2022•EDITIONWINTERWIDESKY THE RANGI RURU BI-ANNUAL MAGAZINE GROWING THE CHANGE Rangatahi taking action for Papatūānuku IMPERFECT ACTIVISM Making a collective impact—flaws and all THE ETHICS OF CHANGE The powerful and important role of perspective
2022 EDITOR’SWIDENOTESKY
EDITOR AND COMMUNICATIONSMANAGER
Winter
As Head of School Maggie Craw says on page 5, to be the change you don’t need to start an international not-forprofit by the end of the year. Instead, Maggie and many of our clever contributors make the case for many hands making light work. Or, as passionate activist Nora Quigley calls it on page 6, “imperfect activism”.
As our students tell us, being the change can be changing your perception of others and gaining some perspective— something the Philosophy classroom has a lot to do with, as we learn on page 22. To some of our contributors, being the change is about adapting and growing from the curveballs thrown our way— and speaking out when those curveballs don’t live up to our expectations of what’s fair. Like Mandy Anderson, our Director of Sport, who calls out gender equality in school sport on page 30. On page 8 we also learn more about RangiX, the exciting new innovation and entrepreneurship programme designed to help our Rangi Ruru graduates thrive in an ever-changing world. We get a sneak peek into the innovative businesses of our Young Enterprise Scheme students on page 36, and, on pages 24 and 34, glimpse behind the curtain of musical and theatre arts history—important tools for sharing stories of change around the world. Happy reading! Words by Morgan Tait
This issue of Wide Sky aims to share with our wider school whānau how students, teachers, leaders and community members experience being the change. We hear from students about the causes important to them and how they’re taking action.
As a school designed to empower girls through education 130-odd years ago, Rangi Ruru has always been the change. These days, the sentiment Be the Change joins Be You, Be Your Best and Belong as the four pillars which underpin what makes Rangi Ruru unique.
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O ne of our four pillars is Be the Change—a call to action for all of us that we can all be positive agents of change. What we know is that one of life’s constants is change. Ready or not, it happens every day. We grow older, technology reinvents itself and, given the current state of the world that we are living in, Covid-19 has forced us to accept change and adapt. It is true that some people relish change and seek it constantly while others try to resist, seeing it as scary and uncomfortable or something to avoid at all costs. Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in theThisworld.”means that we must set an example and implement the right kind of changes in order to make the world a beautiful place.In other words, if we want to see a change; we should be the one to do it first for ourselves. This challenges us as leaders and teachers that we need to ensure we are creating the type of environment that will foster this growth mindset within our students so that each can have a voice and be heard and be given the opportunity to be an agent of change. At Rangi Ruru we recognise the importance of allowing our students to challenge the status quo and to bring about positive changes to make a difference, not only for themselves, but for other students and their community. We recognise that change gives them the opportunity to learn and grow; it forces them into new roles, new ways of doing and being and, ultimately, it causes them to evaluate and reflect on what is important as they develop through their adolescent years as they are forming their own values about life. It’s encouraging them that no matter their age or stage they can make a difference and even a small change can be significant. Through this latest edition of Wide Sky you will see many examples of how we are being the change both as individuals and collectively. I hope that you will enjoy reading our latest magazine.Finally, I leave you with this thought and I wonder how you would answer it in terms of what you see as being the significant change that we need to see in our world: “If a genie with a magic lamp granted you one request, one wish for something important to change in the world, what change would you ask for?”
CHANGE GROWTHAS
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Words by Dr Sandra Hastie SCHOOL PRINCIPAL We must set an example and implement the right kind of changes in order to make the world a beautiful place.
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Our senior leadership team introduced the student theme for this year, Ignite Your Light, in conjunction with the school theme, Be the Change. Our hope is that Ignite Your Light can be interpreted differently by each student to make it individual to them. To me, Ignite Your Light follows the theme of being the change. To Ignite Your Light means to find the spark within yourself and let it shine out unapologetically.Tome,thisis how real change is made. Change is implemented when you can say that you believe in the cause and are prepared to do the mahi and bring about real change. Although, change doesn’t have to mean starting a non-profit charity by the end of the year! Change can be personal allowing yourself to reach your goals whether they may be joining a school sports team, trying out a new instrument or getting a certain grade on an assignment.Whendescribing the theme to the school at the start of the year I used a firework analogy. A firework is just a cardboard box, no-one knows what’s waiting inside. However, through the action of striking a match, the fire has been lit—and the story doesn’t end there.
The flame still needs to travel from the match to the fuse, then travel along the fuse before the sparklers are lit and eventually there is a beautiful light show and massive noise as the fireworks’ colours and sounds are shared with the world. The student leadership team wanted to let the school know that they were all individual fireworks and that they all have the ability to be the change in their own lives. By igniting your light you are letting your true colours shine, because in truly being yourself you are changing the world one day at a time, whether you know it or not. 2022, it has such a fantastic ring to it! Twenty twentytwo, two thousand and twenty-two. In numerology the number means “hope is ahead”—I found this staggeringly fitting considering the lockdowns during 2020 and 2021. Hope is what got us through the tough times, but, as my dad once told me (when teaching me how to drive), “Hope is not a strategy!”.
Words by Maggie Craw HEAD OF SCHOOL 2022
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R angi X: LIFEIDEASBRINGINGTO WIDE SKY WINTER 20228
Words by Owen Flattery
And Kendall Flutey, Co-Founder and CEO of Banqer, a financial education platform for primary and secondary students.
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O ne approach we are embarking on this year is the development of an exciting initiative, RangiX, which will officially launch later in the year and will augment the fantastic programmes currently running at RangiWhenRuru.I ask myself what it means to be the change, I think of what is at the heart of RangiX; learning at the intersection of innovation, entrepreneurship and technology. We will talk more about this holy trinity of RangiX over the coming months and while this may sound like a techcentric programme, it is underpinned by the development of human skills and I believe, embodies what it means to be the Entrepreneurshipchange. is weaved into our DNA here at Rangi Ruru. It has been a part of our 130-oddyear story since day dot. A cultural meme of our identity which manifested the moment the Gibson family decided change was necessary, and courageously went about bringing Rangi Ruru to life.So why is entrepreneurship a key pillar of RangiX? Firstly, it is an effective avenue to explore future-ready skills. It is also an authentic opportunity to develop human skills. And as the world becomes more technological, what becomes more valuable are the human skills and traits that bind us; communication, creativity and collaboration; empathy, trust, courageousness, resilience and Secondly,kindness. as students learn to be entrepreneurial, they learn to be innovative, they learn to be opportunity-obsessed, to find problems worth solving and develop a skillset to create something deeply personal and bring an idea to life. Because at its heart, entrepreneurship is about finding opportunities to solve problems, to add value, to make the world a better place. Simply, to be the change. We do not have to look far to find inspirational Rangi Ruru alumni who have embarked on their own entrepreneurial odyssey beyond the gates, and embody the philosophy of Be the Change.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Future of Education and Skills 2030 report identifies the growing need for students to learn to be innovative to create new value. It identifies this as a states:competencytransformativeand“Toprepare for 2030, people should be able to think creatively, develop new products and services, new jobs, new processes and methods, new ways of thinking and living, new enterprises, new sectors, new business models and new social models.
