WHS Newsletter | Issue 4.6 | 22 November 2024

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of Week 6!

Last Friday afternoon, a number of students were presented with a range of Scholarships, including from the Kate Moetaua Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was established in memory of Kate, a long-standing Drama teacher and Dean at WHS who was passionate about the Performing Arts and Sports. A massive congratulations to all the students who were presented with this prestigious Scholarship award and others last week (full details can be seen below).

Final preparations have been undertaken for Branches Camp, with the first camp beginning next Tuesday 26th November. Branches Workday was held last Friday and Pre-Branches Tramps were held on Wednesday, both of which went really well (see below for photos). With the 1st camp around the corner and lots of comms sent out regarding transport and gear, this weekend will be a good one for looking at gear lists and checking you have essential items. A reminder to Year 10 parents that we are still looking for more drivers to transport students in and out of Camp 1.  

We know that Branches Camp is important to students and parents, and I do need to acknowledge those in the community who support it, including Branches Trust, Uncle Jack McPherson through the Foundation and the Les Hutchins Community Foundation, as well as the many other businesses around town who support it in a range of ways large and small - thank you all so much!

Related, a reminder to Branches parents to please pay the Branches Camp donation. The camp is big and complex and very expensive to run safely and well - and $395 is just a fraction of what it actually costs per student, so please do pay the camp donation if you can.

A reminder that school continues to run for all Year 10 students not on Branches Camp, including our revamped ‘in-school’ programme, and the expectation is that all students not on camp are in attendance throughout. 

Seniors have one more week of exams and many teachers have been busy supporting students with their exam preparations as well as doing some internal reassessments. Please encourage your student to continue working hard to the end and please note that Te Kura Summer School may be an option for students who need a few extra credits to achieve their significant qualification and/or endorsement. 

On Wednesday evening, we ran the third in our series of parent evenings focused on raising teenagers in Queenstown. Our special guests, Lisa Leftley from Pivotal Point and Debbie Saint spoke about ways that parents can support and advocate for their children with neurodiversity and our Head of Learning Support, Gemma Boel, outlined some of the supports we have at WHS and how parents and students can work with us to ensure that students get the support required, in and out of class. See below for more details and how to get in touch with us. We will continue to run these popular parent series in the upcoming year, so be sure to keep an eye on our newsletter and SZApp. 

A great newsletter follows so be sure to have a read!

Ngā manaakitanga,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Key Dates - Term One 2025

A Year of Achievement: Celebrating Our Scholars

Wakatipu High School is delighted to announce a record-breaking year for student scholarships and awards. In 2024, a remarkable 56 Year 13 students—more than 25% of the cohort—secured scholarships, with 22 students receiving multiple awards. These scholarships recognise a diverse range of achievements, including academic excellence, leadership, sporting prowess, and contributions to the school community. They also support equity and remove barriers to further education.

A substantial portion of the total scholarships offered were awarded from the tertiary institutions directly. Otago University was particularly generous, offering $486,000 in financial scholarships. Of particular note, $174,000—or 35% of Otago University’s total offers—went to our Māori students, highlighting the success of our Māori learners.

The school is immensely grateful for the ongoing generosity of our local organisations. In 2024, these businesses contributed $171,200 to support our students’ educational journeys. From the launch of the new Anderson Lloyd cadetship/scholarship, to the ongoing support of The Central Lakes Trust, the partnership between the school and the local community remains strong. Overall, our students received over $860,000 in scholarships for 2025 and beyond.

Wakatipu Community Foundation Scholarships

The Wakatipu Community Foundation awarded scholarships to a number of WHS students at the awards last week.  The foundation had a high number of entries for each scholarship this year and would like to thank all the students who applied.  Congratulations to all our 2024 recipients, and we look forward to following your successes over the next year and beyond. 

