Success in many fields for Solway

HARD YARDS: Solway College students do the hard yards on the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Tramp.

Term one at Solway College was full to overflowing with academic, cultural and sporting activities within and beyond the school gates.

College art teacher Sandra McNab said the term opened with students from Year 7 to 10 completing formal academic testing ahead of athletics challenges for the entire student roll "in the water and on the track" at the annual athletics and swimming sports.

"Many of our top students went on to compete at local and national events. For our small numbers, we are proud that the Solway team came out top in eight events at the Wairarapa athletics sports and 10 events at the Wairarapa swimming sports events."

Ms McNab said student and "keen swimmer and runner" Ruby Morrison was a finalist for the Wairarapa Times-Age Disabled Sports' Personality of the Year Award.

Year 8 student Noemi Leinfellner had also excelled in sports in term one, placing in the top 10 in all of her events at a national swimming competition, capturing three silver medals and also helping to win gold in the team relay event.

She added football dynamo Meagan Hayes was fresh back from the New Zealand Football Talent Centre holiday programme and "no doubt will have lots of new ways of running rings around her opposition now".

"Closer to home the keen outdoors students in the school with Mrs Hunt have been off on their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Tramp. By the look of the photographs they had a great time despite the hard uphill yards."

As well, Sophia Neilsen, a keen angler and member of the Ngawi Fishing Club, placed second in a club tournament with an almost 11-kilogram kingfish, Ms McNab said. It was the first she had caught.

Earlier this year, a welcome was extended at the college to students from around Wairarapa interested in the Lands Trust Masterton Business Experience. Students were given the opportunity to learn business skills such as marketing, finance and business planning and to present a business concept to a panel of judges.

"This is always a great event that fosters co-operation between the colleges and many thanks must go to Lands Trust Masterton and Wairarapa REAP for their organisation and sponsorship," Ms McNab said.

"With all courses now well under way, students have enjoyed a busy time in the classrooms with an amazing array of subjects from Spanish to Photoshop. The walls are also getting busy with fantastic social studies projects, new Portrait Room Plaques painted by the Year 10s, a Richard Killeen-inspired walkway and sporting silhouettes for the gym."

The first term at the college "closed fittingly", Ms McNab said, with the Academic Awards ceremony that recognises the outstanding effort of students in the previous year, particularly in NCEA.

"More students than ever received merit and excellence endorsements in 2013 and academic colours, partly as a result of the introduction of the Ka Hikitia mentoring programme."

Plans were under way for a May 17 open day, details of which were at www.solwaycollege.school.nz