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Te Reo O Te Roto
The Language of the Lake
Issue 65 | 2 June 2023
From the Principal

From the Principal

Talofa lava Parents and Caregivers,

We are just over the halfway mark for Term 2, and there is plenty going on within the world of Westlake Girls.

This week we have had a number of student-led events celebrating Samoan language week. Earlier today I enjoyed a delicious lunch of chop suey and pork buns, and it’s been fantastic to see the engagement from our student body. A big thank you to all of the staff and students who were part of the organisation of this week’s events.

You would’ve seen my communication earlier in the week about the continued PPTA industrial action. Whilst I know this has a significant impact on a number of areas of school life, it is important that our teachers’ claims are addressed and the mana of our kaiako is recognised. To provide a quality education for our young people we must have staff who feel valued. We will continue to support our teachers as best we can.

I have seen some exceptional skills on display in a number of different extra-curricular areas over the past couple of weeks. On Wednesday afternoon I witnessed a cracking game of football between Westlake Girls and St Cuthbert’s, with Westlake Girls triumphing 6 – 0. Great work team! I also had the pleasure of listening to Hannah Smith from 10WWR performing a piece on her french horn in the Year 10 assembly. Hannah won the Intermediate division of the soloist competition that was held at the end of Week 4. It takes an immense amount of courage to perform on your own in front of your peers, so well done Hannah. The amount of talent that we have here never ceases to amaze me.

This evening we have our joint Korean night with Westlake Boys, so good luck to the students who are performing. Later this term we also have our Chinese night. If you can, get along and support these events.

As you are aware from my communications, the PPTA have resumed their industrial action, which includes rostering home of Year levels.

On Tuesday 6 June – Year 10 are rostered home and will not be taught or supervised at school.

On Thursday 8 June – Year 9 are rostered home and will not be taught or supervised at school.

Students should continue with their work on Google classroom. If you are unable to provide supervision at home, please contact their House Dean to arrange for supervision at school.

Finally, I hope that students use the extra day over the long weekend to recharge, however it is also the time of year where plenty of assessments are due. It may be a good opportunity for some to catch-up in different curriculum areas.

Have a great weekend when it arrives.

Faafetai lava

David Burton

Acting Principal

 

Arts & Culture

Samoan Language Week

This past week (28 May- 3 June) was Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – an annual celebration of Samoan culture known as ‘Samoan Language week’.

The theme for Samoa Language Week 2023 is ‘Mitamita i lau gagana, maua’a lou fa’asinomaga’ which means ‘Be proud of your language and grounded in your identity’. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of the Samoan language and identity. It impresses on us the need tp not only understand gagana Samoa – the Samoan language, but to also embrace and use it as much as possible. When you are proud of your language and can speak it, you will also be more grounded in your identity as a Samoan.

The Cultural Prefects and Pasifika Student Leaders organised a number of fun activities to celebrate Samoan Language Week and show our school a glimpse of Samoan culture. Monday saw a fun time filled with laughs as the Samoan version of baseball ‘lape’ took place on the turf. On Wednesday, lunchtime was a sweet filled afternoon, the Ula Lole workshop was in full swing! Students piled into P1 to learn the art of lolly necklace making.

 

 

 

Thursday afternoon w

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday afternoon w

Thursday afternoon was an eye opener with out special guest speaker Christabel Mata’afa sharing her knowledge and wisdom of what it is to be a “Tama’ita’i Samoa” a Samoan child and the importance of respect and service within our Samoan culture.

Arts & Culture

Choralation at the APO Discovery Concert

Each year, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra present an educational ‘Discovery Concert’ aimed at secondary students in Auckland.

Our cohort of 9 Academy students are fortunate to attend this at the Auckland Town Hall through the mentoring APOPS scheme. For many students this is their first time to experience a live orchestral concert. The theme of this concert was ‘Dance’ and the APO played pieces from ballets, musical shows, and other great master works. The finale was a new orchestral arrangement of Six60’s ‘Don’t Forget Your Roots’, sung in Te Reo by several secondary school choirs and the kapa haka group from Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae. Our premier mixed choir Choralation was fortunate to be included in this performance and enjoyed singing this contemporary song in a different setting for the full and appreciative audience.

Arts & Culture

Into the Woods / As You Like It - tickets on sale now!

