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Achievements |
2010 Otago Secondary Schools' Netball Competition Winners of the Senior Section (also 2009) July 2010
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2010 Asia Pacific Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge, Singapore July 2010
Sarah Robertson in Year 13 is to be congratulated on her success thus far in the selection process to find the six students who will represent New Zealand in Singapore in August of this year.
Sarah spent three days earlier in June with 71 other young entrepreneurs at the New Zealand regional heat of the Trade Challenge, developing hypothetical milk-based products to export to the South-East Asian market.
Sarah was selected as one of the top eleven students from the event to attend a weekend workshop in Auckland in July where they will develop a uniquely New Zealand product and prepare to market it to the world. From this workshop six students will be selected to represent New Zealand in Singapore. Of the 11 students selected, two are from the South Island, Sarah and a student at Christchurch Boys' High School. |
Sir Peter Blake Young Environmental Leader Award July 2010
Mr Brett Haugh, Regional Manager Otago/Southland of Fuji Xerox NZ Ltd., presenting Katie Swire in Year 10 with a Sir Peter Blake Young Environmental Leader Award. Four such Awards were presented to Otago/Southland students (Queen's High School, Roxburgh Area School and Southland Girls' High School) with Hamish Darling of John McGlashan College - a Columba Old Boy - receiving a trophy. |
Columba Students enjoy success in Otago Chamber Music Competition July 2010
Annabel Drummond, Year 11 and Modi Deng, Year 9 were joined by St. Hilda's Collegiate student, Hannah Kim, in winning the Otago District Chamber Music Contest on Sunday, 13th June before a capacity audience in Marama Hall, University of Otago. Performing as the 'Trio Chopin', they played the 3rd and 4th movements of Chopin's Piano Trio in G minor, opus 8, and will have the opportunity to perform it again in Wellington on Friday, 30th July. Adjudicator Kenneth Young chose eight groups from the approximately 40 groups who performed in the early rounds of the contest to play in the Otago district final on the Sunday night. Two other groups featuring Columba College students were also among the eight Otago finalists. They were 'The Big BANG!' with Nichakorn Tuchinda, Maple Goh and Sophie Bang, and 'The Clarke Trio', consisting of Annabel Drummond, Sophie Bang and Logan Park student, Rosalind Manowitz.
Students from Columba College were included in ten other groups presenting items in the early rounds of the contest. They were Frea Anderson, Megan Asher, Ella Barclay, Holly Barclay, Laura Barton, Ryely Burtenshaw-Day, Renée Hodgkinson, Hee Jung Hwang, Christina Johnston, Jasmin Johnston, Avila Kan, Shirley Kim, Jacinda Kumar, Natasha Kumar, Hoyoun Lee, Sayuri Naito, Elizabeth Park, Karla Robb, Joanne Schep, Laura Schep, Samantha Steel, Ruth Sun, Anna-Sophia
Weidling, Aďcha Wijland and Sarah Woodfield.
Following the District Contests throughout New Zealand 12 groups, including 'Trio Chopin', have been selected by the District Contest adjudicators to perform at the National Semi-Finals in Wellington on
Friday, 30th July where up to six groups will be chosen for the National Finals to be held in the Wellington Town Hall, on Saturday, 31st July.
- Alison Bowcott
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Hockey Youth Olympics in Singapore June 2010
Samara Dalziel in Year 11 is one of Hockey New Zealand's sixteen rising stars chosen for the Youth Olympics in Singapore in August to compete in the New Zealand Junior Hockey Team. She is the only player south of Christchurch to make this team. At 15 years of age, Samara is the youngest New Zealand player in the team.
Samara is a key member of the Columba College 1st XI and has represented Otago at U16 level, is in her second season of Premier Club Hockey in Dunedin and was the youngest member of the Southern Women's National League Team in 2009. Samara was also the youngest player at the National Tournament having just turned 15. In 2010 she will represent Otago U18 at the coming New Zealand Tournament in July. She is a talented and gifted striker who has speed, vision and skills well above her age level. She is an inspiration to her team members and has scored some amazing goals in the school competition and at representative level. I believe Samara has a big future and the Youth Olympics will give her the opportunity to foot it with the best. Her campaign to represent New Zealand started with a training camp in Auckland along with the Junior Black Sticks.
The Youth Olympic Games are a special event that will include élite competition balanced with cultural and educational opportunities. This event will bring together 3,600 athletes from 26 sporting codes.
We wish Samara well for this coming event and are very proud of her achievement.
- Shona Harvey, Columba College 1st XI Coach |
Southern Sinfonia Concert in the Town Hall June 2010
Modi Deng in Year 9 is one of the youngest soloists to have played with the Southern Sinfonia. Modi joined the orchestra for the first item in the "Triple Birthday Extravaganza" concert, playing Chopin's Variations on "La ci darem la mano", based on the well-known duet from Mozart's opera Don Giovanni.
Modi was born in China and moved to Dunedin with her family ten years ago. She is taught by Tom McGrath of the University of Otago Music Department, and has previously played works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt and Glinka as a guest performer in various concerts in the Town Hall.
Modi's performance received an excellent review in the ODT from Marian Poole who wrote that it was the highlight of the evening.
At the upcoming Chamber Music Competition for secondary schools Modi will be performing as part of a trio with fellow Columba student, violinist Annabel Drummond, and cellist Hannah Kim. Annabel was also on the Town Hall stage with Modi last Saturday night, playing as a member of the Southern Sinfonia, her second concert with the orchestra - a notable achievement for a Year 11 student. |
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June 2010
After months of preparation the day to take the stage of the Regent Theatre was finally upon us. Nerves and stress levels were high at the thought of performing in front of thousands of peers, friends and family members. Stress levels, however, were quickly relieved at the sight of over a hundred Columba girls excited to put all their hard work into action, performing a modern day version of "Little Red Riding Hood". As Little Red Riding Hood leaves home she is warned not to stray from the path, but along the way meets the wolf, who introduces her to a world of peer pressure, crime and drugs. The days leading up to the performance induced very high stress levels amongst the girls, but after the best performance of "Little Red Riding Hood" that we'd ever put on, we managed to come away with seven Awards for Excellence for:
Drama
Environmental/Social Awareness
Performance Skill
Set, Design and Function
Soundtrack
Stage Crew
Visual Enhancement
This won us a very well-deserved 2nd Place, which was a great acknowledgement to everyone who was involved, and of all their hard work and dedication. We would like to thank Miss Wilson, Mrs Hancock, Ms Andrew, Mrs Hill, Helen Newton, Elena Barclay, Jude Alloo, Kelsey Davis, Hazel McCulloch, Helen Kent, Rachel Buckingham, Alister Noone, Alan Richardson, Mr Corry and Mr McLachlan for their invaluable contributions to the performance. We would especially like to thank all the girls involved who tolerated long practices and were consistently enthusiastic about the experience, making it a pleasure for the Year 13 girls to organise our entry.
Cast and Crew: Samantha Allen, Jasmin Alloo, Jessica Alsop, Melissa-Jane Austen, Ella Barclay, Holly Barclay, Lauren Barker, Tara Bennett, Michelle Bridson, Marcail Brosnan, Libby Brown, Christina Bruce, Ailsa Carroll, Tilly Carroll, Grace Cassie, Fenella Christensen, Sandy Chu, Sara Colombo, Jessica Coombes, Georgia Cotton, Alexandra Coughlin, Caroline Crowley, Jessie de la Roche, Farren Dick, Olive Dippie, Olivia Dodds, Ban Dohan, Caitlin Doran-Taylor, Gemma Duckett, Emma Eckhoff, Shannon Edgar, Sophie Ehlers, Jessica Elsom, Lauren Elsom, Kate Fowler, Paige Gale, Kacee Grant, Ella Haig, Emily Huddleston, Julia Hunt, Bella Hurley-Skegg, Julia Isoyama, Samantha Johnston, Simran Kaur, Ashleigh Keen, Olivia Kennedy, Helen Kent, Shirley Kim, Gemma Laws, Youri Lee, Kiri Lenagh-Glue, Zoe Lenagh-Glue, Erica Lovelock, Ella MacDiarmid, Hannah MacDiarmid, Alison Mackie, Tessa Maclean, Gabrielle Magnuson, Nicole Maley, Georgia Manera, Kate Manera, Nicole Martyn, Hazel McCulloch, Emily McKay, Alexandra McKenzie, Paige Morton, Laura Nailard, Laura Napper, Ashleigh Neill, Lucy Newton, Jennifer Noone, Anna Oliver, Eva Ovens, Greer Parslow-Boyd, Natalie Patterson, Jessica Perry, Sophie Ray, Harriet Richardson, Kelsey Shaw, Elysia Shettler, Maddison Skeggs, Biddy Skerten, Kenzie Smith, Catherine Steiner, Victoria Steiner, Sarah Storm, Vienna Sutherland, Abigail Tillotson, Milly Townsend, Mikaela Tyrrell, Isabelle van der Zande, Cindy van Leeuwen, Elizabeth Wallace-Gibbs, Annabel Wennekes, Penny Wennekes, Katie Whitefield, Alice Williams, Kirsten Williams, Emma Winders and Jamie Wood.
