Te Kura o Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) celebrated the commitment and achievement of its students in the arts, service and te ao Māori on Wednesday night (October 23).

Principal Nicola Jacobsen said the awards reflected the breadth of opportunities available to students at the college.

“In addition to our strong focus on academic excellence, we encourage our students to make the most of all aspects of college life so they can grow and be proud of who they are,” she said.

“The arts offer our students a window into the human experience, allowing them to develop the skills they need to tell their own stories and explore different perceptions of the world and their place in it, through music, drama, dance and visual art.”

Nicola said MAC was also “thrilled to see students recognised for growing te ao Māori at our school”.

She said the recognition of service “reflects how important we believe it is for students to give their time and skills in the service of others at our school and in the local community and beyond”.

Arts Service Blues were awarded to students who have dedicated significant time and effort to serving school and/or community arts groups; Arts Achievement Blues were awarded to students who have attained high-level achievements in the arts; Arts Commendation Certificates are awarded to students who have shown commitment, leadership or achievement within the arts for a particular year.

Students awarded Service Blues were recognised for their high standard of achievement and commitment to voluntary service at the school or in the local community, including service to the school library, M!NT, Kahu Youth, Hato Hone St John, and the 40 Hour Challenge.

Te Ao Māori Blues were awarded to students for their contribution to te ao Māori and leadership and achievement in this area, including regular participation in Te Mākahi o Tititea (kapa haka) practices and performances, whānau hui leadership, cultural committee membership, and involvement in kura reo and other language wānanga.

Selected students were awarded MAC Values Awards in recognition of the way their behaviour reflects school values, and special awards were also given to students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and achievement in the arts and culture.

The full list of awards and recipients are below.

Arts Commendation Certificate: Alice Chaly, Caitlin Harridge. Emma Head, Abby Jago, Isabella Noble-Kirkbride, Nico Pettit, Domenico Robinson, Ruby Smith.

Arts Service Blue: Emily Anderson, Mikayla Botting, Kasey Brooks, Cholula Brown, Mila Culpitt, Mikayla Duncan, Harrison Eastwood, Hannah Gillespie, Maja Griffith-Jones, Zoe Gumpatzez, Abby Jago, Alex Kettle, Suki Leigh, Emily McCarthy, Dani Maguire, Toby Mills, Otis Murphy, Elizabeth Pell, Zoe Raffills, Domenico Robinson,Grace Thomas, Kaitlyn Tooley, Mia Waite, Nat Warburton, Zara Weatherly, Susannah West.

Arts Achievements Blue: Mikayla Duncan, Casey Knights Johnston, Dani Maguire, Isabel Martin, Otis Murphy, Ania-Kanu Saklani, Olive Sinclair, Grace Thomas, Mia Waite, Nat Warburton, Lucy Wellington.

Service Blue: Cholula Brown, Blake Cotton-Everitt, Tane Haines, Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills, Lottie Hunt, Ruby Ives, Ruby Laming, Amelia Latchford, Jessie McNeil, Toby Mills, Josh Moody, Grace Thomas, Caspar Waddington, Zoe Waddington, Susannah West, Lily Wilson.

Te ao Māori commendation certificate: Alice Chaly, Emma Head.

Te ao Māori service blue: Nico Pettit, Sacha Swanson, Jacob Toomey, Zoe Waddington.

MAC values awards (Manaakitanga Awards): Arts - James Watson; Te Ao Māori - Sacha Swanson; Service - Toby Mills.

Whanaungatanga Awards: Arts - Otis Murphy; Te Ao Māori - Ryan Enoka; Service - Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills.

Aroha Awards: Arts - Zoe Raffills; Te Ao Māori - Nicol Pettit; Service - Jessie McNeil.

Ihi Awards: Arts - Suki Leigh; Te Ao Māori - Alexis-Sofia Harvey-Wills;Service - Lily Wilson.

Special awards: Junior Music Award 7&8 - Emily Anderson; Junior Music Award 9&10 - Emma Head; Senior Music Tech Award - Sam Wilson; Senior Music Award - Amy Benson; Thomson Award for Dance - Hannah Gillespie and Elizabeth Pell; Thomson Wright Award for Direction and Backstage - Tivi De’Souza; King Family Performing Arts Award - Otis Murphy; Haskell Award for Excellence in Drama - Suki Leigh; Kurano Live Music Grant - Harrison Eastwood; Kurano Composition Award - Bryne Bloxham; Kurano Musical Performance Award - Meela Sergeant Latta; Senior Visual Art Award - Isabella Noble-Kirkbride; Senior Language Award - Evie Pendlebury; Tecorians Award for Senior Speech - Josh Moody; Aspiring Writers Award - Elsa Buckley; Senior Debating Award - Zoe Laws.

PHOTO: MAC