whiley. This year we also had freestyle skier Albert Todd in our midst. Juggling the combination of full-time race training and school commitments is intense but it’s all part of the challenge. At the start of the season we quickly realise that we need to be super organised and focused or we’ll never survive! A typical day starts at 5am and by 6am we’re racing up the mountain for Super G training. By 7am it’s usually around minus 5 degrees and we’re sitting on the chairlifts at Cardrona in complete darkness anticipating the fresh snow (or hard packed ice) beneath us. We cannot see each other in the darkness on the slopes but we can hear each other yelling and laughing as we race down the mountain. As the sun rises we face a punishing schedule that would rival boot camp. A full day of race training on the mountain is followed by dry land training where coaches think nothing of making us do 100 push-ups on loose gravel as a warm-up. Those of us foolish enough to complain are told to do another 50! You’ve got to be tough to get through the training and by the end of the season that is exactly what we are. By 5pm we return to our homes desperate to rest, but we have skis to edge and wax and school work to get to. Training full time does not mean that we can forget about school work and sometimes it feels like every spare moment is spent on English, Maths or Science assessments. When not training, we’re competing at various events around the country including the National Championships at Mt Hutt, Coronet and Cardrona and the North Island Secondary Schools’ Championships at Ruapehu where we compete both individually and as a team. If we’re lucky, our training and commitment will pay off and we end the season with National Titles and a stash of medals and trophies. We are also stronger and fitter than we have ever been. We have made new friends from up and down the country and across the world, friendships that will be maintained throughout the year through Facebook to be renewed again next season. The life of a Snowsports athlete is definitely not for the faint-hearted but if you’ve got the stamina, drive, commitment and focus, it’s also a whole lot of fun! Conrad Barry

Table Tennis Zone Day Champions Our Year 7 and 8 Boys’ Table Tennis team produced some fantastic performances to take top honours at the North Harbour Table Tennis Zone Day Tournament. Kelly Wang was the designated singles player, and Bruce Zhang and Hector Fleming the designated doubles pair. The Kristin boys qualified for the quarter-finals after finishing 2nd in their pool. They comfortably beat Takapuna Normal Intermediate School 2 (TNIS 2) in their quarter-final match, which put them up against TNIS 1 in the semi-final. Kelly narrowly lost his singles match, however Bruce and Hector were too strong in the doubles so Kristin went through to the final, ahead by one point on countback. Kristin came up against Wairau Intermediate 1 in the final. Kelly overpowered his opponent 2-0 in the singles. The doubles was a very close match, eventually won by Wairau 2-1. Kristin won on countback, three sets to two, to become the North Harbour Table Tennis Zone Day Champions. Simon Mesritz Sport Manager, Table Tennis

ISSUE No. 56

Kristin Gymnasts

in the Medals across New Zealand

ristin Gymnasts have been taking top honours up and down the country over recent months. In both rhythmic and artistic events, our students have been representing the school and North Harbour across all levels. In June, Year 8 student Victoria Gancheva travelled to Lower Hutt to compete in the Wellington Rhythmic Open Championship in the Level 7 events. She was rewarded for her efforts with a 1st place in Clubs, a 2nd in Rope, a 3rd in Hoop and an overall result of 2nd place. She also received the Fyson Family Cup which is awarded to the non-Wellingtonbased gymnast who attains the highest average score across all levels. Her success at this event has qualified Victoria to move up to Level 8 next year. A few weeks following this event, Victoria was joined by a large contingent of Kristin gymnasts from the Junior School when they attended the Counties Manukau Invitational. Representing North Harbour, Victoria once again achieved 2nd place overall for the event. The three Kristin teams also made their mark with every single competitor winning a medal. Our Grade 1 team took Gold, our Grade 2 team took Silver and our Grade 4 team – competing against older, NZ elite-level gymnasts – took Bronze. The Kristin competitors were: Kristin Grade 1 team: Isabella Powell (Year 4), Zoe Chia (Year 3), Irina Johnston (Year 3), Grace Wei (Year 3) Kristin Grade 2 team: Alyssa Chia (Year 6), Bronte Heath (Year 4), Bella Johnson (Year 4), Leenie Kim (Year 4), Dasha Ruzich (Year 4) Kristin Grade 4 team: Alyssa Chia (Year 6), Harriet Powell (Year 6), Megan Kennedy (Year 5), Bronte Heath (Year 4) The next event on the calendar was at Spiralz Rhythmics in Hamilton. Once again Victoria dominated the Level 7 events, taking 1st place in Rope, 2nd in Ball, 3rd in Clubs and Hoop, and finishing 2nd overall for the event. Of the