- Jasmin Alloo, Lucy Newton, Greer Parslow-Boyd and Harriet Richardson Stage Challenge Leaders
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2010 New Zealand Society of Authors Youth Mentor Programme May 2010
Yin is one of three secondary school students in New Zealand to be selected for the programme which offers mentoring with a well-known published author of books for young adults. The two other winners are from the North Island and attend Western Springs College and St. Cuthbert's College, Auckland.
The New Zealand Society of Authors has run a highly successful mentoring programme for writers since 1999. In 2010 for the first time, and sponsored by Creative New Zealand, the programme has been opened up to young writers in Years 12 and 13. There were 62 nominations from around New Zealand for the three places.
Yin has been writing since she was 10, and has nearly completed her current novel, "Children of Winata". She spends about an hour each day writing.
Yin will be paired with Hawkes Bay author Anna Mackenzie, whose fiction for young adults has won awards, including the Honour Award in the Young Adult section of the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
The mentoring can take place either face to face, by telephone , fax, email, Skype, or a combination of these. Yin will benefit from Ms Mackenzie's experience as a published writer, as she will provide encouragement and practical advice and also specific examples. |
2010 Student Diary Artwork Competition May 2010
We were delighted to hear of the success of Joanna Brook and Ji Yeon Kwon in the Artwork Competition held annually by the publishers of our Student Diary. This is the first time a Columba student has won the Competition which involves a judge selecting the best artwork on the cover of a Student Diary printed by the publishers in Auckland. The 2009 judge was Ms Jane Puckey.
Ji Yeon's work is on the front cover of the 2010 Student Diary (Ji Yeon studied Painting in Year 12 last year and returned home to Korea after NCEA Level 2), and Joanna's work is featured on the back cover. The judge named both joint winners, commenting that both pieces were outstanding and that she did not want to separate them. The prize of $500.00 was shared by the two students. |
Hakataramea Valley girl wins North Otago FF Scholarship by Lesley McIntosh
March 2010
Hayley Jenkins-McCaw, from the Hakataramea Valley, has received the North Otago Federated Farmers National Bank Rural Scholarship for 2009.
She was presented with a $2,000 cheque by Federated Farmers North Otago president Ross Ewing, and National Bank rural manager Timaru, James Christie.
After five years at Dunedin's Columba College, Hayley will start a three-year Bachelor of Commerce with Agriculture at Lincoln University.
Hayley, 18, said she was thrilled to have received the scholarship and was looking forward to starting university.
"The money will come in really handy for books and course fees and I am really grateful to my school careers adviser, who cut the advert out of the paper and brought it into school," Hayley said following the presentation.
It had been straight-forward to apply and although it was the first interview she had ever done she felt, at the time, it had gone well. "It was a great relief to get the phone call that evening to hear that I had been chosen, and I am extremely grateful to North Otago Federated Farmers and the National Bank for funding the scholarship.
The oldest in a farming family of four, Hayley is the third generation McCaw to go to Lincoln following her father Gavin and grandfather Malcolm.
She is also related to All Blacks captain Richie McCaw.
Hayley is keen to work in an advisory role supporting farmers, and will look at the options that are available in rural banking.
North Otago Federated Farmers president Ross Ewing said it had been a difficult task to select the winner as the nine applicants had all been excellent.
"It's not easy to come before an interview panel but Hayley came through as being very focused on what she wanted to achieve. She shows great leadership qualities and had done very well in the science subjects while at school," Mr Ewing said.
North Otago Federated Farmers treasurer Colin Harvey said it was good to have a local recipient as there had been quite a few from out of town. |
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March 2010
Warm congratulations to Monica Bae on gaining 2nd place in the New Zealand final of the World Maths Day Mathletics Competition held in Auckland. Monica will now go on to represent New Zealand in the 2011 World Maths Day as a member of the four-member Team New Zealand.
Monica received the prize of a touch-screen algebraic simulating calculator. |
2009 NCEA Results (Provisional) February 2010
We were very pleased with the girls’ results in NCEA last year.
% of students achieving NCEA at Columba College
|
Level 1 (Year 11) |
Level 2 (Year 12) |
Level 3 (Year 13) |
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Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
2005 |
97.7 |
57.0 |
94.0 |
61.6 |
95.2 |
51.6 |
2006 |
95.5 |
59.3 |
96.4 |
63.3 |
94.3 |
51.6 |
2007 |
92.4 |
62.7 |
97.2 |
66.0 |
97.1 |
54.5 |
2008 |
98.5 |
63.7 |
97.1 |
67.2 |
89.4 |
54.8 |
2009 Provisional |
92.5 |
63.1 |
97.0 |
65.0 |
98.1 |
51.8 |
2008 % of Overall Excellence and Merit Endorsements
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
% |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Merit |
44.59 |
35.38 |
32.4 |
12.3 |
28.81 |
20.54 |
Excellence |
22.97 |
20.00 |
19.10 |
3.20 |
23.73 |
4.85 |
2009 % of Overall Excellence and Merit Endorsements
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
% |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Merit |
45.56 |
27.27 |
42.42 |
19.53 |
29.41 |
21.38 |
Excellence |
29.11 |
7.89 |
28.78 |
5.63 |
11.76 |
5.19 |
2009 % of roll achieving NCEA
|
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
|
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
NCEA Level 1 Literacy requirement |
98.8 |
77.6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
NCEA Level 1 Numeracy requirement |
100 |
85.9 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
80 credits |
92.5 |
63.1 |
97.0 |
65.0 |
98.1 |
51.8 |
University Entrance |
- |
- |
- |
- |
96.2 |
62.5 |
Students achieving University Entrance
|
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
Columba |
93.5 |
95.7 |
94.1 |
93.9 |
96.2 |
National |
47.5 |
49.5 |
50.8 |
49.6 |
62.5 |
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Scholarship Results
February 2010
Seventeen Scholarship grades were gained in 2009 which is a very good result from a smaller Year 13 group than usual – 53 girls last year.
Four Scholarships in both Biology and Statistics and Modelling and three in Technology (ICT) with one of them an Outstanding are particular highlights of last year’s Scholarship achievements.
Scholarship Grades
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
10 |
20 |
17 |
25 |
21 |
17 |
We especially congratulate Amy Chu and Nicola Crawford on gaining three Scholarships each (this qualifies the girls for a Scholarship Award which is worth $2,000.00 per annum for three years at University). Also warm congratulations to Jessica Napper on gaining two Scholarships with one being an Outstanding in Technology (ICT) – an exceptional achievement.
Amy Chu - Chemistry, Mathematics with Calculus, and Statistics and Modelling
Nicola Crawford - Biology, Statistics and Modelling and Technology (ICT)
Jessica Napper - Painting and Technology (ICT) – (Outstanding for ICT)
Zoe Brook - Statistics and Modelling
Samantha Edgar - Physical Education
Elizabeth Fraser - Technology (ICT)
Rose Hyndman - English
Lucy Kent - Biology
Gemma Lindsay - History
Kate Manson - Statistics and Modelling
Alice Marsh - Biology
Georgina Martin - Biology |
Winners of the South Island Junior Waterpolo Championships December 2009
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Emerging Leaders’ Scholarship December 2009
We were delighted to hear that another Year 13 student has been awarded a prestigious University Scholarship.
Jessica Napper is the recipient of a University of Canterbury Emerging Leaders’ Scholarship for 2010 under Category A, valued up to $5,000 towards the tuition fees of her first year of study.
