Congratulations to all students honoured at prizegiving on Wednesday, 11 December. We gathered as a school to celebrate and honour the academic achievement of our Year 9 and 10 students.

Students who have excelled this year, will not have done so due to any individual factor or reason. It will as always be a collision of reasons, not least the number of people who have supported them, providing advice and guidance, kindness and care.

This starts with families and whanau, extends to teachers, friends, coaches and various other people throughout our community who have added value to our student’s experiences.

However, happiness and success will be largely due to the attitude and work ethic that each individual student adopts and brings with them to school, and life in general, each and every day. It will be about the little steps in the right direction repeated every day.

Kotahi tonu, te hiringa, kake ai Tane,

ki tiki kiki orangi, ko te hiringa, i te mahara.

There is only one power that enabled Tane to ascend to heaven, the power of the mind.

At Rutherford, we know that we get to choose our attitude and this is the most important thing we can do with our mind; it is to choose our attitude. Our attitude is the critical element in the pursuit of personal excellence and our happiness.

Junior Sportswoman of the Year – Ocearn Mathews (Y10)
Junior Sportsman of the Year – went to Sebastyan Jack (12)
Junior Female Culture Performer of the Year – Teulia Leota (Y10)
Junior Male Culture Performer of the Year – Josh Siaki (Y10)
Year 9 Oratory Award – Lily Moore (Y9)
Year 10 Oratory Award – Eric Choi (Y10)
Best Junior Contribution to Kotuku Kapa Haka – Jarvis Jefferies-Lynch (Y10)
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Boy – Luke Gibson
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Girl – Emma Chapman
Award for Most Promising Year 10 Boy – Eric Choi
Award for Most Promising Year 10 Girl – Ashley Krron

Top Academic Scholars Year 9
Aneka Mckinstry
Ishani Kumar
Ethan Hempleman
Tinirau Hohepa
Tyra Ibbott
Ella Nguyen
Barbora Dostalikova
Zac Thomson

Top Academic Scholars Year 10
Lincoln Henry
Andre Fa’aoso
Ngaire Moore
Joshua Kuang
Mia Reihana
Leona Naumovska
Gaea Morrison
Dayton Henry
Katie Felton
Eric Choi
Tyler Fairbairn
Cael Dines
Jaanvi Jamnadas
Kea Churchill

100% GPA across core
Angeline Dao Thi
Ann Lowe

 

At Rutherford, we learn that the best report card is the one you give yourself. It’s about your own integrity or pono. This means that you never compare yourself to the best others can be, always be the best you can be. Tohea – strive for personal excellence.

As we head into the holiday season, we should remind ourselves that at Rutherford we value little acts of human kindness. Nothing carries more potential for change in society than individual acts of human kindness.  So firstly be kind to yourself and then you will be in the best space to be kind to others.

Have an enjoyable and safe holiday and after a break I look forward to welcoming the Kotuku flock back to start 2020.

Ka kite ano.