Read the latest news from Rutherford College
Fakalofa lahi atu
It is Niuean Language Week, and a chance to celebrate Vagahau Niue. A beautiful island located Northeast of Aotearoa.
This week we had the Pasifika Awards evening to celebrate as a wider community, the academic progress of our Pasifika students. This was then followed by a shared meal. The top Pasifika scholar who received the Talamaivao Ceremonial Kava Bowl was Fabian Fabricius.
On Thursday evening we had a celebration of arts and culture that have graced the stage this year. From Polyfest, through to the Bollywood Showdown, our concert band's success at KBB, Sidetracked making the national Rockquest finals as the Auckland representative, to our studio shows and then onto the shining light (in my opinion) for the year; the school production of The Addams Family we had much to celebrate. The following 5 students received the major awards on the night:
- Junior Male Performer - Kori Churchill
- Junior Female Performer - Naazda Taleb
- Senior Male Performer - Nico Betanzo
- Senior Female Performer - Charlotte Marriott
- The top award of Dux Artium for the most outstanding performer was Max RobbMarkham.
The week of celebrations concludes this evening with the Senior Sports Dinner.
On Tuesday of this week, myself, Ms Donald and Mr Gilmore had the pleasure of interviewing 12 shortlisted candidates for the roles of Head Students at Rutherford for 2027. They were all insightful, kind and future focussed for the good of the wider community.
Prefects 2027
Head Students: Autumn Bell and Nico Curran.
Deputy Head Students: Roma Bowers-Fleming, Ella Page-Wood, Daniel Day and Jamie Thomas.
We will announce the remaining prefects on the Tuesday after senior assembly.
Seeing the Big Picture
Sometimes we become so bogged down in the details that we forget our purpose. We don’t study just to pass examinations, for instance; what we learn is for our total education and to help make us fulfilled human beings.
When St Paul’s Cathedral was being built, its architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was in the habit of making frequent visits to the building site. He wandered round from craftsman to craftsman, watching and noting each stage of construction. Sometimes he would pause and ask a worker what he was doing.
“I’m carving a keystone for the arch,” a stonemason would reply.
“I’m building a door for the west entrance,” a carpenter would answer, or
“I’m forging the metalwork for the screen,” a blacksmith would say.
One day, Sir Christopher spotted a small boy standing alongside a bucket of water and a pile of hay. It was the boy’s job to water and feed the horses which pulled the wagonloads' of building material up the hill to the site.
Sir Christopher went up to the boy and asked him what he was doing.
The boy replied with pride, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren build a cathedral”
As our Year 13s get ready to leave us for the next stage of their life’s journey. I trust that they would not say “I was here to get a qualification (carving a keystone for the arch). Instead, they might say I was here investing in my human capital and seeking to fulfil my potential by striving for personal excellence every day (Building the Cathedral). The big picture is to be the best version of yourself; the immediate goal might be to complete the task or pass the next test in front of you.
What's Coming Up?
04 Nov - Senior Prizegiving 6.30pm in the Hall - Last day for Y11, 12 and 13
05 Nov - Y13 Leavers' Lunch - in the Hall
10 Nov - NCEA Exams commence
20 & 23 Nov - Junior Exams
04 & 07 - Wider Living Days for Y9 and Y10
Monuia e aho
Gary Moore