In addition, Jessica will be given the opportunity to take part in a Leadership Development Programme, valued at $4,000. Through residential workshops, seminars, volunteer work and personal study over an 11 month period, she will be exposed to opportunities to develop her personal leadership style and skills, network with like-minded people, demonstrate leadership capacity and be prepared to challenge and be challenged.
We extend our warm congratulations to Jessica on this fine achievement. |
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November 2009
This year the Year 10 German class decided to enter the ShortFilmFest Competition organised annually by the Goethe Institut in Wellington. With the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall being celebrated in November 2009 it was not surprising that this year’s theme for the contest was “Die Mauer” (“The Wall”). We wanted to produce a DVD that would involve the whole class of 24 girls, although some were away on exchanges when we came to filming. After much brain-storming we decided to use the plot of one of Roald Dahl’s short stories, “Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”, but having the main character as Bärbel Schmidt travelling from West Berlin to visit her Aunt Tanja in East Berlin, crossing the Berlin Wall through the Underground station at Friedrichstraße. The back of Bishopscourt made a very useful setting for the Berlin Wall and the various sitting-rooms and Mr Madden’s BMW provided the other backdrops. We were fortunate to have Mr Baddock to film the work and were lucky to manage to squeeze this into three periods in the last week of Term 3, just in time to meet the deadline on Saturday, 26th September.
We were surprised and thrilled to learn at the start of Term 4 that our DVD, “Roald Dahl an der Mauer: Couscous”, had won First Prize in the Years 7 – 10 section of the competition and that we were invited to collect the prize and see the film on the large screen at the National Film Archive in Wellington on 6th November. Unfortunately, the airfares by this stage were too costly for more than a few to be able to attend so the group was represented by Charlotte Boyce, Holly Cadzow, Rebecca Doré, Paige Gale and Alexandra McKenzie, accompanied by Mrs Doré and Ms Riethmaier. Our second surprise was to find that we had won a cheque for $500.00 which was presented by the German Ambassador and which will be used for purchases for the Languages Department.
Despite the tight time constraint, we had a lot of fun filming the skit and it was pleasing to see the whole class involved one way or another. The three students who had the main parts, Annabel Drummond, Jacinta Dunn and Chloë Anson, need a special commendation for learning their lines so quickly and we also thank Mr Evan Baddock for his patience, skill and willingness to give his time so generously.
Jenness Riethmaier |
National Success at the Young Enterprise Finals November 2009
The Awards Ceremony for the National Finals of Young Enterprise 2009 was held at the Duxton Hotel on the 4th November in the presence of the Governor General and the British High Commissioner with several distinguished leaders of business and industry present.
Hayley Jenkins-McCaw and Elizabeth Fraser travelled to Wellington to represent their Young Enterprise Company, “Lucrative”, and to receive an Award for Excellence, namely the Ministry of Youth Development Award for Excellence in Commitment presented by the Hon. Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Development and Employment.
At the same Ceremony, Mrs S. Bishop, HOD Commerce, received the Sir James Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Enterprise from Angus Fletcher, Deputy Chair of The Fletcher Trust. |
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November 2009
Warm congratulations to the seven Year 13 girls who have been awarded Tertiary Scholarships. Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships from the University of Otago for 2010:
Lucy Kent, Alice Marsh and Georgina Martin each received a Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship from the University of Otago for study in 2010. Nicola Crawford has been awarded an Alumni Annual Appeal Scholarship from the University of Otago for 2010.
Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships are worth $5,000, payable against University fees or Hall of Residence accommodation. The Alumni Annual Appeal Scholarship is to the value of first year fees, irrespective of course.
University of Auckland Undergraduate Scholarship for 2010
Amy Chu has been awarded a University of Auckland Entry Scholarship for 2010. The University of Auckland Scholarships are the University’s most prestigious undergraduate Awards. They are awarded to students who have demonstrated academic excellence, all-round ability and leadership. The University received 950 applications for these scholarships and 110 have been awarded throughout New Zealand.
All fees paid for the first three years of an undergraduate degree plus $1,500 per year and Academic Mentoring for one year (if parental home is in Auckland) or $5,000 per year (if home is out of Auckland) plus two return fares and Academic Mentoring.
This scholarship is worth up to $50,000.
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Southland Speech Competitions
October 2009
Elizabeth Fraser in Year 13 has performed at the Southland Speech Competitions since the age of eight years. For the past three years Elizabeth has been taught by her Speech teacher Patricia Richardson. This year the competitions were held in Invercargill on the 25th - 28th September at Repertory House.
Elizabeth was nominated to represent Southland by the Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand at the nationals held on 16th - 18th October in Invercargill. She was the recipient of a National Young Performer Award. This event was last held in Invercargill 20 years ago. In the photograph she is wearing the sash presented to her at the Southland Speech Competitions by Adjudicator, Sheridan Hickey, from Palmerston North and the Convener, Mrs Cody.
Elizabeth also received the Invercargill Licensing Trust Senior Speech Scholarship and six trophies. It was a great weekend with many age groups performing poems, improvisations and impromptu speeches. |
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Otago Regional Finals of Young Enterprise
October 2009
The Otago Regional Finals of Young Enterprise were held at the Otago Museum on the 14th October. We were delighted to hear the announcement that Mrs S. Bishop, HOD Commerce. is to be the 2009 recipient of the Sir James Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Enterprise. This award is made annually to a teacher in New Zealand who has made a consistent contribution over a number of years to Enterprise, not just within the teacher’s own school but to Enterprise in New Zealand.
Our 2009 Young Enterprise Company, “Lucrative”, also did very well, gaining 1st Place for Best Financial Performance and 2nd Place for Best Marketing Plan.
It was great news to hear that “Lucrative” was one of the two Otago companies to be named to go forward to the National Young Enterprise Finals to be held in Wellington on the 4th November. “Lucrative” has been nominated for an Excellence Award at national level – the category will be announced in Wellington on the night.
Hayley Jenkins-McCaw and Elizabeth Fraser will represent “Lucrative” at the National Awards Function.
A full list of the Year 13 girls who are members of “Lucrative” follows: Hae In Choi, Leah Coghill, Elizabeth Fraser, Alisa Hasdarngkul, Alice Hunter, Sophie Hutchison, Naomi Ireland, Hayley Jenkins-McCaw, Jirachaya Kerdpanya, Alyse McDonald, Kate Manson, Courtney Morton, Libby Richards and Jessica Todd. |
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PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship
September 2009
A total of 16 Aspire Scholarships has been awarded in this the sixth year of PricewaterhouseCoopers Scholarship programme. Of the 16, two were awarded to students in the South Island with one going to Christchurch and the other to Dunedin.
Warmest congratulations to Kate Manson in Year 13 on being the recipient of an Aspire Scholarship.
Kate will receive a contribution towards her University tuition fees valued at $7,000.00 over the course of her degree as well as receiving mentoring support from PwC, the opportunity to develop valuable relationships and networks and summer holiday employment while at University. |
Chinese Speech Competition
September 2009
Sarah Agyeman in Year 11 (pictured with Ms A. Chen, Chinese Teacher) is one of four students in New Zealand to have won an all-expenses-paid trip to China from the 21st October to the 1st November this year. Sarah was one of three students chosen from the South Island regional competition to compete in the national finals.
Sarah was placed 2nd in the New Zealand Chinese Speech Competition held in Auckland and in October will head to China to watch the International Chinese Speech Competition in Si Chung province. Well done, Sarah!
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Gold Heartbeat Award
May 2009
Columba College is the first secondary school in Otago to be the recipient of a Gold Heartbeat Award. It was presented in assembly on the 19th May by Mrs Jo Arthur, National Heart Foundation Health Promotion Co-ordinator, who spoke of recent research that shows students who were well nourished performed better academically, took fewer sick days, behaved better in class and achieved better results in sporting pursuits.
“Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, a healthy school environment sets the scene for a long, heart-healthy life”, she said.
A Gold Heartbeat Award indicates that a school has reached the highest standard in all aspects of nutrition and recognises its commitment to providing students with consistent messages about healthy eating through the school food service, the school environment, classroom education programmes and community initiatives.
Gold Awards are valid for only one year. It is our intention to maintain our focus on promoting healthy nutrition and through our Health Promotion Committee of staff and students to explore new initiatives and ways of continuing to raise awareness in the school community of the importance of healthy eating. |
NCEA 2008
May 2009
For those who may have missed reading the Sunday Star Times on the 17th May, below is the list of schools that were in the Top 10 in New Zealand for their NCEA 2008 pass-rates.
