From the Principal

Kia ora Students and Parents/Caregivers,

As we enter the final term of the year, I want to acknowledge the hard work and focus our students are showing, particularly our Seniors, who are preparing for their upcoming examinations. We wish them well as they head into the next, pivotal stage of their school journey.

The end of the year is always a busy time, filled with exciting celebrations like prizegiving, where we recognise the incredible achievements of our students. It’s a period of immense pride for our entire school community.

This week we have celebrated the exceptional achievements of our senior students who are part of the many music ensembles across both the Westlake schools, and the staff and tutors who contribute so much time, energy, and expertise to give them all the wonderful opportunities they do.

 2024 Music Prizegiving Major Award winners

  • Leadership in Instrumental Music – Emily Chen
  • Leadership in Choral Music – Abby Wang, Emily Sullivan
  • Leadership in Music Department – Fiona Yang
  • Leadership in Performance – Emily Sullivan
  • Creativity in Music – Tara Yoo
  • Most Promising Song Writer – Joy Feng
  • Excellence in Music Performance – Katie Brown
  • Excellence in Contemporary Music – Caelin Thompson
  • Accompanist Trophy – Tara Yoo

Our Sports Awards evening was another very humbling affair hearing of the multiple teams and individuals achieving both International and National honours. The sporting results are outstanding this year and again we are incredibly grateful to our sports department and the coaches, managers and all our student coaches who volunteer their time to make it possible to have so many students involved in sport.

 2024 Sports Prizegiving Major Award winners

  • Sportswoman of the Year – Kodee Williams-Sefo – Basketball
  • Team of the Year – World Schools Basketball Team
  • All Rounder of the Year – Charlotte Mawston – Rowing, Basketball & Netball
  • Junior Sportswoman of the Year – Bella Jenkins – Sailing
  • International Performance of the Year – Leah Richmond & Brierley Cook – Cheering
  • Coach of the Year – Bronwen Davidson – Basketball
  • Student Coach of the Year – Bailee Swindells – Water polo
  • Student Official of the Year – Sasha Bosch
  • Volunteer of the Year – Tanja Venema – Basketball

And last but by no means least, the Staff Recognition Awards went to Deputy Principal Paul Davis – All Sports.

Congratulations to all of you.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge those students who give their best effort, even if they don’t always come out on top in terms of prizes/awards. Your hard work and perseverance don’t go unnoticed.

As we approach both NZQA, and our junior end of year exams, I have spoken to students at assemblies about strategies to manage their time and wellbeing over the coming weeks and have reminded them to ask for help if they need it. Staff are here to help and we are all better together!

Thank you for your ongoing support, we look forward to a productive and positive final term.

Ka kite,

Jane Stanley
PRINCIPAL

 

Community

Fashion for a Cure on the North Shore

Westlake Girls Students Behind the Scenes

In September, Breast Cancer Cure’s iconic ‘Fashion for a Cure’ event took place on the North Shore for the first time.

The stunning new showroom of one of our major supporters (Volvo Cars North Shore) was the backdrop for an evening of glamour and generosity.

Showcasing collections from 16 of New Zealand’s top fashion brands, it was a night of style, fun, and purpose while raising vital funds for breast cancer research.

Ella Aubrey, backstage

New Zealand has the seventh-highest incidence of breast cancer globally, and two women die from the disease each day. This event helps drive the essential research needed to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders.

Hosted by Breast Cancer Cure Ambassadors Antonia Prebble and Nerida Jantti, the event featured designers including Trelise Cooper, Kathryn Wilson, COOPER, Federation, and more. Guests enjoyed live and silent auctions and the chance to bid on exclusive experiences.

This year, some Y12 and 13 Textile Technology students from Westlake Girls High School volunteered backstage. These students gained invaluable hands-on experience by assisting backstage with tasks like setting up the venue, putting goodie bags together, dressing models, and helping the sixteen fashion designers represented at this event. This unique opportunity gave them a glimpse into the fast-paced world of fashion shows while supporting an important cause.