The Westlake Season – Into the Woods / As You Like It

 

In 2023, Westlake Schools are combining once again to bring audiences not one but two productions: Stephen Sondheim’s magical comic masterpiece, Into the Woods, and Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, As You Like It. 

 

This will be across a two-week season, first at Westlake Boys (Into the Woods, from July 18-22) and then at Westlake Girls (As You Like It, from July 25-29). 

 

Rehearsals are well underway, led by the same award-winning team that directed Les Mis (2019) and Socially Distanced Shakespeare (2021) – both awarded multiple Auckland Live Showdown Awards.

 

This week, cast members had the great privilege of working with visiting international choreographer Darren Royston. His credentials include teaching Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame) how to dance, choreographing major musical theatre productions in London, as well as films such as Queen of the Desert starring Nicole Kidman.

 

One parent who observed an Into the Woods rehearsal this week commented:

 

“Wow, how talented is Darren Royston. It was fascinating to see the way he got nearly forty teenagers simultaneously coordinating their dance steps, weaving their individual movements into an interdependent collective. It was a glimpse into one of the many, many layers that gradually build over a long period of rehearsing, where singing, acting, dancing, costuming, lighting and set design are all polished to ultimately create a slick and seamless show. Can’t wait until opening night!”

 

Tickets for ‘The Westlake Production Season’ go on sale at iTicket.co.nz on Saturday 27 May.

Experience  the magic of Stephen Sondheim’s musical fairytale masterpiece Into the Woods, and Shakespeare’s delightful romantic comedy As You Like It – performed by talented Westlake students.

Into the Woods – July 18– 22 – Westlake Boys High School Auditorium Adult: $30, Student: $25, Family (2 Adults and 2 Youth): $90

If you’re not familiar with the magical musical masterpiece that is Sondheim’s Into the Woods, here is the prologue for a wonderful taste of what is to come.

Familiar fairy-tale characters (Little Red Riding Hood, Jack of Beanstalk fame, and Cinderella) – we thought we knew and loved so well – are confronted by life’s compelling realities. Combining the whimsy and generous humour of films such as The Princess Bride, and gothic Tim Burton-like shocks and surprises, Into the Woods boasts a beautiful, soaring score, arguably amongst Sondheim’s best, and a profound and witty script. The musical has won numerous awards, including Tony Awards for Best Score and Best Book.

Accompanied by a Stage Orchestra of 28 Westlake students, and some stunning vocalists, you do not want to miss this!

As You Like It – 25th – 29th July – Westlake Girls High School Events Centre Adult: $20, Student: $15, Family (2 Adults and 2 Youth): $50

As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. A joyous celebration of love in all its games, trials and confusions. The play showcases Shakespeare’s skill in blending comedy, romance, and social commentary.

Through a series of mistaken identities, humorous misunderstandings, and poetic musings, As You Like It celebrates the transformative power of love and the freedom found in nature. In the festive, Woodstock-inspired forest of Arden, anything can happen, including the miraculous reconciliation of feuding brothers, the restoration of a fallen duke, and the resurrection of the long-lost Rosalind.

Both casts and their directing teams have been putting in massive hours for these two seasons, so please make sure to come along and support!

Purchase your tickets now at i-Ticket

We have sponsorship opportunities to be in the printed programme. For more information contact Peter Feeney E: [email protected] / P: 021 455 652. Click here to view Sponsorship Prospectus.

We are pleased to announce Shakespeare Orthodontics are the generous sponsors of both shows.

Arts & Culture

Pasifika News

This week we have celebrated Samoan Language Week with lots of great activities organised by the Cultural Prefects and Pasifika Student Leader Committee. We also took a group of up-and-coming Pasifika leaders to the Young, Free and Pacific leadership day.

Our next Pasefika Parent Komiti meeting is on Wednesday 7 June – if anyone is still interested in joining this committee please email Miriam Robinson [email protected]. The next Pasefika Fono Evening for our Pacific families is on Wednesday 21 June – more information will be sent out in the next few weeks.

Puna Tupu  – a place for connection and growth of our Pasifika students has started. Afternoon tea provided, with teachers and senior students available to help with homework or just to connect and build relationships. Every Tuesday after school from 3:15-4:15 in M9. Also Wednesday 8:30-9:30 Puna Tupu breakfast club led by senior students in the Swan Café. If any Pasifika parents would like to support in running these, please let Miriam Robinson know.