It is very pleasing indeed to see Columba College in this list.
We acknowledge that such lists have their critics, but are also aware that there is considerable public interest in such information.
For the record, Columba students again gained the highest number of Scholarship grades (21) in Otago and Southland for 2008 – a record that has been maintained by the College since the inception of Scholarship in 2004.
Sunday Star Times 17th May, 2009
www.nzqa.govt.nz compares NCEA results between schools or groups of schools of the same region, decile or type. Results are also broken down by gender and ethnicity, and compared against national averages. This data is much more accurate than in the past –aspects of it were used to compile The Sunday Star Times league tables (which are not published by NZQA), which are at www.sstlive.co.nz
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University of Canterbury Emerging Leaders’ Scholarship
May 2009
The University of Canterbury congratulates Anna Fields from Columba College (Year 13, 2008) pictured here with Dr Rod Carr, Vice-Chancellor, receiving her certificate in recognition of achieving a UC Emerging Leaders’ Scholarship sponsored by Colleges and Departments, Women in Engineering Award, 2009. |
Columba Canteen - Gold Heartbeat Award
May 2009
The Health Promoting Schools' Committee was very pleased to learn at the end of the Easter holidays that it had been successful in its application to the National Heart Foundation for a Gold Heartbeat Award for the School Canteen. Columba was the first Secondary School in Otago to gain the Silver Award and is now the first to gain the Gold Award, with the only other Gold Award in the province having been awarded earlier this year to St Patrick's Primary School. We are very fortunate to have Mrs Magda Marx as our Catering Manager and it is her commitment to producing healthy, tasty items for the Canteen and responding to students' feedback that has steadily improved the quality of what is offered. Public Health South is so impressed with her work that they included an article on Mrs Marx and the Columba Canteen in their August Newsletter last year. Our decision to maintain the changes made over the past few years in the Canteen in spite of the government relaxing these requirements also helped with our Gold application. The Award is to be presented in assembly next Tuesday by Mrs Jo Arthur of the Heart Foundation.
It was very pleasing to note the Year 10 students' healthy appetites for healthy food at their recent Camp in Doubtful Sound. In accordance with the Board of Trustees' Healthy Eating Policy, we have eliminated two minute noodles and instant soups from school camps and were very grateful to those parents who sent along home-made soups. We are still concerned, however, at the number of students in the Intermediate and Secondary Schools who are bringing instant noodles for lunch. While we recognise that this is an individual choice, we urge parents and students to check the list of ingredients that go into these and to note the fat content of the noodles themselves. The Health Promoting Schools' Committee is currently preparing for Columba's first Healthy Eating Week, from the 25th to 29th May. Activities planned include speakers, cooking demonstrations, competitions and special dishes in the Canteen.
Jenness Riethmaier, Chair of Columba’s Health Promoting Schools’ Committee |
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Columba College - A Fair Trade School
May 2009
Alice Marsh, Head Prefect, had as one of her special projects for this year to see Columba College become a Fair Trade School recognised by the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Well done to Alice on this initiative and its success. Columba is now one of eight Fair Trade Schools in New Zealand.
To qualify we had to meet the following criteria:
Serve only Fair Trade tea and coffee in the School and Boarding House (we have included Fair Trade hot chocolate)
Promote and raise awareness of Fair Trade at school, for example, by displaying promotional material, teaching students about Fair Trade, running an assembly on Fair Trade.
What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
Fairtrade is an alternative model of international trade, which aims to share the benefits of trade more equitably between consumers, producers and the environment.
Fairtrade guarantees a better deal for producers in the developing world through:
A fair and stable price for their product
Long term trading relations and advance payments
Investment in local community development
Support in gaining knowledge and skills needed to operate in the global economy
Environmentally sustainable farming methods
How do I know if a product is Fairtrade?
The FAIRTRADE Label is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. For a product to display the FAIRTRADE Label it must meet international Fairtrade standards. These standards are set by the certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) and have been developed in consultation with farmer, consumer and industry representatives.
Look for the FAIRTRADE Label on a growing range of products.
www.fairtrade.org.nz |
2008 NCEA Results (Provisional)
March 2009
The 2008 NCEA results are very pleasing (finalised results will be to hand in April) with a large number
of girls attaining at a very commendable level, for example, gaining Levels 1, 2 or 3 overall with Merit
or Excellence.
% of students achieving NCEA at Columba College
| |
Level 1 (Year 11) |
Level 2 (Year 12) |
Level 3 (year 13) |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
| 2005 |
97.7 |
57.0 |
94.0 |
61.6 |
95.2 |
51.6 |
| 2006 |
95.5 |
59.3 |
96.4 |
63.3 |
94.3 |
51.6 |
| 2007 |
92.4 |
62.7 |
97.2 |
66.0 |
97.1 |
54.5 |
| 2008 (Provisional) |
98.5 |
62.8 |
94.1 |
66.6 |
89.4 |
54.0 |
2008 Overall Excellence and Merit Endorsements (Provisional)
| % |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
| Merit |
43.9 |
17.3 |
32.4 |
12.3 |
25.8 |
11.0 |
| Excellence |
25.8 |
4.6 |
19.1 |
3.1 |
21.2 |
2.6 |
2008 % of roll achieving (Provisional)
| |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
| NCEA Level 1 Literacy requirement |
98.5 |
77.3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| NCEA Level 1 Numeracy requirement |
101.5 |
84.9 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 80 credits |
98.5 |
63.7 |
95.6 |
50.1 |
83.3 |
39.1 |
| University Entrance |
- |
- |
- |
- |
93.9 |
49.6 |
|
|
Win in the South Island Secondary Schools’ Waterpolo
Tournament
March 2009
Warmest congratulations to our Senior A Waterpolo Team on winning the South Island Tournament.
All the girls in the team can be very proud of this achievement, and also of their overall win in the local
Dunedin competition in which they won their final games against Kavanagh College and John
McGlashan College (this was a hard-fought game that Columba won 6-5). They are a young (six of
the girls are in Year 10 and two in Year 11), fit and well prepared team and thoroughly deserve their
South Island win.
In the closely contested semi-final with Villa Maria, the score was 3 all at full-time and 4 all at extra
time. The game was won on the penalty shoot-out with Charlotte O'Leary, Zoe Cadzow and Holly
Cadzow all scoring, taking the final score to 7-4. The final was against Christchurch Girls' High School
with a win of 4-1 to Columba.
Tori Hall - Most Valuable Player - South Island Waterpolo Tournament.
Stephanie Lambie - Most Promising Player - South Island Waterpolo Tournament
|
|
Waterpolo Team
December 2008
It was great news to hear how very well our Years 9 and 10 Waterpolo Team did in the South Island
Waterpolo Tournament for Years 9 and 10 teams held in Invercargill. The girls won every game they played
and were placed 1st in the South Island, beating James Hargest 19-3 in the semi-final and Burnside High
School 4-1 in the final. We congratulate all the girls in the team on a wonderful result.
Special congratulations to Stephanie Lambie who was selected as the Most Valuable Player for the whole
Tournament (selected from all participants).
Thank you to Mrs N. Martyn for her unfailing support of the team as Manager and for the generous
fundraising she undertook to help the girls get to Invercargill, and to everyone who bought the peonies we
enjoyed seeing at the school entry each morning. We also acknowledge with appreciation Rene Theelen,
Coach, and the assistance of Rhys Heatley.
|
|
Anna Fields, Year 13
Winner of three ICAS Gold
Medals
December 2008
(Gold Medals are awarded to the top 1% of
ICAS entrants who achieve the highest
score in their Year level in their own
country in each ICAS subject)
At the 2008 ICAS Gold Medal Awards Ceremony
held at Te Papa, Wellington Anna received a Gold
Medal for Science. In the previous year, Anna
was the recipient of Gold Medals for English and
Science.
Three ICAS Gold Medals is a very special
achievement on which Anna is warmly
congratulated.
|
|
Rutherford Science
Competition 2008
December 2008
Laura Bridger was placed first in the Years 5 - 8 category of the University of
Canterbury Rutherford Science
Competition. She will receive a $500.00
cash prize. This is a fantastic effort
considering the huge number of entries
from all over New Zealand. Well done
Laura!
|
|
Recipient of the 2009 Otago
Polytechnic Principal's Scholarship
December 2008
Otago Polytechnic generously funds a Scholarship which covers
the first year's tuition fees to a nominated secondary school
student from each school in the region.
