On Friday, 24 August we will celebrate the 56^th Annual Rutherford Memorial Day.

This event was established by our founding Principal Mr Eric Clarke in 1963 with the inaugural guest speaker being Sir Samuel Marsden. Marsden as an undergraduate student of Rutherford’s, carried out the famous 1909 Geiger experiment that lead to Rutherford’s theory of atom structure.

In the ensuing years we have had numerous wonderful speakers including Sir Edmund Hillary, Helen Clarke and Sir Paul Holmes among other notable New Zealanders.

The purpose of Rutherford Memorial Day is firstly to acknowledge the great scientist that our school is named after. The day also creates an opportunity for students, staff and friends of the school to gather and celebrate. At the same time, it creates a platform for us to thank the many people from our wider community who support Rutherford College.

The chance to hear from many great people who have spoken at this event is a great opportunity. The purpose of these addresses is to be thought provoking and think about what’s really important in life. As it includes all of our senior students, it is also a chance to get them to refocus on what’s ahead of them.

We want our guest and visitors to get a clear sense of the vibe, the pride and wairua that permeates our school.

It is important that all students understand the purpose, heritage and mana of Rutherford Day. I believe that students can show their appreciation to their teachers, and all within the Rutherford whanau who may have supported them, by making their attendance at this event a priority.

Rutherford Memorial Day is an occasion when the importance of striving for personal excellence is about all of us gathering to celebrate who we are as a wider Rutherford Community and thanking those who work behind the scenes, often unnoticed. It is the work of the many that add up to make a big difference.