Back Row: Cortez Ostler, Lars Maniapoto-Henry, Shaanyel Perawiti Middle Row: Tiaki Churchouse, Harry Taylor, Chelsee-Jean Brandon Front Row: Huriwai Kaka, Caleb Willis
Manawanui House Leaders (2017)
Back Row: Stevie-Rose Torr, Kylie Mason-Kiu, Rico Nathan Front Row: Honor Lilo-Broadbelt, Rebekah Garrens, Taika Pauli, Ashanti Lilo-Broadbelt
Kaitiaki House Leaders (2017)
Back Row: Shaylim Glanville Middle Row: Piper-Rose Jacobsen, Kaiden Mason-Nilora Front Row: Stephen Charmley, Chisora Hada, Alec Baker
Kia Kaha House Leaders (2017)
. Back Row: Nathan Hays, Chase Taylor, Kahn Mason Kapree Vella, Emma Smith, Trinity Potts, McKenzie Maru Tamati Rautahi, Jaden Watts, Angus Pullan, Daniel McDougall Front Row: Trident Price, Jayden Walker, Joshua Lomas
Backpaddock Lakes Year 8 Leadership Camp (2017)
It was a wet and windy Wednesday morning when the Year 8 students at Huia Range School were packing up the bus, getting ready to go to their leadership camp. It was a really exciting 35 minutes waiting to arrive at Backpaddock Lakes, Takapau. Thirty-six students tumbled out of the bus, arms full ready to start their three days of learning, cooperative activities and water sports. Piper-Rose Jacboson
Arriving at our camp-site, we were surprised to find out that we were sleeping in an incomplete hall with only a concrete floor and a roof. Marque tent walls were later erected to help keep out the wind and rain. While still snuggled up in our blankets we were shocked to be woken on the second morning at 7:00 am by a teacher and told to get ready for a 2 km run at 7:15. Shaanyel Perawiti
We spent a lot of time in our make shift classroom learning about the key components of a leader. Most of the time we shared our ideas. I listened and looked to who was saying them to give me an idea of whom I thought would be a good leader and how I could be like them. Values, roles and STRIVE were our main focus. We looked at the values we each had and what values a leader would have. Our roles as leaders was an important part of why we were on leadership camp and how this would link back to our motto STRIVE; Self awareness, thinking, respect, integrity, values and excellence. This was our work but it was not what I was looking forward to.
Outside of the classroom was fun and exciting. It was a chance to get on the water in many different ways, kayaking, yachting and cable wakeboarding. Daniel McDougall
My group did yachting first. Tiaki and I took one yacht. While setting up one of our ropes got jammed, so Tom, our instructor, helped us by using a fork! While on the water I was in control of the sail and rudder. I wasn’t very good because I almost crashed or flipped the yacht. There was not a lot of wind but every now and then we would catch a breeze. It was surprising how quickly the yachts could sail across the lake. Stephen Charmley
Our group started off kayaking. We headed off to a mini man-made island at the southern end of the lake. When we got to the island a few mates and myself stated skimming stones. After a while we got back into the kayaks and rafted up. We had to do a challenge. The challenge was to get out of our kayaks, one at a time, and walk across the other kayaks. Once you reached the end you had to come back and get back into your kayak. Alec Baker
When Anna said that my group was on wake boarding my heart sank. I tried to act excited but I was so nervous. The instructor running the cable was good at wake boarding. I was pretty sure he was a professional. I had attempted the wake boarding last year with little success and didn’t see how this year was going to be any different. Although I tried to get out of it Anna wouldn’t let me and my turn came up. To my surprise after just a couple of failed attempts I was away. I could wake board up and down the lake, although not make the turns. I did not want to get off the wake board after that but others were lined up for their turn so my turn seemed to end all too soon. Kahn Mason
There was also a rivalry around the camp as we were put into groups. Each group competed against each other in team building events. These challenges tested our ability to collaborate with anyone no matter the circumstances. These challenges were fun and hard. Everyone excelled in their own way.
The Year 8’s had had so much fun at camp and I loved all the activities. I hope next years Year 8’s get to go to Backpaddock Lakes and have as much fun as we did at Leadership camp. Daniel McDougall