Kristin teams, the Grade 1 team took 1st place overall and the Grade 2 and 4 teams both came home with 2nd for their respective levels. The Otago Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Dunedin brought similar results for the Kristin teams with our Grade 1 and 2 teams both finishing 1st overall and the Grade 4 group receiving 3rd in their first showing. Back on home turf in July, the Shore Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships offered our Kristin athletes the home-ground advantage against more than 200 competitors from New Zealand and Australia. At this event our Grade 2 girls were split into two teams – Red and Blue. Grade 2 Blue secured 1st overall, as did the Grade 1 girls, and Grade 2 Red came home in 3rd position. We also celebrated the success of Year 5 student Paris Hare who won 1st place overall in the Special Olympics category, and Victoria Gancheva won a Silver medal in the Australia – New Zealand Province Challenge. It was a great day for all of our Kristin girls. Not to be outdone, Ethan and Sam Dick have been making their presence felt in the Boys’ Artistic gymnastic events. Sam Dick (Year 6) had great success at the three North Harbour competitions he attended, placing 1st overall with a clean sweep of all the disciplines at both the KB Memorial Championships and the North Harbour Junior Levels Competition. He also placed 2nd overall at the Tri-Star Mason Gillespie Competition. Sam’s brother Ethan (Year 7) was competing as a Senior Gymnast for the first time at the Tri-Star Mason Gillespie Competition where he performed exceptionally well to take 1st on both the Floor and Pommel, 3rd on the Vault, 4th on the Rings and Parallel Bars, and 6th on the High Bar at Level 7 – this was enough to earn Ethan 4th place overall. With such consistently high results being produced across all levels, we look forward to seeing what heights these gymnasts can reach in their future events. Cherry Webster, Director of Sport

Karate Champion Isaac Hoshi is fighting his way to the top of Karate in New Zealand. The Year 10 student won Gold for the Kumite and Kata divisions, first at the Auckland Secondary Schools’ Champs and then again at the National Secondary School competition. He then went on to be placed 2nd in Kata and 3rd in Kumite (14-15 years) at the National Karate Championships. Here, his solid performance impressed the national selectors who subsequently named him for the Oceania competition in Sydney in September. Isaac shone at the Oceania Championships which brought together fighters from Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia and New Zealand. He won Gold medals in the Cadet Kumite (64kg), the Cadet Kata, the Team Kumite and the Junior Team Kata. Isaac’s New Zealand team led the Gold medal tally with 35 Gold medals in total, outstripping the Australians who were 2nd, with 31. Cherry Webster, Director of Sport

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Sports News

New Zealand Secondary Schools

Weightlifting Champs

ristin was represented by two athletes, Alex McRobie (Year 13) and Cameron McTaggart (Year 10), at the 2012 New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Olympic Weightlifting Championships in September. Both boys were well prepared and produced medalwinning performances. Despite sustaining a wrist injury, Alex secured a Bronze medal for both the 94kg division and the Over 16 category, placing him 21st overall. Cameron continued his recent good form to take the overall Gold medal in the Under 16 category, 2nd in his 56kg class and 3rd across all weight categories and ages. Both of the lifters who finished ahead of Cameron in the overall placings are three years his senior, making Cameron’s results all the more impressive. The boys’ combined points meant that they were the 5th-placed team. Cherry Webster, Director of Sport

Cameron McTaggart – Oceania Youth Champ Cameron McTaggart blitzed his competition at the Oceania Youth Weightlifting Championships which were held in Samoa in June. Not only did he bring home Gold in his division, he also reset two Oceania and seven New Zealand records. The Commonwealth Youth Championships were held concurrently and in this event Cameron secured a Silver medal. Cameron lifted a 70kg snatch and 81kg clean and jerk to total 151kg, which is well above the 145kg required for elite status.

AKSS Swimming Championships Kristin was strongly represented at the Auckland Secondary School Swimming Championships held at Westwave Aquatic Centre on Sunday 5 August. Kristin swimmers Taylor Gauld, Olivia Williams and Finn and Archer Roelants all competed at the event and did the school very proud. Taylor recorded some personal-best times, finishing 11th in the 50m Butterfly, 6th in the 50m Freestyle, and 8th in the 100m Freestyle event. He produced his best performance in the Junior Boys’ 100m Butterfly where he placed a commendable 3rd overall. Olivia produced some great swimming also, finishing 5th in the Junior Girls’ 50m Butterfly, 8th in the 50m Freestyle and a fantastic 2nd in the 50m Backstroke event. Finn swam consistently well, finishing 5th in the Intermediate Boys’ Backstroke, 6th in the 100m Freestyle and 6th in the 50m Butterfly. In addition, he managed to step up to the challenge and take out 1st place in the highly demanding 100m Butterfly event. Archer - not to be outdone - achieved 1st place in both the Intermediate Boys’ 50m Butterfly with a time of 25.97 and the 100m Individual Medley event with a time of 1:03.38. Clearly, Archer’s ankle injury did not seem to affect his swimming performance. It is obvious that Kristin is still a force to be reckoned with when it comes to swimming. Well done to all the swimmers who competed and a big thank-you to the parent-helpers on the day. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Swimming

Synchronised Swimming The Oceania Synchronised Swimming Championships held in Noumea this year was the largest Synchronised Swimming competition ever held at the Oceania Championships, with approximately 70 competitors participating from Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand. Katie Meadows, Year 10, won Bronze in the 1315 Duet event and her Free Combination team placed 5th. This was a great achievement for Katie in such distinguished company.