Kate Moetaua Foundation Scholarships
Kate Moetaua was a teacher at Wakatipu High School who sadly passed away in 2018. She was passionate about her family, sports, the arts and her students.  The foundation has been created in her memory to help Wakatipu students achieve their dreams.  Thanks to the generosity of Craigs Investment Partners in Queenstown for their contribution to the Kate Moetaua Foundation this year.  Congratulations to the following recipients and we wish them all the best as they follow their passions and inspire others.

Kate Moetaua Foundation 2024
Rachel McCarthy  (Arts - Piano)
Mason Clarke (Sports - Cricket)
Mikaela Patterson (Arts - Dance)
Felix Nicoll (Arts - Drama)
Yoonae Jeong - former WHS Student (Sports - Golf)
Isabella Newell (Arts - Music)
Lucy Boniface (Sports - Ice Hockey)
Jess Hudson (Sports - Adventure Racing)
Abby Fookes (Sports - Cricket)

WCF Community Youth Scholarship 
Eva Hemingway

Wakatipu Youth Golf Development Fund
Wakatipu High School Golf Team
Conor Clarke
Diego Maddison
Noah Reid
Sonny Clark
Willem Wikstrom 

The Bruce Grant Youth Trust
Kieran Leftley
Bethany Graf
Cooper Breen
Roy Greer

Pre-Branches Tramps

This week, our adventurous campers headed off for pre-Branches tramps, which was a challenging yet rewarding test of their determination. This weekend, it's all hands on deck for final checks and preparations before Camp One kicks off next week! Who's excited? For a glimpse of Branches, take a look at last year's highlights:

Year 10 French Fantastique Race

On Friday afternoon, a fearless crew of Year 10 French learners turned Queenstown into their personal playground during a Fantastique Race. Armed with a race booklet (part scavenger hunt, part treasure map), they had just one hour to hunt down as many French-related clues as possible.

In teams of two or three, they dashed through town, snapping photos of anything that screamed "France" and boldly questioning locals and tourists en français. Queenstown may never have heard so many creative attempts at "Excusez-moi, parlez-vous français?"

The students threw themselves into the challenge with gusto—running, laughing, and occasionally looking very lost. They wrapped up the adventure back at the ice skating rink, breathless but buzzing with excitement. Who knew Queenstown was hiding so much joie de vivre?

Te Kura Summer School

Earlier in the week details were sent out about Te Kura Summer School to all senior students. Te Kura is an online school enabling students to learn and assess from home (you may know it as the correspondence school). Their Summer School runs from 17 December 2024 to 9 February 2025.

Now that students have almost finished exams, they will have a strong feeling on how well they have gone. Te Kura Summer School provides a way to supplement any area. This is free to domestically enrolled students (more details are available on the links below).  

This is an opportunity for NCEA Level 2 and 3 students to gain more credits so they can:
 - Complete a qualification (including UE reading/writing)
 - Get an endorsement
 - Meet prerequisites for 2025 courses (double check the course book: https://wakatipu.schoolpoint.co.nz/ )

Note—if a student registers in 2024, they can take up to 12 credits. If they wait until exam results come out in mid-January, the maximum number of credits is 6.

Students can view all of the standards available and register here: https://www.tekura.school.nz/summer-school-registration/

Please note this is run and assessed by Te Kura, WHS cannot check progress or assist with the learning. Te Kura loads results straight to NZQA which will appear on students NZQA portal (same place students get their exam results in January).

If you have any questions please contact Lee Hiestand (lhiestand@wakatipu.school.nz).

Winning Design for 2025 Year 13 Tie

Our Year 12 students had the opportunity to showcase their creativity by designing the tie that Year 13 students will wear next year. We are excited to announce that the winning design, chosen by fellow students, was created by the talented Caitlyn Bibby. Congratulations, Caitlyn, on this fantastic achievement!

I have chosen this tie design as it represents the mountainous culture within New Zealand, specifically the ski destination where we live, Queenstown. I did the navy blue base colour as it matches our school uniform colour with the white mountain so that it stands out. The mountain is a section taken from the Remarkables mountain which surrounds our school. On the back, the pasentina is a Māori design which symbolises our connection to the Māori heritage of Aotearoa. The yellow label states 'Class of 2025' as that is the year we will be graduating.