Volvo Cars was proud to partner with Breast Cancer Cure. “Volvo Cars has a heritage of safety research, and we’re proud to support breast cancer research in New Zealand,” said Ben Montgomery, Volvo Cars NZ’s General Manager.

“It was a great experience. It was cool being behind the scenes of a fashion show and seeing the work of the designers.” Keira King Year 12

‘It was fun! It was interesting to see how it all worked. It was great to see all the brands in one room together.”  Grace Bateman Year 13

Main image above: Kaitlin Lucas (left) and Amalie Hoban backstage.

Arts & Culture

Bumper-load of nominations

The nominations for the Auckland Live Showdown Theatre Awards have been released. These awards celebrate the very best in school drama production across the wider Auckland region. Very exciting news: we have received nominations in almost every category for either of our productions this year: Crazy For You and The Three Musketeers!

On the evening of 6 November at the Bruce Mason Centre, the winners of each award will be announced at the Showdown Awards. Our students will be giving two performances from Crazy for You: ‘Naughty Baby’ and also ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.

Congratulations to everyone involved for their wonderful creative mahi and their success!

The nominations are below:

Arts & Culture

Pasifika Night

Pasifika Night 2024 at Westlake Girls, held on 4 July in the WGHS Events Centre, showcased 68 Pasifika student performers with guest performances from Westlake Boys. The sold-out event hosted over 900 guests, celebrating the vibrant dances and traditions of Pacific cultures.

The evening featured performances from Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, Cook Island, and Niuean groups, alongside solo items representing Tongan and Tuvaluan cultures. The night was filled with spirited dances like Siva Samoa, Fijian Meke, Tongan Fa’ahiula, and a Cook Island ‘Ko te pō anake’ performance. Audience participation in Cook Island drumming added to the excitement, ending with a stunning Taualuga, Tau’olunga, and Sifa Afi (fire dance).

Organised by the Pasifika Student Committee, Pasifika Parent Komiti, and led by staff members Miriam Robinson and Pasifika Dean Lesila Tu’itupou Kutu, the night received glowing feedback. Attendees praised the performances, with one commenting, “I was close to tears watching the beautiful performances.”

 

Arts & Culture

Nota Bella Choir visits Cambridge

On Saturday, 21 September, our junior choir, Nota Bella, travelled to Cambridge for the day to collaborate in concert with the Hamilton Civic Choir. Ms Elise Bradley conducts both choirs. It was wonderful to bring singers together to present music from around the world in a concert titled: ‘Slàinte Mhath’.

Nota Bella sang pieces from its repertoire this year and joined with HCC and another high school choir, ‘VOX’ from Cambridge, for several songs.

After rehearsals in the Cambridge Town Hall, Nota Bella enjoyed exploring Hamilton Gardens before performing to a full-capacity audience and heading back to Auckland.

Sports

Westlake Sailing win New Zealand Yachting Youth Performance Award

Honours for the Westlake Girls Sailing Team continue to flow into the fourth quarter of the year after being awarded the New Zealand Youth Performance Award by Yachting New Zealand. The acknowledgement features the team’s inaugural success at the 2023 Inter Dominion Trans-Tasman Test Series where they won the Girls Championship to become the Top Girls Sailing School in Australasia. 

Two weeks ago, the Premier team repeated that feat in Auckland at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club when they again won the Girls Championship Trophy. They then went on to assist the top six New Zealand Girls and Boys teams to defeat Australia and win the overall Inter Dominion Sailing Trophy.

The regatta began ominously for Westlake Girls, with Tasmania’s St Michael’s Collegiate and Brisbane’s Moreton Bay handing the team two losses. However, a decisive win against Whangarei Girls allowed them to top the leaderboard after Day One. 

Demanding conditions on Day Two meant the wind was soft, inconsistent, and unpredictable, causing the course to be adjusted many times. St Michael’s outperformed the rest of the fleet to finish this day at the top of the board and Westlake Girls tucked into second place.

Strong winds arrived on the third and final day of the series, which suited the Swans, whose team thrived in these conditions, showcasing an outstanding performance with a perfect record of five wins in five races.

