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Te Reo O Te Roto
The Language of the Lake
Issue 128 | 6 November 2026
From the Principal

Principal's Message

Kia ora koutou,

It’s been quite a week at Westlake! Between our awards ceremonies and yesterday’s leavers’ graduation, there have been plenty of proud moments and a few emotional ones too.

Special Awards and Senior Academic Prizegiving were two wonderful occasions celebrating our students successes in a wide range of areas. Congratulations to all our recipients. I hope you have had a moment to reflect and feel very proud of your achievements.

We also welcomed our 2027 prefect team and announced Imani Rasmussen as Head Prefect and Rori Seymour as Deputy Head Prefect. I look forward to working with them next year. Dorsa Jahedi, Charlotte Mawston and our outgoing prefects have given so much time and care to their roles, and I thank them for everything they have done.

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of spending time with our Year 13 leavers before they head into exams. Saying goodbye is always a little difficult. We’ve watched these students grow up, get involved and become such familiar faces around the school. I hope you feel proud of how far you’ve come and excited about what’s ahead, we will miss you. Please stay in touch – we always enjoy hearing how you’re getting on.

For now, though, there are examinations to prepare for. NCEA exams begin on 10 November. A reminder to all of our students, your teachers are still available to support you if you have any questions.

For our junior students, there is still plenty happening this term. Keep coming to school, getting involved and making the most of your time with your teachers. There is much still to learn and enjoy before we finish the year.

Thank you to our staff for all the work that has gone into this week, and to everyone who has helped us celebrate our students. It has been lovely to share these occasions with you.

 

Ngā mihi nui,

Jane Stanley

 

Academic

A night to celebrate our senior students

Behind every name called at Senior Academic Prizegiving was a year of learning, persistence and effort – and on Tuesday 3 November, it was time to celebrate.

Students, staff and whānau came together to recognise achievement across Levels 1, 2 and 3, alongside university scholarships, subject prizes and the school’s premier awards.

Sol Lee was named Dux for 2026, receiving the school’s top academic honour. Laura Mackenzie and India Smyth jointly received the Prowse Cup for Proxime Accessit, recognising their academic achievement.

Our premier awards also celebrated students whose contributions have reached across many parts of Westlake life:

  • Diya Kansara — Jeffreys Cup, recognising citizenship, outstanding service, academic achievement and leadership.
  • Charlotte Mawston — Phillips Cup, recognising all-round achievement in sport, academics and leadership.
  • Hannah Smith — Elise Bradley Cup, recognising all-round achievement in culture, academics and leadership.

Miya Yuxin Wang was recognised as International Student of the Year, while Dorsa Jahedi was acknowledged as our 2026 Head Prefect.

The university scholarships awarded also offered an exciting glimpse of what comes next, with recipients preparing to take their learning into new places and fields of study.

Congratulations to every student recognised on the night. To the families, friends and teachers who have encouraged them along the way, thank you – you share in this celebration too.

 

Academic

Meet our 2027 Head Prefects

A big moment for two students, and an exciting look ahead for Westlake – Imani Rasmussen and Rori Seymour have been announced as our 2027 Head Prefect and Deputy Head Prefect.

The announcement came at Tuesday’s Senior Academic Awards, with Imani named Head Prefect and Rori Deputy Head Prefect.

Congratulations to you both! We look forward to seeing you bring your ideas and leadership to these roles, working alongside the 2027 prefect team and students across the school.

Photo: 2027 Deputy Head Prefect Rori Seymour and Head Prefect Imani Rasmussen.

Academic

Celebrating the students who make things happen

The early starts, lunchtime meetings, hours of rehearsal and jobs quietly done behind the scenes – Tuesday’s Special Awards ceremony was a chance to recognise the students who give so much to Westlake life.

Across our clubs, cultural groups, arts and service activities, students were acknowledged for their leadership and commitment. Their contributions reach well beyond their own groups, creating opportunities for others and strengthening connections throughout our school and wider community.

One example is Naba Rahman, who received the North Shore MP’s Excellence in Community Contribution Award. Naba established The Techsperts, bringing students together to help older people use technology, navigate apps and recognise digital scams.

Dorsa Jahedi received the Ewing Cultural Mosaic Trophy, voted for by Year 13 students, recognising her contribution to cultural harmony and involvement in school life.