HEAD OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
For example: Emily Blythe, Founder and CEO of Pyper Vision which uses drones to disperse flight-disrupting fog at airports.
As students learn to be entrepreneurial, they learn to be innovative, they learn to be opportunity obsessed, to find problems worth solving and develop a skillset to create something deeply personal and bring an idea to life.
How might we better provide learning that equips our students with the skill sets, toolsets and mindsets to thrive in their lives, to live and work effectively in a future with increasing uncertainty and technological ubiquity and empower them to be changemakers that bend their futures?
“Increasingly, innovation springs not from individuals thinking and working alone, but through cooperation and collaboration with others to draw on existing knowledge to create new knowledge. The constructs that underpin the competency include adaptability, creativity, curiosity and openmindedness.”Thedevelopment of RangiX is an entrepreneurial endeavour in itself. We will be continually testing and improving as we learn what works best based on student experience and the needs of the changing world.Itis a part of our strategy to be a force for change in what a meaningful, modern education looks like and we are excited for what its future holds.
The Rangi Ruru students’ efforts combined raised an impressive $7,200 for the charity which went towards research, information awareness, advocacy and patient support programmes. “I got involved with starting a Shave for a Cure campaign at school after finding out a close friend’s mum is fighting cancer,” says Riannon (Year 12). “I wanted to show my support to my friend and had already been wanting to shave my head for a while and figured, ‘Why not do it for a cause?’.”
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Some of us may assume having a shaved head would not be something many teens would willingly sign up for, but that was not the case for those involved.“Ididn’t hold that much of an attachment to my
O n a late winter’s day in August 2021, hundreds of Rangi Ruru students packed into the school gym to cheer on six of their classmates shaving their heads. This is not a scene many people may expect, but for those six students—Riannon Holmnowsky, Mia CotterellBone, Danielle Milliken, Anna Bedggood, Pippa Anderson and Alex Irvine — it was an important moment.
Last year, six Rangi Ruru students raised an impressive $7,200 for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand by boldly shaving their heads. One of those students, Riannon Holmnowsky, tells us what inspired the shave-off and what she has learnt from the experience.
The students went under the clippers for Shave for a Cure, an annual fundraising campaign which sees Kiwis lop off their hair in solidarity with the eight Kiwis a day diagnosed with blood cancer. If those patients undergo chemotherapy there is a good chance they will lose their hair, which can be a daunting, difficult and isolating experience.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AND
And change is what has happened, as seeing the impact her actions can have inspired Riannon to get behind other causes important to her. “This year I’ve started getting more involved with tree planting and being part of the school edible garden.“Though it isn’t as drastic as the Shave for a Cure fundraiser was, it’s still very fulfilling to be a part of that community and help with the regeneration of native plant species and grow produce to give to Women’s Refuge for those less fortunate than we are.”
The group’s Shave for a Cure campaign didn’t only teach Riannon about how she can be the change through her actions (and how cold it can be with little hair), she also learnt more about the practicalities of fundraising. The power of social media amplified the group’s bold idea, she says. “I spread the word mainly on Facebook and I think the reason we received so much support is that what we were doing was so different from other fundraising activities. A no uniform day or a bake sale are great ways to raise money for important causes in one day, but because we had the fundraising account set up for a few months we had all that extra time to gain support.” And, another shave is not out of the question, either. “I plan to do Shave for a Cure again, but probably next year to give my hair time to gain some length again. I think now that I’ve already done it once I’ll know better ways to go about promoting fundraising and going about the organisation of the event differently.”
Words by Morgan Tait WIDE SKY EDITOR
hair to begin with so the thought of losing it wasn’t daunting to me,” says Riannon. The experience was instead a way to show support to a friend and an important cause. “I think it’s important that we all try to be the change in some way even if it’s not something as drastic as shaving your hair off,” she says. “If everyone does one little thing they feel passionate about, whether it’s tree planting, running a fundraiser or anything else to support something bigger than ourselves—even if it’s something that doesn’t seem like it will make that much of a difference—all those little things will add up to something big and that’s how change happens.”
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“Our gardening group helps plants and people. The plants release oxygen into the atmosphere, absorb CO², provide habitat and food for wildlife and regulate the water cycle. We give the produce we grow to help women and children in need. It gives me joy to know that we help others and the environment at the same time.”
LibbyRiversbyWordsKateandSheehy DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY AND ECO-ACTION INITIATIVE | HEAD OF EDIBLE GARDEN INITIATIVE
EMILY BURT, SUSTAINABILITYSISTER,YEAR7
E xtending our aroha, showing compassion and building a sense of kotahitanga towards a common goal are key concepts developed through sustainability initiatives at Rangi Ruru. Students practice both environmental and social sustainability and evidence of this can be seen in action at our onsite nursery where flourishing potted native trees, shrubs and grasses grow alongside lush vegetable gardens. Our Eco-Action Nursery is part of a wider community initiative, a collaboration of 20 schools, a retirement village and community gardens. Together we are growing 20,000 native plants in 2022 for the red zone, helping our community help itself by developing an asset that will last for generations to come. The native forest we plant is providing a habitat and food for native birds and lizards and sequestering carbon to help mitigate climate change. A large and enthusiastic team of Rangi Ruru students learn about horticulture by propagating seeds, growing plants and making irrigation systems. Our Edible Garden Initiative involves students of all ages working alongside each other growing fruit and vegetables onsite. These are donated to organisations supporting wāhine and tamariki in need in Ōtautahi. In the nursery you hear the gentle hum of bees from our school hive and can see a garden full of pohuehue recently established specifically to help provide food and habitat for our local endemic and endangered Boulder Copper butterfly. For our students these initiatives are instilling the capability of being sincere and selfless, and nurturing an ability to look outward. Walking the talk, working hard and showing generosity of spirit helps us to create better futures for people, our native fauna and flora and Papatūānuku Mother Earth. Ngā mihi maioha to the many students in our Caring and Active Rangi Environmentalists (Care) team for their time and passion!
JESS GLASS, ECO ACTION WARRIOR, YEAR 12 “Bee the Change, to me – it’s about doing the little things every day to improve our environment.”
“The sustainable opportunities at Rangi have only fuelled my desire to help be the change for the planet and do my part to mitigate climate change. I seek to be the change by encouraging others to get involved as I personally believe we can create the most impactful and positive environmental change if everyone within the community is making a conscious effort to do their part.”
AMELIE DE LUCA, BEEHIVE MANAGER, YEAR 8
Instilling a deep care and respect for people and the natural world form the foundations of our school sustainability philosophy. Growing food for local women and tamariki in need through our Edible Garden Initiative and regenerating native forests with Eco-Action are two ways we bring this philosophy to life.
“To me, being the change means getting out and doing the mahi to make our community a greener place.”
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“To me, being an Eco-Action Warrior and working with others in the edible garden isn’t just about creating a sustainable future or building new leadership skills, it’s about being a voice and giving a voice to others.”