Congratulations to Jessica Chisholm on being the recipient of
the Scholarship made available to a Columba College student.
Jessica will be studying towards a Nursing Degree at Otago
Polytechnic.
|
|
Scholarship Winners
November 2008
The success of three Year 13 girls in winning major Scholarships has been wonderful news this term. We
congratulate Natasha Keillor, Laura Manson and Erin Wilson most warmly on their significant achievements.
Natasha Keillor is the recipient of one of the 21 Russell McVeagh School Leavers Law Scholarships worth
$7,000 and a University of Otago Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship worth $2,000. Natasha who received
the only Russell McVeagh Scholarship to be awarded south of Christchurch plans to study Law at Otago and
also complete a Science degree. Five of the Russell McVeagh Scholarships were awarded to South Island
students.
Laura Manson won the Otago PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship worth $7,000 - one of 16
awarded nationally. Laura is studying Law and Commerce at Otago University next year.
Erin Wilson won one of the five Kelliher Economics Foundation Awards (the sole recipient south of
Christchurch) given nationally worth $12,000 and a Victoria School Leavers Scholarship worth $4,000 for
academic excellence. Erin plans to study Economics at Victoria University next year.
|
|
National Bank Junior Mathematics Competition
November 2008
This year there were 9,168 entrants from 202
schools. Columba College students performed
very strongly - a view supported by the National
Bank representative who presented the girls with
their certificates in assembly. She commented
that Columba College students received the most
certificates in Dunedin from this year's
Competition which is regarded as a particularly
challenging one for Years 9 to 11 students.
Special congratulations to Chiao Lin in Year 10
who was 4th nationally for her Year level and the
top placed female student
|
|
National Young Designer Awards in Christchurch
November 2008
Congratulations to Paige Parslow-Boyd in Year 13 who was awarded 1st Place nationally in the category
Photography at the finals presentation - an outstanding achievement.
Well done also to Hazel Loughrey in Year 12 who gained 2nd Place nationally in the category
Communication Design - Book Cover.
|
|
Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship
November 2008
Along with Natasha Keillor, Deborah Lambie is the
recipient of a Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship
from Otago University and we congratulate
Deborah also on this prestigious award.
|
|
Three Columba Old Girls head to Oxbridge
September 2008
Julia, Emma and Yani leave this
month to begin their studies at Oxford
and Cambridge Universities. Julia
Matheson won a 2008 Rhodes
Scholarship to study for a doctor of
philosophy degree in medical
oncology at Balliol College, Oxford
University. Emma Hutton won the
2008 Girdlers' Scholarship, regarded
as the undergraduate equivalent of the
Rhodes Scholarship, which will take
her to Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge University, to study music.
Yani Hung was short-listed for an
undergraduate place at Oxford
University and was successful at
interview, and will study medicine at
Pembroke College.
We warmly wish the three of them all
the very best for their studies in the
UK.
|
|
PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship
September 2008
Warm congratulations to Laura Manson in Year
13 on winning one of the 16 Scholarships
awarded by
PricewaterhouseCoopers
for 2009. Laura was one
of the two South Island
recipients with the other
14 Scholarships going to
North Island
students.
The Scholarship offers recipients summer
internships as well as significant monetary
allowances throughout the duration of their tertiary
education (a package of $7,000 with a further
$2,500 to complete a relevant double degree or
postgraduate studies).
Laura is the third Columba recipient of a
PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship in
four consecutive years. She joins Sophie Toomer
and Stacey Offen.
|
Innovative competition
By John Lewis, Otago Daily Times - 21st June, 2008
There was no time for building Terminators at the Otago Secondary Schools Technology Innovation Challenge in Dunedin yesterday.
Year 13 pupils spent their ‘time more productively, dreaming up applications for Sun Spots — miniature computers which can be used to control robots.
A team from Columba College won their category when they came up with the innovative concept of using Sun Spots to monitor the ‘effects of high winds or earthquakes on high-rise buildings or bridges.
Lee White (17), Anna Fields I (17) and Amy Anderson (18) said they would use the Sun Spots to control robots which could provide support for areas of bridges or buildings which were losing their structural integrity in the event of high winds or earthquakes. The technology could also be used to send safety warnings about structurally unsound buildings which were in danger of collapsing.
The Idea was one of many creative innovations based around three topics at the University of Otago Information Science Department. Alongside Sun Spots, pupils also worked on applications for virtual world technology (three dimensional computer worlds in which buildings and friendships can be created) and developed their own online communities like Bebo and Facebook.
The most innovative ideas in each category were given computer-related awards.
Global Network Inter-connectivity Research Project manager Melanie Middlemiss said while the event was designed to foster links between secondary schools and the University of Otago’s Information Science Department, it was also aimed at flexing pupils’ minds and making them think outside the square.
Dr Middlemiss said it was the second time the event had been held at the university and, because last year’s was so successful, it had been opened up to schools throughout the Otago region.
Results:
Sun Spot Category: Columba College (Lee White, Anna Fields and Amy Anderson);
Online Community Category: Taieri College (Shane Elfield, Christina Sandford and Josiah Wood);
Virtual World Category: Kings High School (Matthew Morris and Marc Gillan).
|
Monetary Policy Challenge
September 2008
Columba cashes in
By John Lewis - Otago Daily Times
FIVE Columba College pupils proved they had the potential to control the country’s official cash rate after they finished second in the New Zealand Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Challenge in Wellington.
Team leader Kari Schmidt, Emma Elsom, Surangna Chansrichavala, Laura Manson and Erin Wilson were put in the shoes of Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard and using the same information as Reserve Bank economists, the team assessed the economic conditions facing New Zealand to decide an appropriate setting for the official cash rate.
Their reasoning was given in a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 20-minute question and answer session with a judging panel of Reserve Bank economists.
Columba College principal Elizabeth Wilson said the girls coped well with the extreme pressure of the event.
“It was a very high level of competition — it was a signific ant step up from the level of questioning at regional level. The girls handled it extremely well.”
Scots College (Wellington) won, with Westlake Boys High School (Auckland) third.
|
|
ICAS Science Competition
August 2008
Anna Fields, Year 13 won a Gold Medal for
Science in this year's ICAS Science Competition.
This means that Anna gained the highest mark for
Year 13 in New Zealand.
It is the second year in a row that Anna has won a
Gold Medal for Science. Well done, Anna!
|
|
New Zealand Youth Orchestra
August 2008
Annabel Drummond in Year 9 has been made a
member of the New Zealand Youth Orchestra.
This is a very high achievement for Annabel as
members of the NZ Youth Orchestra can be up to
25 years of age.
Annabel has joined the orchestra to give concerts
in Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland and Napier
from the 20th August to the 1st September.
|
|
Otago Chamber Music Competition
June 2008
For the second year running a Chamber Group
with Columba students has won the Otago
Chamber Music Competition. This is a very
significant achievement with fifty ensembles
involving 167 students taking part.
The winning group was Trio Boulanger consisting
of Asayo Takada, piano, and Nanae Sato, cello,
from Columba College and Natasha Dwan, flute
from Logan Park High School. They played a
challenging modern piece, Trio for Flute,
Violoncello and Piano Mvts. 1, 3 and 4 by
American Composer, Ned Rorem.
The Dresden Trio with Annabel Drummond, violin,
Anne-Sophie Shogimen, piano, from Columba
College and Dominic Shogimen, cello, from Otago
Boys' High School was awarded the Adjudicator's
Award for an outstanding performance. The
Dresden Trio performed Piano Trio No. 2 in F
major Opus 80 3rd movement by Schumann.
The adjudicator, Kenneth Young, gave four Highly
Commended Awards with two going to groups
containing Columba students: Dwalliessapyuto
Quartet (Nanae Sato, cello) and KhachaKorean
Trio (Sophie Bang, piano).
It is noteworthy that Columba College students
were in fourteen of the groups performing over the
weekend of the 14th and 15th June at Marama
Hall.
|
|
Dr Cilla McQueen, Honorary Doctor of Literature, University of Otago
May 2008
The degree of Honorary Doctor of Literature was conferred upon Cilla McQueen by the University of Otago at the Graduation Ceremony held on Saturday, 17th May 2008.
Cilla McQueen is one of New Zealand's leading poets. She has written ten books of poetry, several of them award winners.
