Congratulations to all students honoured at prizegiving on Wednesday, 12 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, provided 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 – Emily Muspratt
Junior Sportsman of the Year – went to Harrsion Chapman (Y11)
Junior Female Culture Performer of the Year – Arielle Schwalger
Junior Male Culture Performer of the Year – Oliver Gracewood
Year 9 Oratory Award – Eric Choi
Year 10 Oratory Award – Arnesh Sharma
University of NSW – Global Assessments – Tunde Ficsa Year 10 ICAS Engish Medal
Rutherford’s Got Talent Winner – Jamee Reedy
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Boy – Joshua Siaki
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Boy – Ann Lowe
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Boy – Arnesh Sharma
Award for Most Promising Year 9 Boy – Paige Skinner

Top Academic Scholars Year 9
Overall – Joshua Zhang
Jaavni Jahnadas
Katie Felton
Devon Strange
Ann Lowe
Gaea Morrison
Teuila Leota
Ashley Kroon
Kathryn Jeung-McIntyre
Prasan Gurunathan
Csilla Ficza
Emily Thorn
Leona Naumovska
Ayolabi Martins
Ethan Gibson
Tyler Fairbairn
Cael Dines
Eric Choi
Annie Cheng
Alba Ashby-Bigham
Ngaire Moore

Top Academic Scholars Year 10

Overall – Eddie Schaufelberger.  Tony Schaufelberger and  Oliver Gracewood
Petar Zdragkovic
Sean Park
Amanda Lowe
Tunde Ficza
Paige Skinner
Zachary Sit
Alex Larking
Klara Dostalikova
Ploy Samountry
Maddie Haysham
Elina Cheslyaeva
Jacinta Brown
Arnesh Sharma
Luke Lovrich
Eden Hatalafale
Tulsi Boyle
Georgina Bell

As a school we would like to apologise for an error made at Prizegiving due to a result dropping off the system. Oliver Gracewood also attained a 100% grade point average at year 10 and should have joined Tony and Eddie Schaufelberger on stage as joint top of the year 10 group. There is certainly a high level of academic grunt at the top of the tree.

Oliver, the way with which you approached this situation which must have been both confusing and disappointing for you reflects the values and class that is inherently part of who you are. Nga mihi nui.

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 Xmas 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 Xmas and after a break I look forward to welcoming the Kotuku Flock back to start 2019.

Ka kite ano.