The team demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, overcoming a one-point deficit to St Michael’s. With several gear malfunctions during the morning that delayed the races, the Race Committee ultimately decided that the wind was too fierce to continue racing after just one Round Robin and awarded Westlake Girls the victory by a single point. They won 15 out of 20 races to win the Girls Trophy for 2024.

Outstanding performances from the other Kiwi schools (Nelson Girls, Whangarei Girls representing the NZ girls and Auckland Boys Grammar, St Kents and Rangitoto for the boys) handed New Zealand the Inter Dominion Trans-Tasman Trophy over Australia.  Auckland Grammer won the Boys Top Team Trophy.

This has capped off another exceptionally successful year for the Westlake Girls Sailing Team, with victories in every regatta they have participated in this season.  The team will be honoured at the NZ Yachting Excellence Awards on 22 November at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on 22 November when they are presented the Youth Performance Award of the Year.

Congratulations to Sailing Coach Robbie Wooldridge and Manager Paula Satterthwaite for creating a successful sailing programme.

 

Community

Announcing...our new WGHS podcast!

We are so excited to bring you the very first episode of our new podcast!

He Kōrero Wāna is here! Westlake Girls’ brand-new podcast, brainchild of Devanshi Bhavsar and Alex van der Loos, is here!

Our first episode has something special – an exclusive chat with our incredible Head Prefect, Candese and Deputy Head Prefect, Georgia.

These podcasts will give you the inside scoop on life at Westlake and all the amazing opportunities at our kura.

Don’t miss out – tune in now!

Community

Gumboot Friday!

Next Friday, 1 November, wear gumboots with your uniform, bring a gold coin donation and support a fantastic charity.

I Am Hope is raising money for counselling for people under 25.

Y9 and 10 students who are sitting exams that day can take part, too.

Uniform + gumboots + gold coin.

Community

Sleep and Teens

The University of Otago is studying school start times and teenagers. If you’d like to take part, please complete the relevant survey. You can participate as a student (16+), teacher/SLT member, Board member, or parent/caregiver.

The teacher, Board and parent/caregiver surveys take about five minutes to complete. The student (16+) one averages ten minutes to complete as it includes questions about their sleep and well-being (physical and mental) because they are so tightly linked.

The research is funded by Cure Kids, and the study has been approved by the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee #22/105. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/teensleep/

To read a paper by the team running the study, click here.

For further enquiries, please contact [email protected]

 

Link to teen version: https://bit.ly/48lKmqJ

Link to parent/caregiver version: https://bit.ly/3Nq6N4e

Link to teacher/principal version: https://bit.ly/403oRsh

Link to Board member version: https://bit.ly/485Hu0Q

Signing up is a two-step process.

Note: Westlake Girls is happy to support this survey, but please note that we are NOT considering later start times for our school at this point.

Photo by Sinitta Leunen on Unsplash.

 

Sports

Adventure racing Hillary Challenge final

This month, a team of four girls from Westlake Girls and four boys from Westlake Boys showcased their incredible skills and determination at the annual Adventure Racing Hillary Challenge final in the Tongariro National Park. This event, which they qualified for in May, is known to be a highly challenging event over five days.

The competition included 12 one-hour challenges on the first two days such as rock climbing, raft building, disc golf, and problem-solving. These activities tested the participants’ physical endurance, teamwork, and strategic thinking.

The adventure continued with a two-day rogaine on the side of Mt. Ruapehu. Despite the harsh conditions, with temperatures starting around 1°C, the team demonstrated resilience by pitching their tent fly in the snow for an overnight stay! The team had an absolute ball over these two days and came away beaming and excited for the final challenge.

The final day pushed the competitors to their limits with a gruelling 50km multisport race that included a 2km kayak each, 9km run, 30km mountain bike and a final 7km run. The team had a slow start to the race but did an exceptional job coming back up through the field.

Ultimately, the team achieved an impressive 10th place in New Zealand. This is a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering that none of the team members had participated in the Hillary Challenge before. With a relatively young team, all but one member are eligible to compete again next year, promising even greater potential for future success.