MARY-JEAN LINTON, ECO ACTION WARRIOR, YEAR 12
ALICE GAMBRILL, STUDENT HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY, YEAR 13
Iti te matakahi, pangāia ki te Tōtara pakaru ai
The wedge may be small but it will split the greatest Tōtara Students from across the school share what being the change means to them and how they are taking steps to embody those changes they wish to see.
BEING THE CHANGE AT RANGI RURU
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Sophie Martin, Year 10 I am being the change by turning lights off when not needed and not using as many packaged foods that are wrapped in plastic.
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To me, being the change means putting in the effort and making small daily changes to benefit the environment. This could be anything from picking up an ice cream wrapper on the beach to biking to school. To be the change I regularly attend tree planting, pick up rubbish when I see it, bike to school every day and encourage others to do the same. I’m also conscious of the impacts of single-use plastics, and I strive to use recycled plastics whenever I can, from yoghurt containers to polar fleeces. I’ve recently switched to using bar soaps, bar shampoo and bar conditioner to avoid all the plastic bottles. I think it’s important to think about the small lifestyle choices you make each day and consider the environmental effect of everything you do.
Being the change means to me taking action and taking steps forward to achieve aspirations and goals for the future. It is making an effort to change for the better. I am being the change by taking action in climate change by attending weekly tree plantings and clean-ups in Christchurch. I enjoy attending these events as I know that I’m doing my part to reduce climate change and I hope to inspire others to do the same.
Liv Monkman, Year 13
Ruby Trewinnard, Year 10
Olivia Marshall, Year 7 I think “Be the Change” is really trying your best and doing what you love. I’m in Year 7 so I want to be an example for the future Year 7s and to help my class and myself succeed this year. I am also the form captain of 7AL so I am the eyes and ears of my class, if they have ideas I will put them forward and try and make them happen.
I am being the change by attending tree planting bi-weekly for the past two years, which has given me the opportunity to enhance my leadership skills and ignite change in our whānau. Eco-Action Nursery Trust’s tree plantings continuously aid me in improving my mental health and wellbeing. By being hands-on and contributing to the fight against climate change I have an increasingly positive outlook regarding our planet’s future.
Connie Zhou, Year 8
To me Be the Change is to take a stand for things you don’t believe are right and taking leadership within your peers. To be the change I’m taking leadership within my classes by helping out where and when I can.
Tyla Gilberd, Year 9
To me being the change means trying to help in a positive way. I am trying to be the change by saying hello, smiling and holding doors for people.
Harshini Sajja, Year 10
Being the change to me means taking one step forward to solving a problem, even if it may not seem that significant. If one big group of people take a step forward, big things can happen. To be the change I am helping people in need, for example helping out at a restaurant where there is a huge staff shortage.
Harriette Jolly, Year 12
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To me, being the change is being yourself and not being someone else.
Catherine O’Gara, Year 8
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I’m embodying the change I wish to see through my everyday actions, conversations and ideas. Because habitual change accumulates to intergenerational change. I always aim to make sure that I’m being the change by enabling others to do so too.
Lottie Blake-Manson, Year 12
Tessa Langman, Year 10
Nora Quigley, Year 13
I am the Eco-Action Leader and Co-Head of Environment Club. Eco-Action volunteering has provided me a way to make a positive difference in the world. We help at every stage of growing from planting seeds to putting plants in the ground. Being involved in sustainability has empowered me to speak at community events and to lead others.
Being the change means to me always bringing your best skills, traits and optimism to a task whether it’s a self-inspiring one, group one or even being a small change in the world. To be the change I’m helping keep our Whaea Papatūānuku beautiful by using the right rubbish bins and always picking up rubbish when I can.
Alicia Webster, Year 13
I have been able to be the change through the Edible Garden Initiative. I have been able to change my mental health and improve my attitude while helping sustain our environment and helping women in need.
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O ur focus has long been to encourage Rangi Ruru students to seek opportunities to be the change through volunteering and recognise these acts don’t have to be large scale, but in fact, regular smaller contributions can be just as powerful. At Rangi Ruru, our students contribute in a variety of ways from helping in our preschool, tree planting, rubbish clean ups, fundraising, food collections, coaching, tutoring and most recently in Covid-19 vaccination clinics. Since the start of 2021 until May, Rangi Ruru students volunteered nearly 15,000 hours of service alongside donations of food products and money.
The exciting thing about volunteering is that you can find your passion and run with it. You meet a range of people and momentum builds. Recent research by the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) has found that volunteering in service initiatives has helped young people grow confidence, social skills and a sense of connection with their community. These findings are echoed by the experiences of our students. Such as Year 13 student Aleshya Grant who says service opportunities at Rangi Ruru have empowered her to take action, meet new people and explore new skills and activities. “There is so much power in volunteering because you can help make a difference regardless if it’s big or small,” says Aleshya. “There’s a community within volunteering that’s so welcoming and encouraging. I have found a sense of belonging within groups such as SVA which not only help others but they help establish connections with a variety of people who are incredible,” she says. “Currently, there are endless volunteering opportunities from knitting hats for babies in NICU to planting native trees. Everyone can get stuck in. Once you find your niche, it’s such an amazing experience that is unforgettable. Every action counts.”Iamencouraged by the way our students seek opportunities to provide service and then bring others along with them. Through their contributions they are really making a difference and are very much being the change.
Head of Community Meg Crump says Share Your Spark Week was a way to brighten up Term 1, which was again disrupted by Covid-19 and of course marked by the terrible news from Ukraine. “I had noticed how hard everyone had found this term and I thought it would be a fun idea to have a super fun end of term to end on a good note. Like all of us I had been reading about what was going on in Ukraine and wanted to help out any way that we could.”
Research-Backed Change-Making
Head of Service Holly Lill suggested the charity Relief Aid, and Meg says the combined council members came up with the ideas to raise money.
CONFIDENCE, SVA RESEARCH 2022 SERVICE HELPS STUDENTS GROW $1,000+ RAISED FOR UKRAINE Share Your Spark Week 2022 5,000 2021 NATIVE TREES & SHRUBS grown on campus 15,000+ service hours by Rangi students, 2021 to May 2022 Global Citizens Already in 2022, students have been involved in a multitude of service activities and initiatives. During Share Your Spark Week, organised by the Community and Service councils, more than $1000 was raised for ReliefAid, a New Zealand charity which sends aid like medical and food supplies and shelter materials directly into war zones. Students sold blue and gold ribbons, Easter-themed hot chocolates and spiders and held a PJ-themed day to raise the funds. The initiative—which follows the student school theme for 2022, Ignite Your Light—was so popular that the ribbons were sold out within 30 minutes on day one!
Words by Janette Frier ACTING HEAD OF COMMUNITY
Students Leading the Way Our student leaders have displayed ingenuity and creativity in the range of activities they provided throughout lockdown and later at school when having Be the Change? Yes, indeed! Throughout this lengthy period of pandemic-induced instability we understood the “why” and, as befits the Rangi Ruru spirit, worked collaboratively to ensure staff and student wellbeing remained at the forefront of all decision-making.