Our special award recipients were:

Award Recipient
Leading Debater Cup Nicole Lao
Most Promising Debater Sarka Langton
Stage Challenge Trophy — Showquest Georgia McManaway
Young Enterprise Trophy Toshia Mehra
Travis Coates Poetry Prize Grace Kelly
Peace Foundation Social Sciences Cup Laura Mackenzie
Year 12 Gateway Award Melika Rudez
Te Tohu o Kaitautoko Olivia Retimana
Contribution to Drama Award Frankie Feeney
Contribution to Music Award Rosa Morris
North Shore MP’s Excellence in Community Contribution Award Naba Rahman
Ewing Cultural Mosaic Trophy Dorsa Jahedi

Cultural scholarships also recognised the students whose leadership and hard work helped bring our cultural nights to life. Congratulations to Eirene Concepcion and Maria Cadacio for Filipino Night; Jessica Lee and Chloe Kim for Korean Night; Cindy Tang and Rachel Chen for Chinese Night; Phillipa Ah-vui for Pasifika Night; and Iv Vadrevu and Haylee Kansara for Indian Night.

There was also a look ahead to next year with the announcement of our 2027 prefect team. Congratulations to all students selected – we look forward to seeing you support your Houses, share your ideas and make these roles your own.

The ceremony also celebrated Onewa’s 2026 House Cup win, finishing the competition with 3,008 points.

Congratulations to everyone recognised, and thank you to the staff who support these groups throughout the year. So much of what makes Westlake special happens because people are willing to get involved.

Student Leadership

Onewa takes the House Cup!

The points are counted, the results are in, and the 2026 House Cup belongs to Onewa!

With 3,008 points, Onewa finished top after a year of friendly rivalry, House pride and students getting involved across school life. The Cup was presented at Tuesday’s Special Awards ceremony, with House Captain Amelia Birzin accepting it on Onewa’s behalf.

From Athletics Day chants and Swimming Sports to art competitions, Friday Lunch Live and co-curricular participation, there were plenty of ways to contribute. Every student who joined in helped build their House’s total.

The final standings were:

Place House Points
1 Onewa 3,008
2 Pupuke 2,767
3 Hauraki 2,736
4 Akoranga 2,683
5 Wairau 2,675

Congratulations, Onewa – enjoy those bragging rights! And thank you to students across all five Houses for bringing your energy, talents and team spirit to the competition.

The points reset in 2027, so there’s everything to play for next year.

Your house. Your colours. Our Westlake.

 

Music

Cantare takes the field at Eden Park

A stadium full of cricket fans and an international television audience – Cantare’s final performance together for 2026 was quite the send-off!

Invited by New Zealand Cricket, the choir performed the national anthems of New Zealand and India at Eden Park on Wednesday 4 November, ahead of the One Day International.

Student teacher Mr Robin Park arranged both anthems for four-part treble voices, with Music Director Fiona Wilson conducting. The singers had approximately two weeks to learn and memorise the arrangements, with two Indian members of the choir helping their fellow singers refine their pronunciation of Jana Gana Mana. For those students, sharing the anthem with their choir friends was a particularly proud moment.

The response has reached well beyond the stadium. Videos of the performance have attracted thousands of views on social media and a warm response from Indian New Zealanders. Fiona has also received considerable interest from Indian reporters, speaking to Awaaz about the preparation and cultural connections behind the performance.

Read the Awaaz story here.

What a way to round off a year of rehearsals, performances and achievements. Congratulations, Cantare – you’ve given us plenty to be proud of in 2026!

 

Sports

Imani earns her place among the world’s top young basketball prospects

Eighty places for young players from around the world, (outside the USA) – and Imani Rasmussen has earned one of them.

The Year 12 student has been selected for the inaugural Women’s Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Next Up Camp in Singapore, joining 80 of the top high-school-age female basketball prospects from outside the United States.

It’s another achievement in a big year for Imani, who was named in the New Zealand women’s basketball team in August. Now she’ll have the opportunity to learn alongside talented young players from across the globe, with coaching from current and former WNBA and FIBA players and coaches.