Congratulations to our Westlake Boys and Girls for their outstanding performance and for representing our schools with such pride and perseverance.

A special congratulations also goes to Sasha Bosch, who was awarded the “Toughness Award” which is given to the toughest female of any team in the competition!

Community

Welcome an international student

Arts & Culture

Spanish student wins 2nd place in national competition

Spanish students from across New Zealand participated in a national contest where they had to submit a video about their favourite Hispanic piece of art. They were judged on content, expression, vocabulary, fluency, and pronunciation, among other language skills.

Lily Wilson, a Level 3 Spanish student, stood out with her video on the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. She discussed his influence on modernist architecture, highlighting the work of ‘La Casa Batllo’. Her advanced vocabulary and clear expression earned her second place in her level group.

Arts & Culture

Frozen Jr.

Over the first weekend of the holidays, Westlake Productions did a crazy and remarkable thing: putting on a full one-hour musical – Frozen Jr. – with only 48 hours rehearsal.

A large, enthusiastic audience enjoyed a production that was musically directed, costumed, created lighting designs for, rehearsed, and choreographed in only 48 hours! In fact, none of what was seen onstage, on the night of Sunday, September 29, existed at 3.59pm on Friday, September 27.

Frozen Jr. was a wonderful celebration of our outstanding Westlake Performing Arts Community: its singers, dancers, actors, technicians, musicians and supportive staff and parents.

Toi, Toi, Toi.

By Dr. Nick Brown, Westlake Boys High School

 

Arts & Culture

Y9 wins dance scholarship to Australia

Casey Parker (9OVS) dances at Mt Eden Ballet Academy. During the holidays, she attended the 75th annual ballet competition of the Auckland Caledonian Dance Society Dance.

She has worked extremely hard this year and danced beautifully. At the finals gala, she was awarded a one-week scholarship to attend summer school at Annette Roselli Dance Academy in Australia. This incredible prize was given to her by adjudicator Lisa-Marie Cullum from Tanya Pearson Academy in Australia.

Congratulations, Casey, on this spectacular win!

Photos credit: Beth Maskey.

Community

End of Year Schedule 2024

End of Year Schedule 2024

Please find below a LOT of information about the school schedule over the coming weeks.

Monday 28 October. Labour Day. Public holiday. School closed.

Tuesday 29 October. Normal school day for Years 9-11. Last form time for Y11.

Wed 30 October.

10:00 am-12:00 Special Awards in Event Centre.

Award winners must be at school by 9:15 am to find seats and practice in the Event Centre.

An immaculate formal uniform is required.

All non-award winners go to form classes at 9:35, as usual, for a Wednesday.

IMPORTANT: Unfortunately, we cannot invite whānau to the Special Awards event, as our students will completely fill the Event Centre.

Year 9 and 10 students will be at the Special Awards ceremony from 10:00 am – approximately noon. We will then dismiss them.

 Year 11 students will not be required to be at school on Wednesday, 30 October, unless they are getting an award at the Special Awards ceremony. Otherwise, Y11 students have a study day. All Y11s must be at school on Tuesday, 29 October, Thursday, 31 October, and Friday, 1 November,

1 November is a normal school day for Y11 students and the last day of the year for them.

Wed 30 October

7 pm: Senior Prizegiving in the Event Centre, 7:00 pm start.

Please note: Immaculate formal uniform is required.

Friday, 1 November. Gumboot Day! Wear gumboots with your uniform and bring a gold coin donation for the charity I Am Hope.

Note: Exam day for Y9 and 10. (They may wear gumboots).

 

Exams 2024

Juniors

All Year 9 and 10 students sit end-of-year examinations in English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. These examinations are held over four days, one per day. Thursday 31 October to Tuesday 5 November. The Junior timetable is here.

Students should arrive at school by 8:45 am for their morning exams.

Year 10 students may leave school following their morning exams, at approximately 11:00 am, on Thurs, Fri & Mon. Year 9s will have their normal timetabled classes during Periods 3, 4, and 5, following their morning exams on Thurs, Friday and Monday.