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P revious unprecedented events in Christchurch had provided us with practice and we knew that maintaining a sense of control would help us deal with the changes. So, with the benefit of experience, we modelled: keeping to the rules, flexibility, adaptability, togetherness, resilience, leadership and optimism to our students, families and the wider community.
Encouraging Connection
During the period of lockdown in 2020 we recognised how disorienting school closure can be. We accepted uncertainty and normalised any distress that our community might be experiencing by providing mental health resources and activities to encourage feelings of connection rather than isolation, self-efficacy rather than vulnerability and anxiety and gratitude rather than catastrophising and negative thinking.Self-care checklists, senior student and staff-initiated competitions and regular communications with tutors and Deans ensured holistic wellbeing was given priority because whanaungatanga (relationships) matter most. Establishing structure and clear routines, connecting and practising self-care were our cornerstones. Learning and finding joy through exercise, being outdoors, artistic pursuits, family time, playing, cooking and virtual socialising were integrated into the daily programme. When we returned to school we openly acknowledged feelings and reflected on the best and the worst things about lockdown and online learning and talked about what we missed, had learned and looked forward to. These discussions helped us all to manage our wellbeing, not only through the following phases of Covid-19 but also when faced with the wider impact of global issues that threaten our equanimity and sense of normality.Wehave certainly enhanced our capacity to care and act in the interests of others, our perseverance and our problemsolvingWhereverskills. possible we enabled sports, cultural and learning activities outside the classroom to go ahead with appropriate risk mitigation firmly in place.
New Ways of Connecting Earlier this year, while we missed being able to bring the whole school together, we recognised the importance of continuing to provide the sense that every student is known and cared for and maintaining our feeling of togetherness and connection by live-streaming assemblies and chapel services and being undaunted by the restrictions on activities. We’re just connecting in a different kind of way. We feel proud that throughout the past two and a half years we have remained a highly-functioning and cohesive organisation. We’ve been able to keep the whole school open whenever permitted and haven’t had to resort to year levels or classes being scheduled home.
Mahi Tahi Rangi Ruru has remained a safe and connected haven with a strong sense of belonging and community, due in most part to our mahi tahi (teamwork) and the supportive and resilient attitude of students and staff. We adapt to and welcome change, strong in the knowledge that we are a high-performance team who collaborate, listen to and support one another and are the best we can be in every situation. He waka eke noa! We are all in this canoe together! We have certainly enhanced our capacity to care and act in the interests of others, our perseverance and our problem-solving skills.
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to practise social distancing, being restricted to outdoor activities—and no singing!“We’re not allowing Covid-19 to take away our focus around being the change and our hopes for the year,” says Head of School Maggie Craw, on behalf of the Student Leadership Team. “We’ve modelled to younger students that we don’t give up in difficult times. The new Korakora Awards are a way to celebrate the small successes; Happy Tuesdays have brought the school together and around school there’s a positive vibe which allows students to get their minds off covid.”Student Head of Wellbeing Shahd Khanafer says entering the third year of the pandemic as student leaders has inspired the “Wegroup.never thought we would experience a global pandemic in our lives especially while being in high school. However, this has taught us to be more resilient with every obstacle we face in school along with having a more optimistic view on everything we do with our roles. “Disappointments encouraged us to push harder to amplify our ideas and make things even better than before.”
Words Stephanieby Barnett DEPUTY PRINCIPAL – CARE AND DEVELOPMENT
Fellow Year 13 student and student Head of Community Meg Crump agrees. “I started learning about it in Year 7 so it has really helped me see different perspectives going through high school with relationships and learning. “We talk about what’s morally right and that really relates to Be the Change. For example, not ignoring things going on in the world because we’re a small country. Raising money for different things, being aware, having conversations–it’s important.”
Leadership Foundations
ll action begins with an idea. And in the Philosophy classroom, students begin discussing the ideas which make up their beliefs and worldviews as soon as they start at Rangi Ruru. “Philosophy class really broadens your mindset on a lot of stuff,” says Year 13 student Lucy Aitken. “The whole point of Philosophy is to evaluate each side and not make a set decision but to be able to say, ‘These are the benefits of this view and these are benefits of this view’. So it helps you to realise there’s a lot of different reasonings for things rather than just what your mindset is.”
helped her in her leadership role. “Often stuff isn’t as black and white as we think it is and I think that is really valuable to the idea of being the change, because you can’t just say, ‘this is right and this is wrong’— you have to work together.
As the student Head of Arts, Lucy says what she has learnt in Philosophy class has Understanding the perspectives of others is a powerful problem-solving tool and cultivates empathy—an important catalyst when it comes to enacting change. At Rangi Ruru, the Philosophy classroom is a place where students discover, dissect and discuss the many viewpoints comprising the issues they seek to address.
“Especially with my role [as Head of Arts], I consider everyone’s feelings on something because you realise that what might be best for me isn’t going to be best for the community I represent. I have to think, ‘What does this part of the arts need? And what does this part of the arts need?’ Instead of just what I need.” Philosophy is part of the compulsory Te Ara programme at Rangi Ruru which also includes Health, Tikanga Māori, life skills, media studies and journalism, psychology, leadership and enterprise, and evolves
they have to make in life”. “For example, what are they going to do with their life—all the energy and effort, what is it all for in the end? Part of it here is, to quote President of Ireland Michael D Higgins, ‘You don’t just exist to be useful’. I try to push that idea with our students, too, that they haven’t just been educated for employment; they have been educated as people and they can make change in a whole bunch of areas of their life – not just in their employment. “Nevertheless, it is in their professional lives that would probably be the place they could make the most change. So we look at an Australian philosopher Peter Singer who looks at effective altruism – trying to do the most good one can with what one has.” Mr Sloss says he often sees his studentsPhilosophyheadinto posthigh school pathways such as law, political studies and psychology. Despite those pathways which may include further study of the subject, he says the biggest takeaway students have from his classes may be the way they embody what they have learnt. “They’re embodying a whole bunch of different things, primarily our school values, but I guess the way they embody those values through their actions is, I would hope, tempered somewhat by the philosophy. “Frances Bacon said, ‘knowledge is power’, and so I think part of that power is not just an intellectual power but having an ethical framework; realising you’re part of a moral community with responsibilities and obligations.“Thoseresponsibilities and obligations are not just in the abstract—they’re very practical everyday responsibilities that we have to one another and how we treat one another.” That sentiment is echoed by Meg, who says Philosophy class has impacted the way she seeks to be the change.
LUCY AITKEN, HEAD OF ARTS
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From reproductivediscussingethics, the complexities of gender identity and the feminist philosophy to the role of religion, judging right from wrong and the intersection of Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Pākehā, students are challenged to consider the ideas shaping their worlds.
Adding Value(s)
Words by Morgan Tait COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AND WIDE SKY EDITOR I’ve challenged myself and know that I’m taking every opportunity I can to create change and have a career where I can have a positive social impact.