Notices

Update from the School Board

We were fortunate to have several presentations from staff for the May WGHS Board meeting.  All the presentations were informative with the lead staff member providing strong evidence of the value of the support and activity their area provides to the students, teachers and staff at the school.  The Board thanks those staff who took the time to prepare and present during the meeting.

Curriculum review – Technology. 

Kate Luisetti presented on the subjects included in the Technology department, which includes Food Technology, Fabric Technology, Technology Hard Materials and Digital Technology.  We were fortunate to be shown examples of student work across the different year groups, as well as the key curriculum focus areas for the teachers for this year.  We know many of our students enjoy these subjects and are fortunate to have very passionate teachers who support their learning.   We were privileged to sample some of the Year 13 Food Technology culinary delights.

Annual Health and Safety report

Deputy Principal Paul Davis provided a comprehensive annual report for the Boards review.  The Board has a strong focus on supporting Paul and Jane Stanley to provide an environment which is as safe as possible for students and staff and are confident that the school has the right policies, procedures, and rigorous controls in place to do so.  Given recent weather events, and incidents at other schools the Board were keen to understand that the leadership team and staff had everything they needed to make sensible decisions and to operate effectively with changing circumstances.  The Board commends Jane, Paul and the wider team for the work they do every day to ensure the safety of students and staff.

The Board also reviewed and ratified the Health and Safety policy.

Student Wellbeing/Pastoral systems

Rachel Bickerstaff provided a very informative presentation regarding the pastoral care that is provided at the school as well as the general wellbeing of the students who attend the school.  The team continue to monitor the health and wellbeing of all our students and provide the necessary support to ensure students are cared for.

Policy reviews:

All registered schools must have a policy on reducing student distress and the use of physical restraint, as required by the Ministry of Education.  The Board confirmed that the school’s policy and procedures had been updated in line with the Board’s policy (which sits alongside the Board’s Student behaviour management policy), and that appropriate support and resources are in place.

Property:

The Board continues to review the state of the buildings on site and ensures that regular repairs and maintenance are carried out.  With several weather events over the last few months, the Board continue to ensure that any remedial work is completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

PPTA Industrial action:

The PPTA confirmed on Wednesday 31st May their planned industrial action has resumed.  We understand and appreciate the difficulties this action continues to place on our community.  The Board reinforces its support of the school’s teachers and their claims.  Thanks for your continued understanding.

Other matters

Jane Stanley heads off on her sabbatical on 29th May where she will be travelling overseas visiting schools and education institutes in Australia and across the USA. We look forward to Jane’s knowledge and insights gained from attending the Australasian Alliance of Girls Schools Conference in Hobart, and the International Coalition of Girls Schools Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. This will provide valuable insights around pedagogy and best practise, together with observations made during school visits in Hobart, Los Angeles, New York and Cleveland.

Whilst Jane is away the team will be led by Acting Principal: Dave Burton from 29th May to July 9th, and then Sarah Hooper from July 10th to August 21st, both ably supported by Paul Davis as Acting Associate Principal.  We wish Jane a fantastic trip, and hope she enjoys her well-earned sabbatical.

Our next board meeting is to be held on Tuesday 27th June, contact Marie McKerrow, Board Secretary and Principal’s EA if you would like to attend.

 

Notices

Important Things to Note

Term dates 2023

Term 2: Monday 24 April to Friday 30 June

Monday 5 June King’s Birthday (school closed)
Wednesday 7 June Whanau Evening
Wednesday 21 June Pasifika Fono
Thursday 22 June Report Evening
Friday 14 July Matariki Celebration Day (in the school holidays)

 

Term 3: Monday 17 July to Friday 22 September

Tuesday 18 July Open Evening

 

Term 4: Monday 9 October to Monday 11 December

Monday 23 October Labour Day (school closed)

 

Sports

Fun engaged students off social media and in the outdoors

Year 9 Cygnets spent the 1st of June at Tree Adventures in WoodHill Forest.

It was wonderful to see students actively helping one another and challenging themselves to reach new heights and levels within the ropes course.

What a fantastic day out  with lots of smiles and fun times.

Notices

SchoolBridge -personalised dashboard and App

We have a new Parent Portal and App called SchoolBridge. SchoolBridge provides a personalised dashboard that is synced with access to the KAMAR calendar, parent-teacher interviews, student timetable, and assessment calendar in one convenient location.