Held at Singapore’s OCBC Arena from 18–21 November, the four-day camp will combine skill development, athletic testing, life-skills sessions and plenty of competition, including three-on-three and five-on-five games. Fellow New Zealanders Shamar Broughton and Charis Broughton have also earned selection.

For Imani, it’s a chance to test her skills, make new connections and keep building on the work that has brought her this far.

Congratulations, Imani – we’re proud to see you taking this next step and look forward to cheering you on from Westlake!

Arts & Culture

A breakfast worth celebrating

A few lemons from the school garden, some foraged fennel and a handful of dandelions – who knew breakfast could lead to a national podium finish?

Year 11 student Lily Maurice and Year 12 student Poppy Simpson-Glover have cooked up two delicious results in the 2026 Top of the Pots Senior Culinary Challenge. Lily earned a Gold Award and second place overall in New Zealand, scoring 56 out of 60, while Poppy received a Silver Award.

The national HETTANZ competition challenged students to create a ‘Kiwi-foraged breakfast’, using at least one safe, edible foraged or homegrown ingredient, three French knife cuts and two different cooking techniques. Plenty to think about before breakfast!

Lily’s lemon and fennel French toast began with bread she made herself. She added homemade lemon curd, lemon and fennel syrup, candied lemon rind, crème fraîche, toasted almonds and fresh fennel. Lemons gathered from the school garden helped bring the dish together, with the juice, zest and rind all put to use.

Judges Lucas Parkinson, Executive Chef at Aryeh Restaurant in Piha, and HETTANZ Executive member Jennis Hayes praised her technical skill, thoughtful use of ingredients and careful presentation. Her efforts to minimise food waste also stood out.

Poppy put her own twist on a breakfast favourite, creating blueberry, oat and banana pancakes with vanilla-cinnamon poached pear, a homemade dandelion and orange glaze, and crème fraîche. Her dandelions and oranges came from home, while nasturtiums gathered from the school garden added a colourful finishing touch.

The judges praised Poppy’s range of techniques and safe food handling, along with the flavour and thoughtful details she brought to her dish.

Congratulations, Lily and Poppy! These results reflect the planning, practice and care you both put into your entries. You’ve certainly given the rest of us something to aspire to at breakfast.

Career Bites

Twenty questions and a world of possibilities

How do you work out someone’s job when they can only answer “yes”, “no” or “sometimes”? Our Year 9 students put their detective skills to work on Friday 23 October, with 18 career role models keeping them guessing in the Events Centre.

The visitors joined us from across our community to share their work and the different paths that had taken them there. First, though, students had to figure out what they did! A lively game of Twenty Questions led to the big reveal, with props and uniforms helping tell each guest’s story.

Among the visitors were an aircraft engineer, a customs dog handler – with Duke the dog in tow, an architect, an elite sports coach, a builder, a lawyer and an electrical linewoman. Plenty of possibilities to get everyone thinking.

Students then headed into classrooms for smaller Q&A sessions, each meeting two speakers. These conversations gave them time to ask questions and hear more about the choices, experiences and opportunities behind each career.

Congratulations to 9WHM, who identified the most jobs in the airport “spot-the-jobs” form-class competition, and Gabrielle Brooks of 9OMT, who correctly guessed the most role models’ jobs during Twenty Questions.

Thank you to all 18 visitors for sharing your time and stories. Our Year 9s don’t need to have their futures mapped out just yet, but a morning like this gives them plenty of places to start.

Academic

Bright ideas earn business recognition

An activity book for children in hospital and a body scrub inspired by pancake mix – two very different ideas have earned our Year 13 Business Studies teams recognition at the YES Tāmaki Makaurau Regional Excellence Awards.

Mindful Musings won the Regional Excellence Award for Social Impact for its activity book, designed to bring comfort, creativity and enjoyment to children in hospital. With young patients and their families in mind, the team developed a business with care for others at its heart.

Scrub Me was also recognised for its herbal body scrub, made with carefully selected natural ingredients. Taking inspiration from pancake mix, the team created a dry powder that customers mix with yoghurt or milk when ready to use. Keeping the ingredients dry until needed was central to their approach to the product’s shelf life.

Both ventures took much more than a good idea. Throughout their Young Enterprise Scheme journey, the students worked together to develop their products, solve problems and turn their plans into businesses.