Caitlyn Bibby
Class of 2025 Tie Designer

Behind the Scenes of our 2024 Musical Production - Hairspray

Get a glimpse into the magic that happens behind the curtain of a Wakatipu High School musical production. Our staff and students dedicate countless hours to bring these shows to life, a big thanks to the talented Felix Nicoll for putting this together!

Our next big production, "Mamma Mia!", will be staged in April 2025, and is sure to be another hit. We are seeking support from the wider community to make this event even more spectacular. By sponsoring or advertising in our program, you can help support the arts at WHS. Please see the Arts section below for more details on how you can help.

Welcoming Our Incoming Year 9 Students

Last Friday, Wakatipu High School welcomed students from across the Basin and beyond for our highly anticipated Orientation Day. It was a fantastic opportunity for our new incoming Year 9 cohort to connect, learn, and continue in their transition to high school. The day began with excitement as students discovered their house allocations and received a warm welcome from our Deputy Principal, Lee Hiestand.

The focus of the day was building connections with peers, house deans, and student leaders and complete a range of assessments. Throughout the morning, our ākonga engaged in sessions designed to introduce them to the school’s culture, expectations, and their new house communities. The students also completed their CAM entrance assessments relating to English, mathematics and reasoning, which provides valuable insights to help us support their learning journey next year.

In the afternoon, students came together to further strengthen their sense of belonging. They learned the school waiata, connected with our 2025 school leaders, and participated in an exciting house chant competition, which was won by Duncan House!

We are thrilled to officially welcome our new year 9 ākonga on their first day of high school, January 28, 2025 and look forward to seeing them reach for their heights at Wakatipu High School.

Sport and Active Recreation News

Cricket

King's High School Junior Exchange

Last Monday and Tuesday WHS took a Junior Boys XI down to Dunedin to play the annual interschool cricket match with King’s High School for the Cushen-Mawhinney trophy. The match is a ‘test match’ format with two innings per team played over two days. While the younger WHS XI lost against a stronger and older King's side, they gave a great account of themselves and took the match into the final hour of the last day. The boys all really enjoyed the experience, and conducted themselves incredibly well both on and off the field. One of the highlights was being billeted out with the opposition players' families, a unique and rewarding experience.

All the players spent some valuable time in the middle batting against a quality bowling line up with special mentions to captain Conor Clarke’s counter attacking 103 (62) in the first innings to keep us in the match, and Justin-Li Moroney’s defiant 38 (48) to take the match deep in the 2nd innings. The pick of the bowlers were Divyam Nautiyal, Preston Cowie, Justin-Li Moroney and Conor Clarke. A special thanks to Amir, Noah and Thomas from Kings HS for filling in and playing so well for the WHS XI, great kids who fitted in very well. Thanks to Walter Clarke and Dean Dolan for their support of the team.

Scoreboard summary: Kings XI 288/9 (dec) & 165/5 (dec) won by 168 runs against WHS XI 205 and 80.

Otago Reps

Congratulations to Abby Fookes and Sorcha Wilkinson for their selection into the Otago U19 Women's Cricket team for their upcoming National U19 tournament in Lincoln next month. Honor Gilbert was also named as a non-travelling reserve. Play well!

Rugby - Black Ferns Rep!

A huge congratulations to former student (and 2021 WHS Senior Sportswoman of the Year) Olive Watherston who has been named in the Black Ferns Sevens team for their upcoming tournament in Dubai. An incredible achievement - we are all cheering you on from Queenstown!

https://www.allblacks.com/news/three-debutants-feature-in-first-black-ferns-sevens-squad-of-the-season

Wakatipu Community Foundation

The Sports Department wishes to extend a huge thank you to the Wakatipu Community Foundation for their ongoing support of our student athletes through the Kate Moetaua Scholarships, Bruce Grant Youth Trust Scholarships, and Whakatipu Junior Golf Development Fund. Our students and their whānau are extremely appreciative of the support these funds provide to assist them in their sporting goals and endeavours. Congratulations also to all of the recipients for their dedication and achievements. It was great to celebrate together last Friday 15th November at Te Atamira - a special thank you to Eunice Borrie for her mahi in this space!