Year 9 & 10 students will have study leave on the morning of Tuesday 5 November. They should be at school by 12:45 pm for their afternoon exam.

Seniors

NCEA Examinations are from Tuesday 5 November-Friday 29 November.

There are no exams on Friday 15 November (Teacher-Only Day).

The timetable is here

Year 12 & 13 last day of classes is Friday, 25 October.

Year 11 last day of classes is Friday, 1 November. Their last day of form time is Tuesday, 29 October.

Students will receive information about bell times via their year-level Google classrooms, as there are slight changes because of exams. We ask that all students be considerate of those sitting examinations when on-site.

Junior Prizegiving and Last day of school for Juniors

Junior Prizegiving is Tues 10 December. Y9 & Y10 finish school for the year after Junior Prizegiving at around 12:30 pm.

Best luck with your studying, everyone!

Community

Watercare Youth Summit

One of our Year 11 students, Rachel Chen, attended the 2024 Watercare Youth Summit during the October school holidays. This two-day event involved learning how we use and treat water in Auckland. It included an interactive tour of the water and wastewater treatment plants, where students learned about Watercare’s history, technology, and potential for the future.

Rachel found it very interesting to learn where the water in Aucklanders’ taps comes from, where our used water goes, and how the water is treated in the plants. She did workshops with students from all over Auckland involving team collaboration, problem-solving, and innovation.

She learned about the importance of water and how vital it is to preserve and sustain this limited treasure.

The Watercare team was impressed with the group’s focus on innovation and the students’ desire to spread awareness and improve youth engagement about this important topic.  

Sports

A Phenomenal Top 4 Netball Finish

After finishing 5th in the Auckland netball competition and then 5th at the Upper North Island Secondary Schools Championship, Westlake Girls’ top four finish at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championship in Christchurch was a phenomenal way to finish the season.

The tall team was led by Year 13 defender Jaz Zanders, who was jointly awarded the Auckland Netball MVP of the Year, and her vice-captain, Tai Baillie, the NZ Under 20 Touch Squad member. They faced a tough pool in Christchurch with Howick College, the Auckland and Upper North Island champions. After struggling to beat New Plymouth Girls High School, 34-25, they went down to Howick 25-44 in their second match.  This meant an all-important encounter against St Andrews College the next morning would determine a top 8 placing.  The Christchurch team led for most of the game holding a 5-point lead going into the last quarter. However, in the last five minutes, Westlake went on a scoring spree to level the game at 39-39 and claim the final spot in the top 8 on points differential.

The uphill climb continued into the top half of the draw, with Wellington’s top team, St Marys, and the defending national champions Avondale in their group. Coach, April Ieremia asked her determined side to empty their tank against Wellington’s best, and they did! The thrilling goal-for-goal encounter handed St Marys their first loss of the season, 35-34.

 

Westlake’s next match was even more challenging. They needed to overcome  Avondale College to secure a top 4 finish at nationals and potentially a finals spot. Staying in the game took indescribable willpower, but phenomenal shooting from Karmen Maritz and Phia Marshall kept Westlake close to the National Champs and victory in the final quarter, 35-34. Tears and screams of joy and elation filled Court 4 as the team had done the incredible and were now just one win away from making the final. The last time Westlake girls had made the final of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Champs was in 2018 when they went down to Mt Albert Grammar.  Tawa College, however, was the last hurdle, and they were determined to push the North Shore side hard.  With tired bodies and their fuel tanks nearly empty, Westlake went down to Tawa.
The Swans met fellow Auckland team St Kent’s in the bronze medal match, but by then, Westlake had played their best the previous day and went down by 10 points. It was a memorable week that rewarded Westlake with the top four finish they never expected until they arrived at the Christchurch Netball Centre.

The students now have a couple of weeks off before Summer Strength and Conditioning begins in November.

The team received support from the One Foundation Limited for travel expenses, for which they were very grateful.