Mr Sloss says this empowers students with knowledge and skills to, “take those values and apply them to various decisions
“Philosophy class gives you really good moral base and I don’t think [being the change] is necessarily drastically changing to make a difference. It’s not a physical thing, it’s a mindset. I don’t want to be recognised for making a change, I just want it to be my personality to be able to understand where everyone comes from.” with students as they progress through the school. It can also be taken as an optional subject in Year 13. The Theory of Thoughts Head of Philosophy Jay Sloss says classes use thought experiments and philosophical theory to look at issues showing up in current events as well as the ethical frameworks that underpin our societal values and personal beliefs. “We get to meet students at a time where they are grappling with these bigger issues in life as they come to terms with their own identity and are starting to make sense of the world around them and their place in it. “They are ready and hungry for these sorts of ideas and ways of thinking and ethics is always a fun way to get into it because we have these crazy and sometimes quite outlandish experimentsthoughtwhich might really test some of their beliefs.”
Music, as a global language, has enormous power to effect change.
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SHIFTINGTEMPO
Our musicians make change through music in other ways; examples can be seen through performances during school lunchtimes and in the wider community helping to raise funds for those less fortunate, performances in retirement villages, at memorial services and in church services—or simply to entertain at a celebration, or to brighten someone’s day.
Reflecting Change Music is a social document that reflects development and change. For example, a study of New Zealand music written in the 1990s exposes students to changes made to the immigration act during that time; a study of music from Europe during WWI and WWII gives students an understanding of the political and geographical complexities during the first half of the 20th Century that had a global impact affecting the lives of generations. Through these understandings students are challenged in the way they perceive the world and are inspired to apply these to their own music making and creation.
The students are learning a little of the plight of the Ukrainian people and have endeavoured to capture the essence of this culture through their playing–developing their perception and bringing an awareness of music from this part of the world to their audiences.
Small Scale, Big Impact
M any will be aware of Bob Geldolf’s 1985 Live Aid concert. Organised in just 10 weeks for famine relief in Ethiopia, Live Aid was held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia. An estimated audience of 1.9 billion, in 150 nations, watched the live broadcast—nearly 40 percent of the world’s population. At the time it was said the concert put humanitarian concern at the centre of foreign policy for Western governments.
Coincidentally one of our chamber music groups—the Juliusz Quintet—is playing a work by Polish composer Juliusz Zarebski, (1854–1885). The town that Zarebski lived in is now in Ukraine and has been severely bombed.
Our Rangi Ruru whānau has just as much power to elicit change. The Year 13 Commercial Music class, led by Mr Henare Kaa, collaboratively wrote and recorded ‘We Tumeke’, commissioned by the Ministry of Education to help promote Aotearoa’s Bullying-Free NZ Week. Head of School Maggie Craw has this to say about the project: “I think music is super important when trying to make change in our community whether that’s local or global. “To me there is nothing more powerful than a group of people singing together as one in unity. Music doesn’t discriminate and is free to everyone on Earth so by using music to help support the idea of anti-bullying I think that is a strong way to achieve our goal of making Aotearoa bullying free. “It’s been great being a part of something that I believe will generate change all around Aotearoa.”
Global Events and Local Music
Bullying-Free NZ
Most of us will be aware of the dreadful situation in the Ukraine. This situation has impacted directly on the local music community, with several members of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (CSO) being Ukrainian.
These examples in our school may not have the same audience as Live Aid, but as former US President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”. We all have the capacity to make change—never underestimate the power that music has. If change has been made to just one person through music, it is worthwhile. “Music can change the world, because it can change people”—Bono Words by Janet Kingsbury DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Power of Performance
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At the beginning of May Mr Kaa, supported by some of our singers, took part in a benefit concert that included many CSO players, to raise money for the Red Cross support in Ukraine.
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GWENDA HOLLAND Reader Writer Gwenda has been volunteering as a Reader Writer in the Learning Centre at Rangi Ruru for two years now, working alongside students from Years 7 to 13. Her calm presence, sense of humour and ability to connect with the students is a gift that is invaluable. Gwenda gives her time with willingness and always a smile. The Gwendas of our world make such a difference to the work of staff but most importantly to the students who she gifts with her presence.
From guest speakers and sports coaches to those who organise volunteer opportunities for our students and support students’ learning—we are grateful to every person who contributes mahi and aroha to Rangi Ruru. We would like to shine a spotlight on some of those special people and how their contribution impacts students’ opportunities and experiences.
LYNDA MACDONALD
JUDD STANTONAMANDAAND Dragon Boating Coach and Manager Parent volunteers Judd Stanton (coach) and Amanda Stanton (manager) have been instrumental in driving dragon boating at Rangi Ruru, resulting in our team taking out the major 250m and 420m races at the 2022 South Island Secondary School competition.
David co-ordinates after-school propagation, pricking out sessions and Eco-Action planting events many of our ākonga are involved in as volunteers. David’s vision, generosity of spirit and focus on mitigating climate change through growing native plants inspires many in our community. This mahi, inspired and led by David, enables students across Ōtautahi to be the change and take action.
Self-Defence Teacher Lynda has been teaching our students self-defence for nearly 30 years as part of the Health curriculum. She helps students learn about assertive behaviour which can keep them safe and empower them to feel more confident and be able to protect themselves.
DAVID NEWTON Chair of Eco-Action Nursery Trust, environmentalistpassionateandteacher
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The spirit of being the change is not only embraced by students at Rangi Ruru, but also embodied by our community who endlessly share their time, expertise and generosity to enrich the experiences of Rangi Ruru students.
MACGREGORCOLLETTE
These Rangi Ruru parents have reached out to offer themselves and their colleagues for Years 12 and 13 meetings, luncheon speaker sessions during lockdown and for the very successful inaugural Rangi Ruru Careers & Pathways Exploration Evening. Their willingness to not only support our students, but to also offer their own mentorship has been invaluable in helping Rangi Ruru’s students to learn more about the different career pathways open to them once they’ve left school.
Thanks to our rowing sponsors for your support on and off the water THANK YOU
BEN BIRKENHAKE AND JUSTIN COPE Canterbury Handball Ben, a New Zealand coach, and Justin, a New Zealand representative, have been teaching handball to Rangi Ruru’s junior and senior students for about six years.
GRAHAM GRANT, TRACY MCELROY AND MURRAY DICKINSON Careers & Pathways Volunteers
Rangi Ruru’s Exam Centre Manager
The unflappable Collette is responsible for the administration of all Rangi Ruru’s NCEA external exams and her work truly makes a difference. Collette is extraordinarily organised, handling hundreds of entries, thousands of papers, a team of supervisors and masses of data—the tasks are daunting, high stakes and crucial for the school and students. Rallying students and ensuring that each gets the correct papers or digital log-in, Collette, a trained Languages teacher, exhibits exactly the correct balance of charm and determination to ensure the exams run, and run smoothly.
For almost 30 years, Ferndale students have come to Rangi Ruru so Physical Education students can plan and run games and activities for them. Thank you Ferndale for being so willing for our students to work with yours—we really value this special relationship!
SHANE BREESE AND THE STUDENTS AT FERNDALE SCHOOL
Ferndale School
New Moves
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While our basketball numbers have always been strong, reflecting a strong desire by our students to enjoy the social involvement that Friday night basketball offers, the last two years have seen a large increase in volleyball.Futsal continues to grow and every year more and more students want to try rowing – 90 at last count! And it’s definitely a “watch this space” moment for growth in sports such as mountain biking, orienteering and adventure racing.