Your dashboard and App is unique to you, and you will need to sign into the dashboard the first time you use it or when you change your account password.

The new App has replaced our current school App, and absentee notifications are no longer accepted through the old WGHS App.

You can access the dashboard from the website under the parent portal or bookmark this link https://westlakegirls.bridge.school.nz/

To log in to the dashboard, please follow these simple steps:

  1. Open the following link: https://westlakegirls.bridge.school.nz/
  2. Click on “Caregivers” Or “Students”
  3. Sign in using the email address registered in our system.

Download the SchoolBridge App for access to all the features available on your dashboard.

To download the App, follow the QR code below or click on the icon on the left menu of your new dashboard.

Sports

Westlake’s Sail for Sydney Quiz Night

The Westlake Girls Sailing Team invites you to test your trivia knowledge at the Milford Cruising Club on Saturday 24 June at a Quiz Night of amazing giveaways and prizes as they fundraise for the Inter Dominion Regatta in Sydney.  The young 8-person team won the New Zealand Secondary Schools Teams Racing Championship in April and won the right to represent New Zealand against the top Australian schools at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron from 24 – 27 September 2023.

The Quiz Night begins at 7pm so come early and register your team when you arrive.

Sports

Juniors Finish on Top at North Harbour Netball Tournament

Westlake’s pathway netball teams competed at the annual North Harbour Netball Tournament on 25 May against the North Shores top schools and the four sides had a good day finishing on the podium.

The Premier team, who compete in the Auckland competition on Saturdays, met Harbour teams for the first time this season.  Coached by Marcia Hardcastle and assisted by Toa Tanimo, they beat Carmel 1 and Whangaparaoa 1 in pool play to meet Avondale in the final of the Premier Grade.  Westlake’s Premier 2 side coached by Michele Wallace and assisted by her daughter, Claudine, finished 2nd in Section 1, ahead of Rangitoto 1 and Kristin 1, met Whangaparaoa in the premier playoff for 3rd & 4th.  Avondale beat Westlake 1 to win the Premier grade.

Westlake’s Year 10 – 1 team swept past Rangitoto, Carmel and Kristin in their section of the Year 10 competition to meet Avondale in the cross-over final.  Their game ended in a draw, 17-17 and both sides sharing the top spot. In the Year 9 competition, the sunny blue-sky day assisted Westlake Year 9 – 1 in their unbeaten run.  Impressive at both ends of the court, the Year 9’s faced Carmel in the final, and won 17-10.

Results:

Westlake Year 9 -1     1st Year 9 Grade

Westlake Year 10 -1  1st = Year 10 Grade

Westlake Premier 1   2nd Premier Grade

Westlake Premier 2   3rd Premier Grade

Main Photo: Year 9-1

Photo: Year 10-1

Sports

Grace Campbell wins at North Island Diving Championship

Year 12 Westlake diver, Grace Campbell, won gold on the 3 metre Junior Elite Girls Group A Springboard at the North Island Diving Championship in Wellington.  The event is the qualifying event for the World Champs and selection event for the Australian School Games in August).  Campbell also won silver in the Platform Junior Elite event and then won Gold in the Girls Synchronised event.  A member of the 2022 New Zealand Junior Diving team who competed at the World Youth Champs in Montreal, Canada, Campbell has qualified for the Australian Junior Elite Competition in Adelaide from 4 – 9 July.

 

Sports

Westlake Girls Fly to NBA Basketball Camp in Abu Dhabi

Rebecca Moors and Amy Pateman jetted to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday (31 May) to join 80 of the top high school age basketball prospects from across Asia and the Middle East for an elite skills camp at the New York University campus in Abu Dhabi.  The Year 13 and Year 12 students are two of just 10 Kiwis (5 x girls & 5 x boys) selected to participate in the 13th Basketball Without Borders Asia camp, hosted by the sport’s governing body, FIBA, and the NBA.

Selected for their athletic prowess, both students are New Zealand age group representatives.  Pateman was a member of the NZ Under 17 team who competed at the Under 17 World Champs in Budapest last year and both were members of the NZ Under 16 squad in 2021.  They will spend 5 days working on offensive and defensive skills, movement, and efficiency drills as well as sessions on life and leadership capabilities.  Coached by current NBA players from the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards and Assistant Coaches at the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, and Brooklyn Nets, this is an exclusive opportunity which has advanced many hopeful campers on to NBA or WNBA careers.