Community

Golf Day – Friday 8 November

The WGHS inaugural Golf Day is nearly here! Check out our fundraising event page below to learn more, or get in touch with our Community Relationship Manager, Dean Flyger, here.

https://www.westlakegirls.school.nz/fundraising-event-page/

Sports

Y12 Mountain Biking Trip

In week 10 of Term Three, the Year 12 Outdoor Ed cohort finished off their adventurous year with their Mountain Trip in the Whakarewarewa Forest- Rotorua. Students had the chance to explore and experience the thrill of Mountain Biking and test their skills on different tracks. They also had the opportunity to complete their performance assessment and push themselves to their limits.

Academic

Instant restaurant

Our Level 3 Hospitality students recently showcased their culinary skills by running an instant restaurant as part of their pasta assessment. The students transformed the cafe into a welcoming eatery, inviting friends and teachers to enjoy a special lunch. This event was the culmination of a term of hard work in which they honed their pasta-making techniques and experimented with various dishes to perfect their menu.

On the day of the event, the students were calm and composed, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for their guests. They paid great attention to detail, from the beautifully set tables to the seamless service.

The students treated guests to an array of pasta dishes that highlighted the students’ creativity and technical expertise. Feedback from the diners was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the food quality and the overall dining experience.

Ex-Students' Successes Sports

Gold at Under 18 Hockey

Hockey – North Harbour U18 Women – Gold Medal winners – Outdoor

Ashley Brown, Daniella Hall, Marie Dallmer-Zerbe and Tamsin Lockie were part of the amazing team that won Gold at the National U18 Women’s Hockey Championship in Christchurch in July. Madison Cels (ex WGHS) played as goalie.

The week-long tournament had 22 Teams from across NZ. The team came out on top in pool play after three games unbeaten.  They went on to beat Central Otago 2:0 in the knockout round, and a 3:0 win over Waiarapa in the quarter-finals.  They had more of a challenge against Auckland in the semi-finals, but came away with a 3:1 win.

The gold medal match was against Manawatu – another unbeaten team.  Manawatu scored first in a Penalty Corner after 8 minutes of play.  But Harbour came back with a brilliant piece of team play within 1 minute to even it up.  From there, it was history for Manawatu.  North Harbour played thrilling team hockey in the crisp Canterbury sunshine to win 3:1. Over the whole tournament, there were only three goals scored against North Harbour, and all came from penalty corners.  There were no goals scored against them in field play – the only team in the tournament to achieve this! The team camaraderie was amazing. There was lots of laughter, super loud singing, and when it came down to it – the hard work and dedication over many years, combined with this super tight team, secured their win. Below are some photos of the North Harbour U18 Indoor Women’s team that won the gold medal at the NZ U18 Indoor Champs in December 2023 (after school finished).

 

North Harbour had a rocky start – losing their two coaches to Covid the day before flying to Levin for this inaugural U18 Event. We were lucky enough to have the men’s team coaches stand in for a five-minute briefing before the games and sideline support. The team gelled amazingly well, lots of singing, laughing and total support for each other. We came away from the tournament unbeaten with gold around our necks!

 

Daniella Hall is the only current Westlake girl in the team, but ex Westlakers include Jess Reynolds, Bella Holt, Maia Houkamau and Madi Cells.

By Carolina Parslow

 

 

 

Community

Father-Daughter Breakfast: a special morning

Westlake Girls hosted its second Father-Daughter Breakfast on a Wednesday in September, and it was a morning to remember. Held at the Event Centre, the gathering brought together students, fathers, and male role models for a shared breakfast in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

The morning featured two standout speeches. Former student Lynley Allison shared her story of resilience after having part of her leg amputated, focusing on the power of positive thinking. Her words resonated with the audience. Head Prefect Candese Mamaia-Hellesoe followed, speaking candidly about her upbringing without a father and expressing gratitude to her uncle Chris, who has been a strong presence in her life. The honesty and emotion in her speech left a lasting impression.

We would like to thank Shakespeare Orthodontics for their support, as well as Craig Waugh from North Shore Flooring Xtra, who attended with his daughter, and Ashia Ismail-Singer, (our school nurse), from Harcourts Cooper & Co. The event was a meaningful opportunity for connection and reflection, making it a memorable occasion for everyone involved.