Te iti Kahuraki Athlete Sponsorship Programme 

The next intake for Shotover Jet’s Te iti Kahuraki sponsorship programme for young athletes is now open! Te iti Kahuraki is inspired by the whakataukī “Whāia te iti kahuraki, ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei” – “Seek the distant horizon, should you bow your head let it only be to a lofty mountain”. Shotover Jet are looking for their next grassroots sporting talent to support. Applications open now open and close Wednesday 27th November. All applicants will be informed of their application by 6th December.

Head to www.shotoverjet.com/athlete for more details and to apply.

Keep Us Informed

The Sports Department would love to hear from you if you know of any awesome sporting achievements from our students! Please send through details/results and photos to Sian at shorn@wakatipu.school.nz so we can share and celebrate these as a school.

Support Sport at WHS

Support the team by liking the Wakatipu High School Sports Facebook page. This is the best way to stay up to date with the successes of our athletes and teams and celebrate their great achievements!

https://www.facebook.com/WakatipuHighSchoolSports/ 

Sian Horn
Director of Sport

Arts Department News

Artist of the Week:  Sofia Sharpe

This week, we are thrilled to shine the spotlight on Sofia Sharpe as our Artist of the Week. Sofia is a vibrant and talented drama student whose passion for the performing arts lights up every stage she steps onto. Her natural flair for comedy has made her a standout performer, bringing laughter and energy to every production she’s been part of. Whether it’s delivering witty punchlines or embracing the quirks of a comedic role, Sofia’s timing and creativity are second to none.  

But Sofia’s talents don’t stop there. Behind the scenes, she has proven to be an invaluable member of the team with her skills in prop and set construction. Her keen eye for detail and willingness to get stuck in ensure that every production is brought to life with professionalism and care. Sofia is not just a skilled artist but also a kind and supportive presence in the drama department. She is always ready to lend a hand or step into a role with enthusiasm, inspiring her peers with her excitement and dedication.  

Congratulations, Sofia, for being our Artist of the Week! Your passion and commitment to drama continue to make a lasting impression on all of us.

Thrashmore Competition - voting closes 24th November!!!

Voting for the AJ Hackett Thrashmore competition is now happening, this is a National competition for bands with members aged 13-35 years.  Two WHS bands have made it through to the National Top 10, Atomica and 4BLU.

The winner of Thrashmore is decided by popular vote and these bands would love your support to win the $10,000 on offer.

Please vote for either of these bands via this link:  https://www.bungy.co.nz/thrashmore/

Mamma Mia! Audition Update!

The auditions for the 2025 musical Mamma Mia are coming to an end, it was great to see the enthusiasm of all the students involved.  Mrs Price and Mr Hansen anticipate the cast list will be sorted at the end of next week.  Good luck to all who applied!

Looking for Student Leader Set Designer Superstar!

The auditions for the 2025 Musical Mamma Mia! are well underway and we are seeing lots of great talent. Next step is the set design and we are now looking for one student that is interested to become Set Design Crew Leader and support Mr Hansen and the team in creating the set. If this is something you would like or if you want to know more please get in touch with Mr Hansen jhansen@wakatipu.school.nz. This role will commence this term. 

Opportunity for parents to help

The Mamma Mia! set design includes a fair bit of construction and resourcing materials. We are reaching out to our wonderful parent community to check if there might be anyone interested to either help with the building/construction of the set or to support in supplying the set materials. If you are interested or have ideas to this please contact Mr Hansen  jhansen@wakatipu.school.nz

Wakatipu High School Musical Production - Opportunities to support 

Wakatipu High School has a long standing tradition of putting on incredible musical productions involving more than 100 students and welcoming around 1400 guests during show nights. 

