Filling Shoe Boxes to take Social Action
Article courtesy of Horowhenua Chronicle reporter Sadie Beckman Horowhenua College’s Year 10 Social Science classes have been learning about social action, culminating in a fundraising extravaganza for the annual Fill A Shoebox appeal. Students held a festival at lunchtime with raffles, food stalls, baking, sausage sizzle, games and activities to raise money for the appeal which donates shoeboxes full of treats and goodies to children who would otherwise have missed out on Christmas presents due to hardship and family circumstances. Five classes took part in running the event, having spent the last couple of weeks preparing and planning. Horowhenua District Council also supplied free use of their inflatable football pitch to entertain the crowds. Some students had also donated in other ways to the appeal. Jenny Sue, 15 worked part time in her parents shop and donated half her wages, totalling over $100 to the appeal. “I just thought other…
Art Students working on portfolios
Term 4 is now well under way. This is the business end of the year where hard work over the last three terms culminates in NCEA exams and final assessments for our students. For our Art students, they do not sit an exam but submit a portfolio of their art work which they have worked on for the year. Our art students are therefore very busy finalising their art work and presenting it ready for marking. Mrs Gilroy, our Head of Art, says “students choose a theme and work on this topic using a variety of media. Their ideas are generated from artists models and their own creativity. Their folio represents hours and hours of hard work from our students.” Ethan Roentgen and Gayle Wootton are Year 11 art students. They have been working hard to put the final touches to their art work before it is sent away for…
Highest Guiding Honours
Two of our students have achieved one of the highest honours in the guiding world, receiving the prestigious Queen’s Guide award at Government House. Paris Armstrong and Hanamarie Benseman both 17, completed service, advocacy and leadership projects for the award, as well as a range of interest certificates. The award syllabus is split into areas of service in guiding, personal skill development, community action, outdoor challenge and a residential experience. The syllabus must be completed within three years, with an emphasis on self-challenge. Both Paris and Hanamarie have been involved with guiding since they were five starting with Pippins, then Brownies and Guides and finally Rangers. Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy presented their award at a ceremony at Government House.
BOARD UPDATE August 2018
Kia ora koutou It has been a busy start to the term with Jandal Jam, the visit from Namiki High school students, university visits and our Open Day for prospective year 9 students amongst other things. It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Steve Parrant, Deputy Principal at Manawatu College. Our sincere sympathies go out the Parrant family, and the staff and students of the Manawatu College. I am mindful that in fostering a sense of whanau/family as a school we walk with each other through both the happy and the sad times and it was so good to see many of our Horowhenua College students and staff attend Steve’s service and perform the school haka as he was farewelled. We had our most recent board meeting on Monday night, beginning with the annual report from Carole Brungar our head librarian at the College. It…
Horowhenua College Open Evening
Our Open Evening is scheduled for Wednesday 27 June at 7pm in our college hall. We welcome all Year 8’s and their families to come and see what we have to offer. The evening will involve a tour of the college and time for questions and answers. If you cannot make that evening please do not hesitate to contact the Principals Secretary on 06 3686159 extension 703 (0800 HOROWHENUA extension 703) to make an appointment to tour the college at another time. We look forward to meeting you all on the night.
Te Hakari Wetlands
Technology & Science – Te Hakari Wetlands Some of the Year 10 Technology and Science students recently visited the Te Hakari Wetlands at Kuku Beach, sponsored by the Partnership Through Collaboration Trust. They were able to see first hand how the low quality farmland has been restored as a conservation area to improve the quality of its surrounding waterways. The students measured the quality of the water to see how it changed throughout the wetlands and were able to see how this affected the life that existed in it. A number of different types of birds were observed. The quantities and variety of birds has improved over the life of the Wetlands. The students really enjoyed planting a range of native shrubs and trees which will help protect the wetlands once they are grown.
Container Art
Several Art students from Horowhenua College volunteered their time over the April/May school holidays to work on a community project “Transforming Taitoko/Levin”. The concept was to use a shipping container as a base for artistic work by three of our top students. Oliver Parrent, Nicky Elliot and Ashlyn Ashby worked over a 48 hour period with the master of murals, Auckland based mural artist, Jonny4Hire. Jonny was also the artist who assisted our art students two years ago with the Horowhenua Adventure Park Mural. The idea was to attract people towards the container, which would be staffed by council people who wanted Levin locals to have their say about the direction of Levin and town planning for the future. The painted container looks stunning, vibrant, bold and stylistic in its portrayal of Levin/Taitoko. Make sure you take a look as its parked in the Levin Mall carpark, opposite New World.…
NZQA Academic Scholarships
Although we are now into Term 2, it is still worthwhile highlighting some of the amazing achievements from last year. Ten students from Horowhenua College achieved NZQA Academic Scholarships in 2017. These results have been widely celebrated at our college and it is the highest number of scholarships achieved by our students in one year. The NZQA Academic Scholarship is the highest qualification a student can achieve at secondary schools in New Zealand. As well as sitting exams for their NCEA Level 3 subjects and University Entrance, top academic students are given the opportunity to sit an extra exam for Scholarship. Preparation for a Scholarship exam takes all year and is at an academic level above NCEA Level 3. Students attend scholarship classes which are extra to their other subjects, either before or after school or at lunchtimes. Students who achieve a NZQA Academic Scholarship represent the top 3 per…