 

Sports

Y11 off to the Dominion Republic!

Year 11 student Charley March has been selected for the New Zealand Under-17 Football World Cup Squad travelling to the Dominican Republic, representing both school and country on the global stage.

This is a fantastic achievement for Charley and Westlake – congratulations, Charley!

Sports

Diving Team

The Westlake Girls diving team competed at the Auckland Secondary Schools competition in August. The competition consisted of 23 other schools, with our team taking first place overall, overtaking Albany Junior and Albany Senior High School in the standings, taking their 12-year winning streak. The overall team score was 749.20, with second place far behind at 584.75. Our team consisted of Grace Campbell, Grace Young, Charlie Barron, Charlotte Wilson, Isabelle Butler and Jaemay Tan.

In the junior girls, Charlotte was third, and Izzy was 13th. In the 15-16 girls, Charli placed 12th, Grace Young placed 13th, and Jaemay placed 14th.

Finally, in the senior girls, Grace Campbell placed third. Charlotte placed third with Grace Campbell in the synchro competition. Grace Young and Jaemay finished in 14th place, and Izzy, paired with an Albany Junior diver, placed together in 16th.

The girls won the Secondary Schools Cup thanks to these outcomes.

Sports

Mountain biking National Championship results

  • Cross Country:

o   Under 14 Girls – Astyn Nasmith 1st (New Zealand Champion) and Kaylan Nasmith and 2nd.

o   Under 17 Girls – Stella Beale 7th.

o   Cross Country Teams Relay – Under 20 Girls 2nd.

  • Enduro:

o   Under 17 Girls – Stella Beale 9th.

 

Academic

Year 9 STEAM Exploring Opportunity

On 17 September, the STEAM students visited the University of Auckland on a day trip to discover the joys of engineering and space exploration. The first adventure of the day was a lecture from a NASA engineer encompassing space exploration and Mars Rovers, and the impacts that exploring Mars can have on our planet.

Our day consisted of three invigorating workshops in which we were challenged by engineers and programmers to create solutions and products of our own.

The 3D printing workshop focused on using a computer program to illustrate a design for a keychain. We then built bridges with limited resources and contested to see which bridge could withstand the heaviest amount of applied weight (which turned out to be fourteen kilograms!). We attended a robotics workshop, which brought us together to collaborate on creating a robot that can sense its environment.

Together, we learnt a lot about what it means to be good engineers; to be steadfast and headstrong, not to accept defeat and to apply yourself when it comes to solving issues. This trip was eye-opening, informative, entertaining, and, above all, inspiring.

By Polina Bogaeva

Sports

Basketball Nationals

After finishing third at the School Basketball World Champs in Macau, China (July 2024), Westlake Girls High School continued their impressive unbeaten run from the Auckland regular season into the 2024 New Zealand Secondary Schools National Championship, held in Palmerston North from 30 September to 5 October. Their dominant performance throughout the tournament highlighted the strength of their basketball program, led by coaches Bronwen Davidson and Nela Fotu.

Westlake sailed through pool play with commanding victories against Rangitoto College (102-44), Manukura School (87-38), Christchurch High School (100-25), Rotorua High School (104-37), and St Peters College (81-69). They advanced to the quarter-finals, defeating Hamilton High School 81-62.

In the semi-finals, they showcased their offensive prowess and defensive discipline with a 94-71 win over Tauranga Girls High School. The final was a rematch of the 2022 and 2023 championships against St Andrews College, where Westlake secured a resounding victory, 97-69, claiming their third consecutive national title.

Kodee Williams-Sefo earned the MVP award with a standout tournament performance, accumulating 110 points, 63 rebounds, 19 assists, and 21 steals. Other key players included point guard Amy Pateman, who contributed 108 points, 32 assists, and 22 steals, and Emma-Kaye Schroeder, who led the team with 165 points and 22 steals, demonstrating exceptional endurance. Forward Zenthia Stowers was the anchor in the defence and a key scorer with 96 points who disrupted many of the opposition’s plays.