She was Dux of Columba College in 1965 and went on to major in French at Otago University, graduating with an MA(Hons) in 1971. From 1985-1986 she held the Burns Fellowship at Otago University which gave her time to devote to her writing after working as a full-time teacher.
Cilla McQueen now lives in Bluff.
|
|
Otago Secondary Schools' Equestrian Event
April 2008
Congratulations to our wonderful Equestrian team on gaining 1st Place overall in this year's event held on
Saturday, 29th March and for bringing the trophy back to Columba College for the fourth consecutive year.
The girls competed superbly in the dressage and show jumping events, and deserved their overall win.
In the team were: Laura Carruthers and Deborah Lambie (Co-Captains), Rebecca Blanchette, Pippa Lucas,
Rebecca Duff, Georgina Martin, Jana Leifeld (German Exchange student), Gabrielle McFarlane, Jessica
Barton, Michaela Little and Tiffany Robinson.
Special thanks go to Mrs Pauline Carruthers who has so capably managed the team in recent years, and to
all the parents for their support and encouragement of their daughters' involvement.
|
|
Alumni Scholarships
April 2008
Two of the twelve Alumni
Scholarships recently awarded by
the University of Otago have gone
to Columba College Old Girls,
Annie Manning and Anna Watson,
who were in Year 13 last year.
The Scholarships cover the first
year tuition fees and are funded by
donations from former Otago
University students and graduates,
through University alumni appeals.
The twelve students came from
Invercargill to Havelock North. |
|
Girdlers' Scholarship awarded to Emma Hutton
March 2008
Emma Hutton has been announced as the Girdlers' Scholar for 2008 after a rigorous selection and interview process. Emma was one of seven students (all in Year 13 last year) short-listed for the final round of interviews in Wellington.
The Girdlers' Scholarship is a highly prestigious award regarded as the undergraduate or high school equivalent of a Rhodes Scholarship. Only one is awarded annually to New Zealand.
As a Girdlers' Scholar Emma will be fully funded to study for a three to four year undergraduate degree at Cambridge University. Emma plans to study Music at Cambridge and hopes to make a career in conducting, teaching music and performance.
The Girdlers' Scholarship is administered by the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee and funded by the Girdlers' Company, a British organisation, which has origins in livery, but now focuses on charitable causes and property ownership.
Emma is the 44th Girdlers' Scholar from New Zealand and the first from Columba College. Her success is richly deserved and has been such a joy to hear about. We wish her all the very best for her studies at Cambridge University which will begin this September.
|
Achievement for everyone
Columba students have done outstandingly well in national examinations for many years and this success has continued with NCEA.
The girls' results across Levels 1, 2 and 3 and Scholarship consistently place the College as the top performing school in Otago and Southland, and among the top academic schools in New Zealand.
Achievement data from 2005, 2006 and 2007 show the high level of success enjoyed by students (90%-plus of all students achieving NCEA).
|
|
Columba |
National |
| Achievement Level 1 |
97.7% |
57% |
Achievement Level 2 |
94% |
61.6% |
Achievement Level 3 |
95.2% |
51.6% |
Scholarship: Highest number of scholarship grades in Otago and Southland |
|
|
Columba |
National |
| Achievement Level 1 |
95.5%
|
59.3%
|
Achievement Level 2 |
96.4%
|
63.3%
|
Achievement Level 3 |
94.3%
|
51.6%
|
Scholarship: Highest number of scholarship grades in Otago and Southland |
|
|
Columba |
National |
| Achievement Level 1 |
92.4% |
62.3% |
Achievement Level 2 |
97.2% |
64.7% |
Achievement Level 3 |
97.1% |
53.5% |
Scholarship: Highest number of scholarship grades in Otago and Southland |
|
Pupil wins a white Christmas A mixture of excitement and trepidation flooded Rachel Blair's emotions after learning this week she had won a prestigious $5000 travel scholarship. The Columba College 17-year-old was one of three New Zealand secondary school pupils awarded the Society for New Zealand-German Student Exchange Scholarship, which would allow her to travel to Weetter an der Ruhr - a small village in West Germany.
More than 1000 pupils from across the country applied and Rachel won the scholarship after a series of interviews where she had to speak German.
Rachel said the scholarship would not only allow her to experience German culture, food and people, it would also allow her to experience a "snowy Christmas" - something he has always dreamed about.
She will leave on December 6 and return to Dunedin in February next year.
"To find out I won was both exciting and scary. I'm a little apprehensive about being on the other side of the world on my own. But it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
By John Lewis - Otago Daily Times |
Young Enterprise
Pinnacle named top pupil business for Otago
On October 11 2007 Pinnacle Productions was named the Otago regional winner of the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme. Pinnacle produced a handy hint book that has been selling throughout New Zealand. They also received the top prize for the media awards, best annual report, best financial performance and excellence in business award.
From the Otago Daily Times - 11/10/07
Columba third in national company contest
Columba College's 11-person young enterprise company Pinnacle Productions was named third among 24 companies in the 2007 Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme national awards.
The nationwide scheme, attracting 628 companies and more than 3600 pupils this year, encourages pupils to form a company, develop products and services which they market and sell, and keep any profit they make during the school year.
At the national awards in Wellington, Pinnacle won the Todd Corporation Award for Young Enterprises trophy, including $1000 for Columba College and $1000 for all the company directors.
The first print run of Pinnacle's handy hints book (1000 copies at $19.95) has sold out and the company is considering a second edition.
From the Otago Daily Times - 2/11/07
|
The School has three Rhodes Scholars, Jennifer Cooper from the 1980's, Clare Beach from the 1990's and Dr Julia Matheson, announced in October 2007.
Clare Beach was also the Top Overall Female Scholar in New Zealand in Bursary 1994, and another Columba College Old Girl, Victoria Taylor, was also the Top Overall Female Scholar in Bursary in 2003. Priya Prasad-Samalia was the Top Overall Female Pacific Island Scholar in New Zealand in Bursary 2001. |
"Leaders of Tomorrow" Scholarships to Otago University
All four girls have been awarded a "Leaders of Tomorrow" Scholarship from the University of Otago
for their first year of University studies at Otago, worth $5,000.00 per Scholarship.
We are delighted for the girls and very pleased about this recognition of four of our senior students. |
National Finals of the New Zealand Young Designer Awards (New Zealand's Premier
National Design Competition for School Students) All four of our finalists are to be congratulated on gaining places at the Awards Presentation in the
Christchurch Town Hall on the 13th October.
| Siobhan MacLeod |
1st |
Photography Section |
| Lee White |
|
Multi Media Section
Book Cover Section |
| Jamie Metzger |
3rd |
Print Section |
| Tunan Pan |
3rd |
Book Cover Section |
|
2007 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Competition The Secondary School Division finalists were selected by judge
David Hill with Ava Atkinson-Barclay in Year 10 among the ten
finalists.
We commend and congratulate Ava on this significant
achievement.
|
Australian National Chemistry Quiz
|
2007 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools
Science Medal Winner
Anna Fields in Year 12 has been awarded a
Medal for scoring the highest mark in her
Year level in this year's ICAS Science
Competition - an outstanding achievement.
English Medal Winner
Anna Fields has also been awarded a Medal for scoring
the highest mark in her Year level in this year's ICAS English
Competition.
This is the second ICAS Medal Anna has won this year - an achievement on which
Anna is to be heartily congratulated.
|
Otago Regional Finalists for a Scholarship to Germany and a National Winner
Rachel Blair and Chammika Navaratne in Year 12 are to
be commended on their selection from the local
competition and interviews as the two Otago finalists for an
all-expenses paid Scholarship to Germany. They were
flown to Wellington for the final interviews at the Goethe
Institut - a challenging but enjoyable experience for them
both.
Special congratulations to Rachel Blair who is one of
three national winners of a German Scholarship which will
take her to Germany these coming Christmas holidays on
an all-expenses paid trip.
|
|
Otago Year 10 Basketball Tournament
Well done to all the girls in our Year 10 Basketball team on winning the 2007 Year 10 Otago
Basketball Tournament. This was a two-day tournament held at the end of the Basketball season,
and a win at Otago level was a great way for the girls to round off a very successful season. |
|
First XI Hockey Team
The First XI Hockey team is to be congratulated on winning the Premier Grade of the
Secondary Schoolgirls' Competition - a wonderful result and a credit to the girls in the team
and the coach, Mrs S. Harvey, our Sports Co-ordinator.
|
Netball Season (2007)
Eight Columba Netball teams qualified for the Dunedin finals for the 2007 season.
