The best brings out the best

Award-winning Rotorua teacher Gaye Comber's biggest dream is to gather the city's brightest young children and give them a community problem to solve.
"I just think it's important their thinking is listened to," says the Kaitao Middle School teacher, who has worked with the school's most gifted students for the past 10 years.
Mrs Comber was recognised for her ability to bring out the best in her students at a ceremony in Wellington yesterday.
She is one of 20 New Zealand teachers to receive a regional award in the ASG Friendly Society's National Excellence in Teaching Awards.
It is an award that took the teacher by surprise when she was told about it by her principal Rory O'Rourke.
"I was gobsmacked. I just couldn't say anything."
The judges chose Mrs Comber for the award for the energy she puts into her class and her ability to identify the individual strengths of her Year 7 and 8 students and bring out the best in them.
Her creative flair in designing school projects prompted one parent, who nominated her, to say his son couldn't wait to do his school work.
Mr O'Rourke said Mrs Comber was a quality teacher and her class was always sought after.
Each year more than 100 students compete for one of about 15 vacant spots in her accelerate class by sitting a test.
Mrs Comber loves teaching the brightest students as it challenges her own thinking and provides an outlet for her creativity.
Their project work has included creating their own planet and in-depth study about the Olympic Games.
Last term students rewrote parts of a script of the story Mowgli in the Jungle and performed it on stage.
Students take part in the annual science fairs and external exams.
"To me it's an absolute joy to see what these children can do."
Many of the students have gone on to great things after leaving the intermediate school.
Three of her former students who are now at Western Heights High School achieved NCEA level three English as Year 12 students last year.
Several students have gone on to be dux of their respective schools.
One year about half of the prefects at Western Heights High School came from her class.
"I feel immensely proud ... The biggest thrill is that they succeed."
Mrs Comber said she would love to organise a camp for the city's brightest children and approach the Rotorua District Council to see if there are any issues the younger generation could try and solve.
"That's where we should be challenging our children. They should go a step further and have input into the community as well."
A lot of gifted students lack self confidence because they have been made to feel different.
"I personally think one of our downfalls in New Zealand is that we don't promote them ... We have a small population but we have produced very gifted people in the science field, in the medical field. We have wonderful singers and athletes."
Meanwhile, six national winners will be chosen from the 20 regional award recipients later in the year.
Mathematical magnificence
Anjali Khurana has no problem being called "mum" by her students. In fact, she encourages it.
The extra effort and dedication the Whakatane High School teacher puts into her mathematics students was recognised yesterday at Parliament where she was one of eight secondary teachers to receive a regional award in the National Excellence in Teaching Awards.
But while there are no nerves involved in teaching maths, the teacher admitted she was terrified at the thought of having to make a speech before Education Minister Steve Maharey at the awards presentation.
"I [told] the students that nominated me that it is their fault," she laughed.
Whakatane High School principal Chris Day said four Year 12 students wrote a letter to him commending Mrs Khurana's dedication in teaching NCEA level 2 maths.
"The students said Mrs Khurana had given up many of her personal hours after school, at lunchtime and even in the holidays teaching them to improve their knowledge," Mr Day said.
The high school teacher and most of her colleagues are part of the Te Kotahitanga Programme, designed to provide sustained and focused professional development to improve Maori achievement and to enhance relationships between students and teachers.
In keeping with the programme Mrs Khurana has an open door policy. "I have always told my students the classroom door is always open - any time."
This is her sixth year teaching at Whakatane High School and she loves it.
"To be able to build relationships with the students is just fantastic."
Mr Day said the school was very proud of Mrs Khurana's achievement. The award had elevated her from an excellent teacher to a magnificent one, he said.
Mrs Khurana spoke about the Te Kotahitanga Programme at yesterday's ceremony in Wellington and got plenty of practice with her speech before she left.
"My students were telling me to read it to them and pretend they were Mr Maharey."