NZ Female Athletes: Elise Gilbert, Olivia Lassey, Kavanah Lene, Rebecca Moors and Amy Pateman

NZ Male Athletes: Julius Halaifonua, Carter Hopoi, Ryan Hunt, Tamatoa Isaac and Kahuranaki Treacher

Academic

Aerospace engineering in sight for Ivy Doak

At the end of 2022, then Year 12 STEAM student Ivy Doak, was accepted into the University of Canterbury Women in Engineering Residential Programme (WiE CAN). Ivy headed down to Christchurch earlier this year to attend the 5 day/4 night WiE CAN programme which featured a range of interactive workshops, inspiring presentations, and fun social activities.

“WiE CAN 2023 was a fantastic week hosted on-campus in the University of Canterbury’s newest hall of residence. The benefit of my time there was fully maximised by the jam-packed schedule, which involved three workshops for individual engineering disciplines followed by a group challenge each day and social occasions in the evenings.

“The workshops themselves were run by the University’s respective engineering departments and involved real hands-on experience to engage students with each discipline. Amongst others, the projects included creating a solar panel, coding robotic fingers to play music on a piano, building and optimising the performance of a solar-powered car, and using small motors to create kinetic sculptures – the latter two participants were able to keep.

“The group challenges again targeted key areas of interest: an amazing race engineered to help students navigate the University’s enormous campus; an entrepreneurship challenge to give participants a taste of the product-development process and the support offered by University of Canterbury’s Centre for Entrepreneurship; and finally the Aerospace Challenge, which my group was thrilled to have won. Organised and conducted by Dawn Aerospace, students were challenged to program their own simulations, and use these to ensure the rocket’s reusability through the timing of a parachute release whilst maximising altitude. We were then able to witness a fantastic real demonstration and were lucky enough to meet current engineers at Dawn Aerospace and hear about their career paths.

“It was also a wonderful opportunity to get a taste of life at the University of Canterbury and meet many other like-minded other students of the same age.

“I am exceedingly grateful for this singular opportunity and would strongly recommend the programme to other students who are interested in pursuing an engineering degree.

“The STEAM programme at Westlake Girls has been instrumental in inspiring me towards an engineering degree with a view to entering the STEM field in robotics and aerospace.”

Ivy Doak – Year 13 (pictured above in yellow vest).

Click on the link below to read more about why Ivy applied for the prestigious programme.

https://teroto.nz/ivy-secures-sought-after-spot-in-engineering-programme/

 

Community

Oxford Big Ideas Event

On Thursday 25th May, Mr. Burton took a small group of students to an ‘Oxford Big Ideas event for More Able and Ambitious”. This amazing day improved and consolidated our philosophical learning while breaking down more controversial topics to test our judgment and opinion-making. I particularly enjoyed the funny and slightly quirky anecdotes. The content was fast-paced and differentiated to meet the needs of highly able learners with a focus on important and enduring concepts. I felt that us students really benefited from this university style of learning in which our knowledge was broadened and our critical abilities were upgraded with new thinking tools. All sessions were engaging and very enjoyable to listen to.

 

The first and second sessions were run by Julie Arliss, a Farmington Scholar at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. She discussed the topic “Knowing what you know and what you don’t know” through the examination of epistemology. We explored different ways that we might establish knowledge, such as empiricism, rationalism, and fallible foundationalism. The next session focused on interview questions at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. This includes questions to test whether a candidate can think laterally and apply their thinking to new ideas and different contexts. The questions we considered were ‘How Many Animals did Noah Take onto the Ark’ and ‘Does a snail have Consciousness?’

 

During this event, we were also lucky to hear from Dr. Christopher O’Neill, a psychologist, registered psychotherapist, and trained counsellor. He explored the topic of “The Science of Happiness”. We dived into the questions “What is happiness?” “Is it found in fame or fortune?” Or maybe the true secret of happiness is accepting that there isn’t one!

 

The event concluded with a debate, the motion being “This house believes that love is not a commodity to be traded. This was perhaps my favourite session of the day because it got many students from different schools involved. It was exciting to hear others’ stances on the topic. Overall, it was an engaging day, and I think all of us WGHS students who attended felt privileged to be immersed in an environment bursting with creative and curious minds. 