Congratulations to both teams! It’s lovely to see your hard work recognised and the different ways you’ve put your business learning into practice.

 

Community

Local voices, youth-led action

Events for young people mean more when young people help shape them – and eight Westlake Girls students have spent 2026 doing just that through Younite.

Younite is the local youth board for the Devonport-Takapuna area, giving rangatahi a voice in their community and opportunities to get involved.

This year, Rahma Moussa, Sylvie Waddingham, Alice Oh, Chelsea Zhang, Nicole Chapata, Mikayla Hand, Aiyana Perera and Laura Mackenzie have all contributed as members. They have helped organise events including Rangatahi Restore, Youth Meet the Candidate and the annual Rangatahi Art Exhibition.

Behind each event is time spent planning, organising and working with others. Thank you to all eight students for putting that time into your community and helping create opportunities for other young people.

To keep up with Younite’s events, visit their website, follow @younitedt on Instagram or email [email protected].

Arts & Culture

Synchro makes a splash in national film finals

What goes into a sport that many of us know little about? Year 11 Drama Academy students Sofia Brandolino and Meg Thomson turned that curiosity into Synchro, a documentary that earned them a place among the national Top 10 in the OnScreen film competition.

Their film impressed a judging panel that included journalists Damian Christie and Paula Penfold, receiving top marks for Concept, Editing and Overall Impact. Judges praised its insight into the sport and singled out the sequences edited to music.

The Top 10 placing also brought an invitation to explore what happens on the other side of the screen. An OnScreen Activity Day and National Final celebration offered a panel session with South Seas film students at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation, a behind-the-scenes post-production and foley sound workshop at Images and Sound, and a red carpet premiere and finalist screening at Event Cinemas.

For Sofia and Meg, it was an opportunity to have their work recognised alongside student filmmakers from across New Zealand and get a closer look at where their interest in film could take them.

Congratulations, Sofia and Meg – what a result for your storytelling, creativity and careful work behind the camera!

Music

A new home for a saxophone, a lasting Westlake connection

A saxophone looking for a new home has found its way to Westlake Girls, thanks to a family connection stretching back to the school’s very first intake.

The instrument belonged to Joanna Reid, whose father, Robin Reid, asked whether our Music Department could put it to use. Head of the Performing Arts Faculty Fiona Wilson, herself a former Westlake student, was delighted to accept Joanna’s donation. It will now support another generation of Westlake musicians.

Robin was one of 117 Form 3 students who arrived at the brand-new, co-educational Westlake High School in 1957. He has stayed closely connected to both Westlake schools ever since and has a wealth of stories about the students, staff and surroundings of those early years.

Today, he helps keep those connections alive through an active Facebook group of 180 former students from 1957–1961 and annual reunion luncheons. He remains a much-appreciated member of our Westlake whānau.

Thank you, Joanna and Robin, for thinking of our music students and giving this saxophone its next chapter at Westlake.

Image Foundation pupil Robin Reid with Fiona Wilson, Head of the Performing Arts Faculty.

Alumni

Forty years on, plenty to catch up on

Westlake may look a little different these days, but Gym 1 still brought back memories of PE lessons for the Class of 1986!

A group of former students returned at the end of October to celebrate their 40-year reunion, including three who travelled from New Plymouth and Northland to join the occasion.

After reconnecting in the entrance foyer, the group toured the school, taking in how much had changed since their school days and revisiting a few familiar places along the way.

The catching up continued for several more hours at Fantail and Turtle in Smales Farm, with photos to pore over, memories to share and plenty to talk about after 40 years.

Thank you to Janine Rutherford for taking the initiative and helping organise the reunion. It was lovely to welcome the Class of 1986 back to Westlake.

Sports

Give cricket a go this November

Thinking about playing cricket for Westlake Girls in Term 1, 2027? Come along to our Sunday training sessions this November and give it a go—all are welcome!

It’s a chance to practise your skills, meet other players and get ready for cricket next year.

Dates: Sundays 8, 15, 22 and 29 November
Time: 4–5pm
Venue: Westlake Girls High School cricket field

For more information, contact Caleb Ward at [email protected].

Thanks to our valued partners!

Volvo North Shore Shakespeare Orthodonist

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