Last year we had two competitive mountain bikers taking to the tracks, this year we have six keen bikers; while for the first time in many years an adventure racing team competed at the South Island Secondary School (SISS) event in the April term break, led by talented junior orienteer Juliet Freeman who is also lifting the profile of orienteering within the school. Support for Sport But such opportunities don’t happen by themselves. While student voice helps drive the change, a crucial element in our ability to make the change happen is parental support. It was thanks to Richard Stalker and Tim Woodfield that the mountain bikers were able to ride each week. It was thanks to the commitment of Judd Stanton that our Dragon Boaters were able to compete in the Aoraki Dragon Boating regatta, and it was thanks to the Rangi Ruru students are reflecting research-backed national trends that show young people are seeking opportunities to move in less structured—and less traditional—ways. Changing how we move is just one of the ways we challenge what may be considered the norm; we also must speak up about girls’ and women’s representation in sport.
Year7student
R ecent Sport NZ research revealed that basketball, volleyball, badminton, futsal, rowing, Ki o rahi, waka ama, adventure racing, mountain biking and orienteering are on the rise in secondary schools. These sports reflect a trend we are seeing at Rangi Ruru, where students are seeking opportunities to move in less structured ways, and opportunities that sit outside the structured competitions of traditional sport offerings.
Hollie Tribble represented NZinBMX
It is heartening to see that for some secondary school events, including regional or national championships, there is an equal weight given to what is the final event. But it is long overdue for this change to happen within our own environment.Let’stakea step towards being the change and begin referring to the event as what it is for our rowers. Let’s talk about going to the NZSS Championships and bringing home the Levin Jubilee Cup or the Dawn Cup. Let’s allow our rowers to stand in the sunshine to celebrate their success on an equal footing with the boys’ events.
Secondary School RowingChampionships
Challenging the Narrative Being the change within sport is also about challenging what has become normal. The domination of our rowers at the New Zealand Secondary School Rowing (NZSS) Championships saw Rangi Ruru claim a clean sweep of five of the major awards, including the coveted Star Trophy for the best performing school at the regatta, for the second year in a However,row.what continues to be celebrated, both externally and internally, is “winning Maadi”. We all know that “Maadi” is in fact one race— the boys’ U18 8—right? What we should be celebrating is our success in winning the Levin Jubilee Cup for the pinnacle U18 8 girls’ race, alongside our extensive involvement in the NZSS Rowing Championships across all age groups.
One of Rangi Ruru’s senior rowers says that because the name of the regatta has become synonymous with the name of the boys’ race, “People see the boys’ U18 8 race as the absolute pinnacle event of the whole week”. She says this year it was noticeable that, “the boys were able to spend much longer celebrating their success with the other members of their squad and families who were in the crowd while we had to keep it moving to get the boys’ medal ceremony in”.
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To ensure that both the U18 8 girls’ and boys’ races are acknowledged as pinnacle events in their own right, it would be a positive move to alternate the final U18 8 race each year so that the female rowers also get that chance to stand in the sunshine and celebrate their success. If Not Rangi Ruru, Then Who? If not Rangi Ruru, then who will start changing the narrative around this and other events and question why the default is often for the final race, event, game to be the boys’? We are doing ourselves and women’s sport a disservice not to raise the question, to be the change.
Words by Mandy Anderson
passion of Christina Freeman that the Adventure Racing team got to the start line in Kaikōura in April.
Performance Over “Pinnacle”
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LEADING BY EXAMPLE For me, being the change is being myself. Everyone has an element to themselves that is different and special and you should show it off and add spice into our community.
W hen Shahd Khanafer started at Rangi Ruru as a Year 9 student, she was afraid of being seen as different if she was “too Lebanese” and “too Muslim” at school. Now as a Year 13 student, she proudly shares her culture, heritage and religion with others in the hope she encourages them to share their own uniqueness, too. “When I first came here I thought, ‘Okay no tanning’ and, ‘Don’t speak to mum on the phone in Arabic’. “But now I try to bring my own Lebanese-ness into what I do every uniqueness.”Oneway Shahd, who is the student Head of Wellbeing, has done this was through Unity Week in Term 1. Thought-up by Shahd to bring the student community together and commemorate the devastating 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack, it culminated in Rangi Ruru students visiting Al Noor Mosque. The week included: a moment of silence to commemorate the innocent victims of March 15; making a paper chain adorned with messages of kindness and unity written by hundreds of Rangi Ruru students to string on the mosque gates; playing a moving video message from a March 15 survivor about the importance of unity, and a pie-a-teacher fundraiser which raised more than $250 for Muslim youth charity The Nawawi Centre. “I love that I have been given such a wonderful opportunity to show off the By sharing her culture and religion with other students at Rangi Ruru, Shahd Khanafer hopes she is sending a powerful message: That when we celebrate each other’s differences we can create a better educated and inclusive community.
Shahd is also involved in debating, skills she hopes to use in a career which involves creating even more change: human rights law. “My Father is Lebanese but born in Kuwait so experienced a lot of the Gulf War with Saddam Hussein and my mum is from near the Israeli border so did endure a lot of the conflict in Palestine and the civil war in Lebanon.
“Listening to my mother and grandmother’s stories…it’s mindboggling that people can have their rights taken away from them, so I want to help them get them back.”
differences between me and my peers and the other student leaders,” says Shahd.“When I was in Year 11, I went to the mosque with a group of Rangi Ruru students and everything just changed. “It was such a pivotal change in my life to know that my friends were coming with me to the mosque and were so open to learning about my religion and culture, I thought, ‘Okay, now is my time to be me’. “For me, being the change is being myself. Everyone has an element to themselves that is different and special and you should show it off and add spice into our community. “Being able to take students back this year was my chance to introduce that change to others, so I hoped that it broadened their mindset and they could see that our beliefs are different but also Shahdsimilar.”saysRangi Ruru has provided other opportunities for her to be the change, too. Earlier this year she attended the inaugural Christchurch Emerging Ethnic Leaders Breakfast with dozens of other students from local high schools and hosted by the mayor. “It was so cool to be sitting with my other peers and thinking how cool it is that we all have positions in our school to be the change. Even if we have different beliefs, it’s so cool that we have that opportunity.”
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Experience as a company executive on your resume before you’ve even finished high school?
That is the reality for students undertaking the Young Enterprise Scheme, a long-running business incubator that solving.problem-andinnovationnurturescreative
Positive Solutions Ms Griffith says that, at its core, a business exists to solve a problem so YES propels students to “awaken the creative and innovative aspects of their skills and personalities”.“Itencourages students to think outside their comfort zones and be the change in their perspectives on things. They can add their changed touch to existing products or services to improve them and to make other people’s lives easier.” In the past, Ms Griffith says ideas have included printing socks designed by child cancer patients with all profits going back to their cancer ward; turning coffee grounds from a local café into soap which was sold so profits could be returned to the villages which grew the coffee beans; a safety deck
A coding card game for primary school students, nut butters, vegan breakfast foods, ethically designed and sustainable clothing and non-alcoholic beverages are just some of the businesses enterprising Rangi Ruru students are bringing to life in 2022.Each year, school students across New Zealand join the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) to set up and run a real business. Students bring a product or service to market across the five stages of validation, promotion, pitching, sales and an end of year review.