By Isabella Drummond

 n

Community

Watch Women Win

On 30 May, Head Prefect, Isabella Drummond, and te reo Māori teacher, Karen Kennedy, attended the ANZ/Visa event “Watch Women Win”. The speakers were truly inspirational and included Olympians Dame Val Adams and Emma Twigg, ANZ Funds Manager Fiona MacKenzie, and WGHS alumna Simran Kaur. Miriama Kamo was a spectacular MC, leading the panel in a discussion of some of their personal and professional experiences. It was a wonderful afternoon, topped off by both Isabella and Ms. Kennedy winning spot prizes!

Arts & Culture

Westlake Music Choir Concert

Come along and hear our choirs before they head off to sing in the New Zealand Choral Federation Auckland Regional for the Big Sing Festival!

Date: Tuesday 6 June

Time: 7.00pm

Where: WGHS Events Centre

Entry by koha

Arts & Culture

Young, Free and Pacific 2023

On Tuesday 30 May, we were privileged to be able to take 11 senior students to the Young, Free and Pacific leadership immersion day at the Mangere Arts Centre. This annual leadership day is about empowering our Pacific heritage students in their identity as young, free and Pacific. The students attended creative workshops throughout the day to assist them in articulating and expressing their Pacific identity through music, drama, dance and spoken word. The theme of the day for 2023 was ‘Rangatira mō āpōpō? Rangatira i tēnei rā!‘: Leaders of tomorrow? Leaders for today! Our Westlake students were inspired by the incredible women guest speakers from Massey University, Saintz Dance Academy, and especially enjoyed the performance by The Tonga Sisters from Hawai’i.

This is what some of the girls had to say about the day:

“It was an amazing experience – it taught us how to be a leader of today and to not be shy of who we are as Pasifika girls.”

“It was great to connect with Pasifika students from other schools and celebrating what we have in common. It gave us the confidence to embrace our Polynesian heritage and to not be afraid to show this to others in our school community. We really loved hearing The Tonga Sisters and meeting them in person”

”The girls that were performing spoken word were really inspirational and it was great to hear their point of view of what it is like to be Island girls growing up in ‘white schools’ and how they can rise above their past situation.”

Notices

Whare Wānanga Advancement Committee

Westlake Girls High School are building a “Whare Wānanga”. This project has been on the cards for a number of years, and now the building project is set to start in December this year. Te Whare Wānanga will be a learning and community space for everyone. Our goal is to create a Westlake Girls Whare Wānanga for not only the school, but to serve the wider community on the North Shore, and to contribute to the revitalisation of Te Reo and Tikanga Māori.

Full details of this incredible space will be communicated at a later date.

In the meantime, we are formulating a Whare Wānanga Advancement Committee to help drive the fundraising for the dressing of the building. We are seeking people with Project Management skills, Interpersonal skills, Marketing skills, Accounting abilities or Financial experience that have the time to volunteer their services for this exciting project that will benefit both our school and the wider community.

The next hui is on 21 June at 5pm for those that wish to join us and help drive this exciting project.  There is also the possibility of joining the meeting via zoom if you cannot make it in person. If you are interested in finding out more or would like to be involved, please contact Marie McKerrow via the following email: [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there. Kia ora rawa atu.

Academic

Westlake Girls’ Burundi Team wins Best Overall Team at MUNA 2023

On 26 and 27 May, a group of Year 11-13 students travelled to Auckland Girls Grammar to participate in an event run by Rotary, the Model United Nations Assembly, or MUNA. In this annual event, schools represent different countries and a model general assembly of the United Nations is held. Westlake Girls had two teams of three students each, representing the nations of Burundi and the Netherlands. These teams had to write speeches from their country’s position on different issues facing the globe right now, such as water sanitation and gender equality.

Westlake Girls also sent MUNA’s only press team who act as journalists, creating a video and an in-depth newsletter detailing all of the events that took place.  This is sent out to all of the participating schools as well as to Rotary members. This year’s MUNA was very successful for Westlake Girls, as the Netherlands team received an ‘Honourable Mention’ from the judging panel and Burundi was awarded the ‘Supreme’ title for the ‘Best Overall Team’. MUNA is a fantastic opportunity that helps all those involved further their debating and social skills along with current events knowledge. 

By Georgia Martin (Year 12 Co-Editor of the MUNA Press Team)

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