We are excited to put on Mamma Mia! in 2025. The Musical will run 2 - 5 April 2025 and tickets will go on sale next year. 

The musical production is the highlight of the year for many of our students and it provides considerable leadership opportunities as they assume responsibility for the various crews. 

Musicals are, however, a significant undertaking and we appreciate support from the wider community to ensure they happen at the level we aspire to. One way for this to occur is through sponsorship or advertising in the musical programme. We hope that you would like to take this opportunity and support the Wakatipu High School Musical. 

Sponsorship options- All sponsorships receive 

• complimentary tickets for the Thursday Show on April 3 2025 
• Your name and logo in the Musical Programme and Foyer Screen.

Platinum Sponsors - donation of $3000+                                              Gold Sponsors - donation of $1000 

Includes 10 complimentary tickets                                                         Includes 6 complimentary tickets 

Silver Sponsors - donation of $500                                                           Bronze Sponsors -  donations of $250 

Includes 4 complimentary tickets                                                           Includes 2 complimentary tickets

Advertising Options - All advertising options include 

• complimentary tickets  for the Thursday Show on April 3 2025 
• a colour advertisement in the programme
• an advertisement on Wakatipu High School Foyer screen displayed all 4 show nights

Full-page (A4 portrait 297mm X 210mm)  -$800+GST includes 4 complimentary tickets to Thursday April 3 2025

Half-page (A5 landscape 148mm x 210mm) - $400+GST includes 2 complimentary tickets to Thursday April 3 2025

Quarter-page (A6 portrait 148mm x 105mm)  -$200+GST includes 1 complimentary ticket to Thursday April 3 2025

**Please provide advertisements in high-resolution (200 dpi) JPEG or PDF files with a 5mm border around it.

If you are interested or have any questions please send an email to scooper@wakatipu.school.

Warm regards,

Stine Cooper 

Arts Coordinator, Wakatipu High School 

YAMI

YAMI is a biannual youth music summit held in Wanaka on the 3rd & 4th of May 2025. It has a number of high profile musicians from the Music Industry leading a superb learning experience for young musicians.

It is strongly recommended that anyone interested in the Music Industry should try to get there. Applications are now open, there are limited spaces available. There are also some options for payments, with staggered payments or sponsorship, please get in touch with YAMI for more details on this.

Apply here:  https://wanakasounz.nz/yami/

You can also follow them on Facebook: facebook.com/yamisounz or IG: instagram.com/yamisounz

Exciting visits in ART

Being able to access a visiting artist is an incredible opportunity for our students to get first hand input from established artists. We hope to welcome more artists and professionals in the arts space in the future. If you would like to share your experience and knowledge please get in touch with Arts Coordinator Stine Cooper scooper@wakatipu.school.nz.

Upcoming for Term 4 

29 November - Music Groups Primary Schools Visits

7 December - Jazz Combo at Ayrburn

10 December - Yr 9 Prizegiving

11 December - Yr 10 Prizegiving

Te Atamira - is a multi-purpose arts and cultural space at Remarkables Park Town Centre - check out what is happening at Te Atamira here

Te Wahi Toi - Nau mai, haere mai, Te Wāhi Toi is the meeting place and online directory for Queenstown and Wānaka’s creative community.  Find them here

Let us Know
The Arts department would like to know about any artistic achievements that students have attained outside of school be it in Drama, Dance, Music or Visual Arts. Please send details and photos to scooper@wakatipu.school.nz

Support the Arts
We are always looking for local professional performing and visual artists to visit our school and run workshops for our students. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Mrs Cooper the Arts Coordinator at scooper@wakatipu.school.nz

Instagram Page
Follow our school’s Instagram page for recent successes or news within the school’s Arts Department at whsartdepartment.

WHS Foundation

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