Head of Technology and YES Coordinator Jacqui Griffith says Rangi Ruru is the only school in Christchurch that operates the programme as a co-curricular activity. “Which means we usually get the students who are really motivated to try their hand at starting up a business,” she says. This year, Rangi Ruru has 30 students across nine teams—including two teams continuing from last year. “Young Enterprise gives students an insight into what is involved with the logistics and design process in setting up a company,” says Ms Griffith. “Students have the opportunity to attend local and national workshops; they set goals throughout the year; they ideate and research; work with a mentor—such as a local CEO—and learn to work as a team to develop their product or service.”
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COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AND WIDE SKY EDITOR needing to be physically connected to technology.“Coding is a way of thinking about things, so Code Critters introduces that kind of critical thinking in a fun way offline that can then transfer digitally.”
Eva says the name of the business refers to the ethos of the group, “it doesn’t matter what your personal label is—there can still be a brand which is for everyone”. Bridging Digital Inequality
The Rangi Graduate The skills and experiences gained through enterprise equips students for life after high school, says Ms Griffith. “It’s a wonderful experience for students, preparing them for leaving school with some real business experience. Organisations like LinkedIn are saying they want to see students have been focussing on innovation and creativity, and that’s exactly what they’re doing with YES. “We are really giving the students the opportunity to be the ideal Rangi graduate.”
One of this year’s businesses, LabelX, is creating ethical, sustainable and affordable clothing and sewing patterns and designs, many which are made from thrifted or designer deadstock fabrics. Label X is made up of students Libby Ward, Olivia Rose, Eva Wu and Angela Feng. Libby Ward, the CEO says the business is, “about being creative and innovative”. “There’s no point in making something that’s already out there. We have done clothing because we want to be an alternative option to fast fashion by using sustainable and ethical sourcing.”
Meanwhile, Code Critters is a card game to teach primary school-aged children to code and is designed by Year 13 students Kate Gourley, Hannah Berrill and AlexAlexMaxey.says the game teaches the principles of coding without children needing access to technology. “That was the problem that we wanted to solve,” she says. “Technology and coding will be such a huge part of workplaces in the future and it’s a lifeskill you need, but lots of children aren’t getting introduced to it until high school so they’re missing out on a lot of learning.”Kate says Code Critters teaches children the logic and ‘rules’ of coding without Words by Morgan Tait
JACQUI GRIFFITH HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY AND YES CO-ORDINATOR WIDE SKY
It encourages students to think outside their comfort zones and be the change in their perspectives on things.
that went onto the back of a quad bike to make it visible from the air and was eventually purchased by PGG Wrightson; and the Spoonful of Spice cookbook composed of recipes of migrant women in Christchurch. Slow Fashion
The power of philanthropy cannot be underestimated. The joy it can bring the benefactor is immeasurable but the impact it can have is far greater. It can positively alter the course for someone, open doors that may otherwise have remained closed and ultimately be life changing.
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T hink of the student whose parents would ordinarily struggle to provide the kind of exceptional education and personalised learning available at Rangi Ruru. Yet thanks to a generous donor and the offer of a scholarship that student got to experience a Rangi Ruru education, grasp the myriad of opportunities that come with it and create the kind of enduring friendships we all dream of.
A Legacy of Genorosity Now think of the Rangi Ruru family whose lives were turned upside down and who found themselves grappling with the pressures that come when unforeseen circumstances materialise. The love shown by our community through giving has supported numerous families over the years to ensure their daughter/s have remained at school to complete their education. To the people who have given or still give to our Covid-19 Fee Assistance Fund or the Principal’s Koha Fund – although you will never know just who you have supported, please know your kindness has touched the lives of many and the magnitude of your gift isNotinvaluable.onlyhas generosity supported individuals and families through times of trial, it has also altered the educational landscape within which we co-exist. Philanthropy has helped enhance and advance Rangi Ruru, allowing it to keep up with the demands of educating our wāhine in the 21st century.
Thinking Ahead There is no denying the school’s future relies heavily on the support of its community, past and present, and the impact of our community’s philanthropic acts can be huge.
An Environment to Flourish Within Some might say it’s not the bricks and mortar that make Rangi Ruru special— it’s the personalised learning environment, the culture, the nurturing environment, the abundant opportunities, the traditions, the students, teachers, leaders and the wider Rangi Ruru whānau. And you’d be right, to an extent. These all form firm foundations from which this school flourishes. But without leading edge facilities, contemporary amenities and a world-class campus the reality is that Rangi Ruru may struggle to stay at the forefront of New ZealandAlthougheducation.onlyaccommodating 4 percent of New Zealand school students, independent education caters to a range of needs not necessarily met by the state system, it provides families with a choice. I think you’d agree, Rangi Ruru’s an excellent choice to have and we are fortunate to have this wonderful school as an option for our daughters’ educations and it’s important it remains an option.
Often when people think about philanthropy, they think Bill Gates, they think Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey. If you’re not giving millions, then you’re not philanthropic. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A small drop becomes a ripple and the ripple becomes a wave. Your gift today could mean the world to someone tomorrow. Your “small drop” truly makes a difference. So, to those who give, on behalf of our wāhine toa now and in the future, we thank you for helping provide the choice and ultimately the gift of a Rangi Ruru education.
A History of Giving Dating back to the early 1900s when parents held a fair to raise funds for a new tennis court and the Old Girls’ Association supporting the build of the first swimming pool, philanthropy has been the cornerstone of much of the school’s advancement. Without the support of our community, we may not have a swimming pool to dive into, a church to worship in, spaces to study in and we wouldn’t have Atawhai, the new sport and multi-purpose centre.
Inspiring Change My vision has always been about the lasting impact of a feeling an environment leaves you with. I wanted everyone who walked through the doors of our boarding house to feel it was a special place. A place of acceptance, purpose and belonging. To do that there had to be openness to a change in attitudes, relationships, environment and it had to start with me. I started with my new office. I removed everything that would be a barrier between myself and any other person that came in. My new desk was a very small stand-up one in the corner and I brought in a round table with chairs. I wanted a place for equal conversations to happen – listening, encouraging, affirming and restoring relationships. All signs were removed and a photo pinboard put up telling a joint story and, most importantly, the door was open. I continued implementing changes to better everyone’s experiences who lived, worked or visited us. To be honest some changes have taken me out of my comfort zone, tough conversations have been had, tears have been shed and I have been hurt. The Stairway to Change Years ago, a wise woman talked to me about recording changes so I could look back and reflect on the impact they have in my life. She talked about creating a staircase and recording each step. It is a great analogy and one I have used many times throughout my life. My staircase for Rangi Ruru boarding currently has 74 steps and continues to grow strong. This has been one of the most powerful tools I have ever used. It helps me to see the bigger picture and it makes me proud of our staff, students and parents who have been a part of this extraordinary journey.Change is inevitable, it is part of human life: we are ever-evolving. When we embrace and inspire change we can leave lasting impressions and feelings on, not only ourselves, but most importantly those aroundEveryus.step on the staircase is underpinned by changes consciously made to inspire “that” feeling. My hope for all those who come and go through the boarding house remember that lasting feeling. I’ve never been a person scared of change; I find it exhilarating and refreshing and when I took on the role of Director of Boarding nearly six years ago, I was ready to be the change for Rangi Ruru boarding. However, were they ready for me? I wanted everyone who walked through the doors of our boarding house to feel it was a special place.