Imani Rasmussen dominated the boards with 74 rebounds, using her 1.9m height to block many scoring attempts. Starters Elin Vincent and Lily Fotu were critical in the defensive lineup and impressed with their relentless hustle. They disrupted opponents’ flow and added deflections that caused other teams many headaches!

Charlotte Mawston added another dimension off the bench with her defence and speed, excelling on many fast breaks.

As one of the five seniors, Brennah Latoalevi-Nosa brings a calm and steady presence to the court, especially in high-pressure situations that require composure and patience. In addition to her leadership, she is a sharp three-point shooter, adding depth to Westlake’s offensive game. Most memorably, Brennah’s iconic pre-game chant, “Lock-In”, will leave a lasting impact for years.

With five seniors finishing high school this year, Westlake introduced three junior players to the squad, giving them invaluable experience at this pinnacle event and preparing them for next season as Westlake looks to defend their title once again.

Westlake Girls High School’s continued success is a testament to their rigorous preparation, exceptional teamwork, and the depth of their squad, making them the clear favourites at the Secondary School Nationals.

After the tournament, the team will take a well-earned break before focusing on end-of-year exams in November.

Their team bond, shared victories and defeats, laughter, and tears are critical to their success. They have plans to celebrate their remarkable season together at an end-of-year event with coaches, staff, and families, reinforcing their strong bond and shared achievements.

None of this would have been possible without the help of some fantastic organisations.

For the team’s national’s campaign, they received funding from the New Zealand Community Trust for accommodation and air travel costs. For the trip to China, it took six months of intense fundraising from students and parents, coupled with the generous support of sponsors, Precise Homes, Dils Funeral Services, the Asia NZ Foundation, Volvo Cars North Shore and Shakespeare Orthodontics.

Our school is extremely grateful for the support from these generous people.

From the Board

Board Update

Kia ora,

Term Three has been another busy term for our school.  We hosted the International Girls Education Symposium with 350 delegates from across New Zealand and Australia.  It was a fantastic event where attendees were impressed with our school and community. The Board would like to thank everyone involved in delivering a sensational event, which included our staff presenting in workshops, a heartwarming powhiri, and performances from our Kapa Haka students and Cantare choir. Students and staff helpers were pivotal in making this event such a success.

There have been some incredible cultural evenings, and we are so proud of what our students and teachers have achieved in helping families come together to celebrate our wonderful community.  The Father-Daughter Breakfast was another successful event, with ex-student Lynley Allison as guest speaker. The Westlake Girls Rowing Squad organised the catering of the delicious food.

Our performance as a school continues to be exceptional both domestically and internationally. This includes our premier basketball team defending to hold the National Champions for three consecutive years after finishing third in the Secondary Schools World Championships in China.

The outstanding performances and gold medals in the Youth and Sacred categories at the World Choir Games in Auckland were promptly backed up by Teenage and Sacred winning trophies and runners-up in the Grand Prix at the Bali International Choir Festival. Liz O’Leary and April Ieremia (Basketball) and Fiona Wilson and Rachel Carson (Music Department) led these successes.

Our other staff successes include:

  • The publication of Susana Tomaz’s paper for the OECD’s international study, ‘Innovation in Career Pathways in Five Countries’, that features the Westlake Girls STEAM programme.
  • Danielle Johnson and her team for organising two very successful year group camps (Year 10 and just recently Year 9).
  • Aarti Singh, Miriam Robinson and Charlotte Anderson have been granted one-year study awards.

As we move into Term Four, we wish our students all the best for their internals and end-of-year exams. The Board was pleased to see the results from the percentage of students achieving University Entrance last year, where Westlake Girls High School were in the top quartile across the country. This reflects the hard work put in by students and staff, and we are confident this trend of excellent results will continue.

Finally, a reminder of the importance of school donations. Please keep them coming in. These funds are essential to enable our students to flourish and achieve their full potential at our school.

Ngā mihi nui

Sujata Giri

Board Member