The Senior A Netball team came 5th and the Senior C team 1st in their respective grades, the 10A
team 1st in the Intermediate Premier and the 9A team 3rd in the Junior Premier. Congratulations
to all the girls in the four teams on a very successful season.
Of particular note is the win of the 10A Netball team in the Intermediate Premier section, following
on from their success in the 2007 Otago/Southland Secondary Schools' Netball Tournament in
which they won the Intermediate Tournament section. Well done to the girls and also to their
Coach, Mrs S. McKay, and Manager, Mrs R. Skerten.
Congratulations also to the 8A Netball team on coming 2nd in Section One, the 7A Netball team on
winning Section Four, the Columba Blue team on its 4th place in the same section, and the 7B
Netball team on coming 2nd in Section Five.
|
|
Stirling Sports Otago Future Legend for July 2007
Jessica Todd in Year 11 was selected as Otago Future Legend for July by Sport Otago and the
ODT for winning the Junior Girls U16 title and "Best Female Wrestler" at the Downunder Games for
Secondary Schools between New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
Jessica therefore achieved the best sporting achievement in Otago by a school student.
To qualify to be a Future Legend, students need to either be under 18 years or still at school.
Mr Russell Fowler of Stirling Sports presented Jessica with her Certificate and prize voucher at
assembly on the 28th August.
At the National Wrestling Championships held in Hamilton in August Jessica successfully defended
her national age and weight group title(14 to 16 years female 65 kg class). She also won Gold in
the 14 to 16 years female 70kg class and the Under 21 years female 63 kg class.
She was clearly the stand-out age group female wrestler at the nationals, competing in some very
tough bouts in which she showed great determination. Well done!
|
|
Chamber Music Successes
Chamber Music is in very good heart at Columba with five of the eight groups in the final recall
session of the Otago Secondary Schools' Chamber Music Competition containing students from
Columba College.
The winning group was the Zwickau Quintet which comprised Emma Hutton (piano) and Nanae
Sato (cello) of Columba College, two students from Logan Park High School and a student from
John McGlashan College.
The Adjudicator's award (Gretchen Dunsmore) went to the Sollertinsky Trio - Emma Hutton and
Nanae Sato and a student from Logan Park High School.
One of the two Highly Commended awards went to Trio Vamos which included Asayo Takada
(piano) from Columba.
Sophie Bang (piano) performed in a group in the Recall session, as did "Give us a hand" (a body
percussion group comprising Maddy Parkins-Craig, Hannah Scott, Emma Turner and Asayo
Takada).
It was a great thrill to hear that the Zwickau Quintet was selected as one of the eight groups to
perform at the National Chamber Music Finals in Christchurch on the 27th July - the first time in
eleven years that a Dunedin group has made it to the nationals. The standard was amazing, and
the family members and supporters of Emma Hutton, Nanae Sato, Natasha Dwan, John Roxburgh
and Eric Kim felt very proud of them and their participation in the finals.
Warm thanks to our HOD Music, Mrs P. Hooper, for her commitment and encouragement of our
Chamber Music groups, and congratulations to all the Music students involved in a very successful
Chamber Music season.
|
|
Equestrian
The Columba Equestrian Team won the Otago Inter-Schools' Equestrian Competition held on 31st
March at the A & P Showgrounds in Mosgiel.
The competition was extremely tight with only a few points between the first five teams. Each rider
did one dressage test and two rounds of show jumping, getting points for achieving a minimum
dressage score and for "going clear" (no dropped rails and within the time allowed) on show
jumping as well as bonus points for the place-getters. All team members contributed to the final
outcome, which was bringing the Shield back for another year to the Columba trophy case. Well
done to everyone in the team!
| Stephanie Lambie |
1st show jumping |
| Deborah Lambie |
3rd show jumping |
| Alice Sanders |
1st show jumping |
| Gabrielle McFarlane |
1st dressage, 2nd show jumping |
| Laura Carruthers |
1st dressage, 2nd show jumping |
| Pippa Lucas |
2nd show jumping |
|
|
2007 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools
Computer Skills Medal Winner
Ava Atkinson-Barclay has been awarded a Medal
for scoring the highest mark in her Year level in
New Zealand for the 2007 ICAS Computer Skills
Competition - an achievement on which we
congratulate her most warmly. |
|
Jumanji
2007 Columba College Stage Challenge Entry
1st Place on Friday night (11th May)
Eleven Awards of Excellence were presented to Columba College for Jumanji:
Award of Excellence for Concept
Award of Excellence for Drama
Award of Excellence for Performance Skill
Award of Excellence for Choreography
Award of Excellence for Stage Use
Award of Excellence for Lighting Design
Award of Excellence for Visual Enhancement
Award of Excellence for Soundtrack
Award of Excellence for Drug Awareness
Award of Excellence for Costuming Character
Award of Excellence for Set Design and Function
The girls did a great job, and we all felt very proud of them. They looked fantastic in their
costumes, and they gave a tight, controlled and polished performance with excellent choreography
and dancing. Well done to everyone involved, and particularly to the girls in Year 13 for their
organisation, leadership and commitment to the students' 2007 entry. So many hours of
practising, problem-solving and organising were involved, but the girls had a well-deserved and
great result at the end.
Comments from the judging sheets of the three judges:
Set Design and Function: Great set and establishment of stage space. Exciting visual
display. Great sense of space and believable engagement with narrative.
Costuming - Character: Wonderful costumes - alive and brilliant characterisation. Detail to
water effect - wonderful storytelling. Lighting design spectacular.
Visual - Enhancement: Vibrant, well thought-out and visually splendid. All elements well
thought-out. Enormous drama and scope. Brilliant feel for short sequence narrative. All
colour and sound schemes well thought-out.
Concept: Excellent concept. Everything integrated very well. Took Jumanji motifs and
explored them highly effectively.
Drama: Positive, dynamic performances. Focus brought through central characters.
Excellent dramatic sense overall.
Soundtrack: Very dynamic use of music - exciting and appropriate.
Overall Impact: Excellent work - exciting, completely held my attention, good changes of
pace, energy, rhythm, focus, good switches from comedy to drama.
Choreography: Some great sequences - especially water, spiders, earthquake.
Stage Use: Excellent stage use - levels and different shapes to create focus.
Performance Skill: Very well executed and choreographed to the strengths of the skill base.
Wonderful theatricality, creating drama and fun.
Overall Impact: A fun show, packed with energy, passion and plenty of punch - fun
ideas/characters driving the narrative. Well done!
|
|
Biofutures Conference in Brisbane for Secondary School Students
Special congratulations to Fiona Firth in Year 13. Fiona is one of eleven students selected by the
Royal Society of New Zealand from over 100 applicants to attend Biofutures in Brisbane - a forum
which explores Biotechnology. She will join 11 New Zealanders and students from all over
Australia who have also been selected to attend.
This forum is sponsored by the University of Queensland and travel assistance is given by the
talented School Students Travel Award funded by the Ministry of
Research, Science and Technology.
Fiona has a particular interest in the sciences. She has won numerous
prizes over the years in the Otago Regional Science and Technology
Fair and studies Physics, Biology and Chemistry at school It is her
intention to study Health Sciences next year at Otago University. |
2006 Scholarship Grades
It is very pleasing to know that Columba College once again attained the highest number of Scholarship grades in Dunedin, Otago and Southland.
Seventeen Scholarship grades were gained (compared with 10 in 2004, 20 in 2005 - in both years the highest totals for Dunedin, Otago and Southland).
The 2006 Scholarship Grades were awarded to:
Ann-Marie Mekhail
2006 Dux |
Statistics and Modelling (Outstanding),
English and Chemistry
Ann-Marie is one of 187 students nationally to achieve three or more Scholarships and will receive an award of $2,000.00 p.a. a year for three years subject to maintaining a B average at University. |
| Renée Cunningham |
English and Geography |
| Katie Grindley |
Economics and Geography |
| Rachel Bishop |
Visual Arts |
| Rachel Carruthers |
English |
| Esmé Hanton |
Visual Arts (actually two Scholarships) |
| Grace Johnstone |
Biology |
| Betty Kao |
Biology |
| Bona Liu |
Mandarin |
| Kendra Shen |
Mathematics with Calculus |
| Sophie Toomer |
Economics |
| Charlotte Valentine |
English |
| Hayley Worth |
English |
|
|
2006 Cambridge AS Level English Language and Literature Examination Results
These continued to be very pleasing with two girls, Emma Hutton and Sarah Paterson, being joint top in New Zealand for AS Level English Language and Literature.