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S outhland Girls’ High School was my first introduction to a boarding school; I was a boarder and I loved it! It never crossed my mind that my future would be in the boarding sector, my plan was to be a medical assistant in the Navy…not quite the same, but possibly some similarities?! New Zealand has just over 100 boarding schools and I have had the privilege of working at four. Rangi Ruru had been in my sights a decade prior to me securing this role, and during that time I was determined to learn and grow as much as I could. I was open to new possibilities, working in different environments and even uplifting my family and moving to Gore for three years to help achieve my goal. My first day at Rangi Ruru was mid-January 2017. No one was in the boarding house, just me and the silence. I was like a kid on Christmas morning—I was so excited at the gift I had been given. My key strength is a developer, and I had a concept of what I wanted Rangi Ruru boarding to feel like. I was also very aware that I was the outsider, the unknown, and that is enough to make anyone nervous about change!
Words by Kyleigh Lyth DIRECTOR OF BOARDING
Congratulations to Kyleigh who recieved the New Zealand Boarding School Association Award for Innovation in 21st Century New Zealand Boarding
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Helen Kitson was a former student of Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, she was taught by the Gibson family and was at school during wartime. She joined the Old Girls’ Association just five years after graduating and served on the committee for 69 years—contributing greatly to the school community. We have republished her obituary with permission from her family.
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A OFLIFETIMESERVICE
Miss Helen Gibson, Miss Ruth and the other sisters who founded the school in 1889 and was proud to be a Gibson girl along with her friends. She talked about her love of music and the huge interest in literature the Gibsons passed on to her. When Helen left Rangi Ruru she obviously found it hard to be separated from it as she joined the Old Girls’ Committee just five years later. Doing the math, she had been on the committee for a massive 69 years. She rose up through the ranks serving as vice president, president, historian, treasurer (along with husband, Jan) and was made an Honorary Life Member in 1995. She felt truly honoured to be made Patron in 2005. Always disliking the limelight immensely, she much preferred the jobs behind the scenes, being the treasurer, working quietly on articles for the newsletter, but some of her later roles she had to go out of her comfort zone and give out prizes and give eulogies.Formany years, Helen was bothered that a certain boys’ independent school had a register of pupils commonly known as ‘The Stud Book’, while Rangi Ruru didn’t. So she set about getting that sorted. The first edition was ready for the centennial celebrations in 1989 and a second edition followed 10 years later. She loved doing her ‘Rangi work’ but what an enormous amount of work it was compared with how we would do it now. First on an old typewriter, where the pages were printed out, then on an old dot matrix computer, but still printed out on paper. Keeping it in a file on a computer was never quite grasped, let alone a database which is always right up to date. Opening the school swimming pool was a huge privilege for her. Funny to remember her first worry on being invited to do this was… yes, ‘What on Earth will I wear?’ When the school wanted to build a special function centre, the Old Girls’ Association was given naming rights and both school and the Association agreed to call it the Helen Kitson Function Centre, commonly known in the family as the ‘H KFC’. For Helen this was really hard to believe and it was one of her proudest moments to open the building.
Helen and Jan Kitson
“She helped preserve a lot of the school’s history through years when that was right out of fashion. She also played a huge role in maintaining and developing the Old Girls’ Association, to make sure its spirit survived and thrived. I can’t imagine how many hours of work must have gone into the production of the RR register and maintaining the membership records, let alone the many other roles she filled through several decades. That is true generosity of spirit.”
Many messages were sent from Rangi Ruru Old Girls after her death; two quotes from these messages particularly stand out.
January 20, 1930 – September 18, 2021 Class of 1943 Attended Rangi Ruru 1939 to 1947 Joined Rangi Ruru Old Girls’ Committee 1952 Vice President 1974 President 1975 Treasurer 1977 to 2005 School Historian 1990 to 2005 Honorary Life Member 1994 Named Patron 2005 HelenKitson(left)1946 GrandparentsRROGAandGenerationsDay2004Committee2010
“Her death is the end of an era for RROGA but what a role model she has been, what knowledge she has shared, and what a love of Rangi she has shown over so many years.”
have such great memories about all the wonderful times they all shared, especially the holidays at the bach, the Sunday afternoons around the swimming pool, very lively Christmases and birthdays and her attendance at many of the children’s events. With her keen interest in music, she particularly loved going to the concerts of her children and grandchildren. Helen’s love of music lasted her whole life and especially in her last few weeks, she took great comfort from Concert FM playing all day. This love was passed on to many of her offspring and their offspring; many still singing, playing and teaching music today. Helen had the greatest aroha for her school days, for her connections with other Old Girls and for the connections that she maintained right through her life. She came to Rangi as a little Year 5 in 1939 and stayed nine more wonderful years. She made lifelong friends, who remained strongly united with each other through every stage of their lives. They talked a lot about
Helen Margaret Kitson (neé Robilliard)
ANNUAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT 25 May, 2023 Please contact RROGA administrator Tamara Tait for additional information rroga@rangiruru.school.nz
The Committee of the Rangi Ruru Old Girls’ Association has always been a strong advocate of supporting the school, its pupils and alumnae in the most generous way it can. Our first committee set it out very clearly in the constitution. Over its 95 years, through prudent and wise investments from our treasurers and accountants, the capital base of Life Membership funds, legacies, fund-raising and donations has been built up to enable the Association to grant a variety of scholarships, bursaries, exhibitions and donations to a large number of recipients, both in the school and community.
2022 REUNIONS 4 & 5 November, 2022 It’s your school reunion if you were in Year 9 (Form 3) in 1942, 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 or 2012.
ALUMNAE
Philanthropy amounts for the year ended March 31, 2022 End of year prizes: $1,710 Years 7 and 8 Old Girls’ Scholarships: $10,000 Gibson Webb Exhibitions: $2,250 AGM 8 August, 2022 ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT 16 September, 2022 GIBSON GIRLS’ LUNCHEON 29 September, 2022 2021 REUNIONS 4 & 5 November, 2022 It’s your school reunion if you were in Year 9 (Form 3) in 1941, 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 or 2011.
GIBSON GIRLS’ WHAEA ORA MORNING TEA 18 November, 2022 LEAVERS’ BALL 2 December, 2022 2023 REUNIONS 3 & 4 March 2023 It’s your school reunion if you were in Year 9 (Form 3) in 1943, 1953, 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 or 2013.
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WIDE SKY WINTER 202246
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