Page 110 - NHS Beyond the Classroom

for a kai before we headed home. Whaea Roa
ended up coming too.
On the way home the people that stayed
behind thought they’d try and scare us! Well, it
worked for Ruki anyway!
The second group to arrive home knew what
was happening and had a plan - we used our
drinks as backfire. As we opened the door of
Stonewall Lodge they all bounced up and we got
our drinks and just threw them up in the air! It was
hilarious because they thought we didn’t know,
and they were all wet (raspberry drink, I think).
But I now would like to apologise to Kingsley who
got completely soaked in his white top!
Fast-forwarding to Prizegiving. Another
heart-pounding time for all of us. Coming in the
We got to the last holding bay before going Top 10 was a major success for us first-time
on stage and had one last korero with our tutors. performers at Secondary Schools Nationals. And
We were already buzzing by then and I nearly the feeling of coming first as Kaitataki Wahine for
wanted to cry - but I couldn’t otherwise my me was even more of a shock! I cried so much
mascara would run! walking towards the stage, as it was something I
Five minutes were up and Jordan, Rahuri and didn’t really expect at first. But now I am so proud
I were standing on stage as the Kaitataki for the and thankful of all my fellow performers who are
roopu. We could see our whanau standing in the my friends and whanau, my tutors and also my
crowd proudly waving their hands up high. own whanau!
The feeling that ran through us as we The number of parents who have come and
performed on stage was unbelievable - we spoke gone during our Wananga, whether it was to
about it a lot during our hui at wananga, but not tautoko us or to come and feed us breakfast, lunch
many people knew what we were talking about - and dinner was amazing. You really don’t realise
until we got on that stage. And we pulled out our how much support you have until you actually stop
all, and gave it our best1 and think about it. Our parents have been getting
No words can express what we all felt that up between 6am and 7am to feed us breakfast with
day. Best way to know when we were off-stage some leaving around 10pm after cleaning up our
with tears, smiles, laughs and, most importantly, mess from dinner.
NO REGRETS! They supported us by transporting us to and
The trip to the pools was fun - a release after from Wananga, by paying for our Wananga and
our performance! There was a River Ride (a little our $200 trip to Wellington as well. We would just
part of the pool that had a strong current) and a like to remind them how much we all love them.
wave pool, which we don’t have at the We must acknowledge greatly some very
Ngaruawahia Town Pools. important people who are a part of our roopu - our
A few of the kids decided to sneak off to BK Tutors! To Whaea Tiri and Matua Dan, Whaia