The following girls sat and all passed the Cambridge AS Level English Language and Literature examination:
Rebecca Diedrichs, Fiona Firth, Yani Hung, Emma Hutton, Siobhan MacLeod, Annie Manning, Holly Martin, Breidi McDonald, Jessica McLellan, Lucinda McMeeken, Sarah Paterson, Jessica Shields, Sophia van der Zande and Anna Watson.
8 gained 90% plus
1 gained 80% - 89%
2 gained 70% - 79%
3 gained 60% - 69%
Columba College was also awarded a "Top Centre" certificate for 2006 - an award to schools whose students ranked in the first five places in New Zealand in one or more Cambridge subjects. |
Columba College NCEA Results 2003-2005
|
| |
Merit Grades |
Excellence Grades |
|
| Level 1 |
13.7% |
9.3% |
% of all Grades earned |
| Level 2 |
10.8% |
7.1% |
% of all Grades earned |
| No Level 3 in 2003 |
|
|
|
These results placed Columba College 1st overall in the South Island and among the top three schools in New Zealand in 2003.
| NCEA Level 1 |
2nd |
% of Merit Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
| NCEA Level 2 |
3rd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's, 2nd Diocesan) |
| NCEA Level 1 |
2nd |
% of Excellence and Merit Grades Combined (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
| NCEA Level 2 |
2nd |
% of Excellence and Merit Grades Combined (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
|
| |
Merit Grades |
Excellence Grades |
|
| Level 1 |
14.1% |
9.7% |
% of all Grades earned |
| Level 2 |
10.9% |
8.4% |
% of all Grades earned |
| Level 3 |
8.3% |
5.1% |
% of all Grades earned |
| Scholarship |
Highest number of Scholarship Grades attained in Otago and Southland |
An analysis of the confirmed 2004 NCEA results of other schools in the South Island indicates that Columba College again gained the highest overall percentage of Merit and Excellence results.
Nationally, our analysis indicates that Columba College was:
| NCEA Level 1 |
2nd |
% of Merit Grades (1st Samuel Marsden) |
| |
2nd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
| NCEA Level 2 |
1st |
% of Merit Grades |
| |
2nd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
| NCEA Level 3 |
3rd |
% of Merit Grades (1st Diocesan, 2nd Samuel Marsden) |
| |
3rd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's, 2nd Diocesan) |
|
| |
Merit Grades |
Excellence Grades |
|
| Level 1 |
14.6% (Nat. 5.4) |
9.5% (Nat. 2.2) |
% of all Grades earned |
| Level 2 |
9.9% (Nat. 3.8) |
8.8% (Nat. 1.8) |
% of all Grades earned |
| Level 3 |
7.3% (Nat. 3.3) |
6.0% (Nat. 1.7) |
% of all Grades earned |
| Scholarship |
Highest number of Scholarship Grades attained in Otago and Southland |
An analysis of the confirmed 2005 NCEA results of other schools in the South Island indicates that Columba College again gained the highest percentage of Merit and Excellence Grades in the South Island for Levels 1, 2 and 3 with the exception of Level 1 Excellence where it was 2nd to Rangi Ruru.
Nationally, our analysis indicates that Columba College was:
| NCEA Level 1 |
1st |
% of Merit Grades |
| |
4th |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's, 2nd Diocesan, 3rd Rangi Ruru) |
| NCEA Level 2 |
4th |
% of Merit Grades (1st Samuel Marsden, 2nd St. Cuthbert's, 3rd Queen Margaret College) |
| |
2nd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's) |
| NCEA Level 3 |
2nd= |
% of Merit Grades (1st Samuel Marsden, 2nd= Diocesan) |
| |
3rd |
% of Excellence Grades (1st St. Cuthbert's, 2nd Diocesan) |
NCEA National Results from 2005
April saw the publication of the national statistics for 2005 NCEA (the percentage of those achieving Levels 1, 2 and 3 in schools and the number of Scholarship grades earned). These statistics do not reflect the percentage of Excellence and Merit grades earned by each school at each level of NCEA.
Columba College has continued to perform at the highest level nationally - a credit to students and staff.
| % of students achieving NCEA at Columba College |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
Columba |
National |
| |
97.7 |
57.0 |
94.0 |
61.6 |
95.2 |
51.6 |
Top in Otago and Southland for the percentage of students achieving Levels 1, 2 and 3 and the highest number of Scholarship Grades.
Top in the South Island for Levels 2 and 3 and second to Rangi Ruru for Level 1 (99.2% to Columba's 97.7%).
Nationally, our results place us (not including a few very small schools):
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
St. Cuthbert's College
99.4%
Rangi Ruru
99.2%
Iona College
97.9%
Columba College
97.7%
|
Iona College
100%
St. Cuthbert's College
98.7%
Auckland Diocesan
97.4%
St. Oran's
96.1%
Columba College
94.0%
|
Samuel Marsden
97.0%
Auckland Diocesan
95.4%
Columba College
95.2%
|
Top Scholars
|
|
Lisa Debono
2005 Dux
2005 Outstanding Scholar Award
(one of 47 awarded nationally)
Lisa achieved at an outstanding level in the 2005 Scholarship Examinations.
Outstanding Scholarships:
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Statistics
|
Rachel Laing
2005 Runner-Up to Dux
2005 Scholarship Award
(one of 196 awarded nationally)
Scholarships:
Classical Studies
English
French
|
A number of girls in recent years have gained Scholarships
in the privately-run NZEST Scholarships Examinations: Clare Beach,
Emily Macassey, Helen Jo, Julia Matheson, Sarah Noble, Rebecca
Thomson and Victoria Taylor.
Particular highlights are Victoria Taylor, 2003
Dux of Columba College, being named the Top Female Student Overall
in New Zealand in the NZEST
Scholarship Examinations and the recipient of the Sir Robin Irvine
Award for the top Otago candidate, and also the Top Female Student
Overall in New Zealand in the University Bursaries Examinations.
Rebecca Thomson, Year 13 2003, received a
National Scholarship (one of twenty students nationally) in
the 2003 NZEST Scholarship
Examinations, and Sheena Kirkland and Jia Ni Zhu both received
Prizes for High Achievement in NZEST (Geography and Chemistry
respectively).
Sarah Noble, 2002 Dux of Columba College and the Top Female Scholar in the 2002 NZEST Examinations was the recipient of The Sir Robin Irvine Award for Top Otago Scholar. Sarah won the top Scholar Award for English. She was 2nd in New Zealand for German, 5th for Classical Studies and 6th for both French and History.
Cambridge Success
Laura Hughes, Year 12 2003, was the Top Student in the world in Cambridge AS Level English Language and Literature. Laura travelled to Auckland with her father and English teacher, Mrs M. Harris, to attend the Cambridge prize-giving at Auckland Grammar School where she received her own Certificate and one for Columba College which has been named a 2003 Cambridge "Top Centre" in New Zealand, the criterion for which is having a student in the top five in any one subject. In fact, Michelle Russell and Sarah Watson as well as Laura Hughes were in the top five in New Zealand for Cambridge AS Level English Language and Literature.
Columba on National Top-Ten List (former national examination system)
For over a decade, Columba College was consistently the top overall performing academic school in Dunedin, Otago and Southland in School Certificate, Sixth Form Certificate, and Bursary .
Columba College was selected for the New Zealand Herald National Top-10 List of schools. This list, published in June 2003, was based on achievement in NCEA Level 1, Sixth Form Certificate, Bursary and Scholarship.
2003 Final Top 10 Schools:
1. St Cuthbert's College, Auckland
2. Cambridge High School, Waikato
3. Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland
3. Rangi Ruru Girls' School, Christchurch
5. Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Wellington
6. Senior College of New Zealand, Auckland
7. Chilton St James School, Lower Hutt
7. Columba College, Dunedin
9. Auckland Grammar School, Auckland
10. St Oran's College, Lower Hutt
Columba College students also gained the second highest percentage of "Excellence" grades in New Zealand in 2003 NCEA Level 1, after St. Cuthbert's College in Auckland.
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