South Taranaki’s Rahotu School wins national Blue Light competition

Lydia Helms, Mia Leatherby, Jeremy Spademan and JC Goodman back at Rahotu School with their medals and award for winning the 2023 Blue Light National PCT, held in Auckland on November 9 and 10.

Rahotu School pupils have won a national competition.

Lydia Helms, Mia Leatherby, Jeremy Spademan and JC Goodman were crowned 2023 Blue Light National Physical Competency Test (PCT) champions at Blue Light’s national PCT finals, held at Blue Light’s National Youth Centre in Auckland in November.

They competed against 12 other teams representing the different regions across the country.

The mixed teams of four players (two girls and two boys aged 11 to 12 years) participated in mental and physical challenges included in the Police PCT test, which police officers have to pass every two years.

Tasks included walking along a raised beam, climbing through a window, crawling under hurdles and a 200-metre run.

Blue Light national programmes manager Hannah Ward, Rahotu School teacher Christine Julian, pupils JC Goodman, Lydia Helms, Jeremy Spademan, Mia Leatherby, Blue Light youth worker Stephannie McGregor, senior constable Matt Goodman at the 2023 Blue Light National PCT competition in November.

JC says he and the team were happy to win.

“We knew we had the fitness, but we also communicated with each other and worked as a team to get through the obstacles.”

Rahotu School principal Matt Moorby says he is proud of their team for winning. The team also won the regionals in 2021 but couldn’t compete at nationals due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A big thank you to Senior Constable Matt Goodman (NZ Police) and Christine Julian (Rahotu School) for managing the team while away in Auckland.”

South Taranaki Blue Light co-ordinator Leanne Richards, who helped the team get to the national competition after they took out the Taranaki regional PCT finals in May, says she is thrilled the team won the nationals.

“They were the smallest school there but dominated the competition.”