ISSUE No. 56

NZ Reps in the Pool The success of Kristin Water Polo is growing. Our Senior Premier squad finished 5th in the National tournament, one spot higher than the previous year, and our Junior players are developing well, as demonstrated by their win in the B grade this season. As well as these team successes, we have also celebrated the achievements of our players who compete in their regional representative teams. Anton Sunde (Year 12) and Daniel Marsden (Year 11) are members of the New Zealand U16 Boys’ team which played a three-game series against the Queensland State U16 team. The New Zealand team had a brilliant tournament, winning all three games as well as the Trans-Tasman Challenge Cup. Anton also joined Thomas Kingsmill (Year 13) in the New Zealand U18 Youth Men’s team which went up against the highly ranked Australian NSW State side. This was the first time that this three-game series has been played and it was a great opportunity for the NZ team as they prepare for the FINA World Youth Men’s Competition later this year. The NZ team put in a fantastic effort, winning two of the games and the inaugural Youth Men’s TransTasman Trophy. Grace Tobin (Year 10) played in the New Zealand U15 Girls’ team that played a one-off game against the Queensland U15 squad. The NZ girls proved too strong for their opposition and won the game convincingly. The team also played in a three-test series against NSW Combined High Schools. Once again the NZ girls dominated the series, winning all three games and the Trans-Tasman Shield. Sinead Seo (Year 10) and Jessica Marsden (Year 9) were in the North Harbour U14A Girls’ team that competed in the Pan Pacific Youth Tournament. The team had a fantastic tournament, going through unbeaten to win the final against Tauranga and take out the Gold medal. North Harbour Water Polo 2012 Representatives: U20A Men’s - Thomas Kingsmill, Anton Sunde U18A Men’s - Thomas Kingsmill, Anton Sunde U18B Men’s - Daniel Marsden U16A Boys’ - Bruno Gentile, Daniel Marsden, Anton Sunde U16B Boys’ - Tom Hunter U16B Girls’ - Jessica Marsden U16C Girls’ - Megan Kemp, Jessica Marsden, Sinead Seo U14A Boys’ - James Erskin U14B Boys’ - Henry Dick, Fred Gibel U14C Boys’ - Harvey Aitken U14A Girls’ - Jessica Marsden, Sinead Seo U14B Girls’ - Megan Kemp, Casey Howell, Eden Wallace U12 - Harvey Aitken, Oliver Bell, Jordan Kemp, Rachel Marsden, Sarah Swanepoel Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Water Polo

Junior Water Polo The Junior Boys’ Water Polo team had a fantastic season culminating in a 2-1 win against Westlake Boys B in the B Grade Final. The newly formed team gelled incredibly well throughout the season and improved enormously from their efforts in Term 1. Their skills, stamina, teamwork and knowledge of the game improved under the expert guidance of Coach Nick Payne and the hard work of the players. The team, comprising Jack Anderson, Eddie Armstrong, Michael Atkinson-Norton, Fraser Cotterill, Henry Dick, James Erskine, Grant Holtes and John Mosheim supported by Molly Hunter, Sinead Seo and Jessica Marsden, was well deserving of their final win after what had been an excellent team performance under pressure. Graeme McKinnon Sport Manager, Water Polo

SPRING/SUMMER 2012

Northern Bays Cluster Winter

Sports Day

nce again Kristin hosted the Northern Bays Cluster Winter Sports Day where 11 local primary schools came together to compete in five different sports; netball, hockey, rugby, mini-ball and football. The focus of the day, as always, was on fun, participation and sportsmanship and all of the students did their schools proud. Kristin achieved a place in three different sports: 2nd in mini-ball (narrowly losing in a tight contest to RidgeView School), 3rd in football and 3rd in hockey, demonstrating great teamwork and competent skills in many areas. I was impressed by the team effort displayed by all of our students who represented Kristin with pride and determination. In hockey we saw mature passing moves from the defence through to the goalscorers. The footballers were causing opposition teams to rethink their strategies with our nippy skills and deft touches of the ball. Our netballers contested every ball, working the space well. The rugby boys got up off the ground time and time again to take it to the opposition teams, with the reward of a try coming in their very last game. The mini-ballers showed skill and determination, coming from behind to nearly clinch the final. Thank you to all the coaches for their work with the teams, as well as to the Sport Managers and ground staff for the day’s preparation and, of course, to the referees. Fiona Ackroyd Junior School Sports Co-ordinator

Sports News

St Peter’s Winter

Sports Exchange

t has been a tough year for the annual Winter Sports Exchange against St Peter’s School. The Seniors were playing at home and came away with resounding victories for the Boys’ Premier Basketball team, 92-29, and the 1st XI Boys’ Hockey, 7-1. The Girls’ Basketball team had a closely-fought match, going down by only five points, 59-54, in the final minutes in a game that could have gone either way. The Middle School teams travelled to Cambridge to compete and Year 9/1 Netball was victorious, winning 35-24, and the Boys’ Basketball team had a very evenly matched game, eventually losing 3840. The Year 7 and 8 Football team had a 4-4 draw as did Year 8/1 Netball team, 13-13. Cherry Webster Director of Sport

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