Our Environmental Group is excited to announce the return of our clothing drive! After a hugely successful first run last year, the group is hoping to make an even bigger impact in 2026 by helping re-home as many clothing items as possible within our community. This initiative not only supports sustainability by reducing textile waste, but also gives pre-loved clothing a second life with new owners who will appreciate it. Every item donated helps us move closer to a more environmentally responsible school. We warmly encourage students, staff, and families to contribute any clean, gently used clothing they no longer need. No donation is too small—every piece makes a difference. Donation Details: Where: School reception When: Weekdays, 8:00am – 4:00pm Deadline: June 25 For any items that we are unable to re-home directly, we will ensure they are passed on to local charities and op shops, so nothing goes to waste. Let’s work together to make this year’s clothing drive another success and continue supporting both our community and the environment! For more information, contact Mr Stephen: r.stephen@avcol.school.nz

Students are invited to take part in the Avondale College team for World Vision's 40 Hour Challenge - a simple but powerful way to demonstrate Atawhai, and make a real difference! Avondale College has a proud history of supporting this kaupapa, with students collectively raising many thousands of dollars over the years. This year, funds will support families in the Solomon Islands impacted by food scarcity, helping provide the seeds, tools, and skills they need to grow food in a changing climate. In the Pacific, 1 in 6 children are living in severe food poverty. Together, rangatahi in Aotearoa can help change that. The 2026 challenge is to go offline for 40 hours - stepping away from screens and reconnecting with what matters, while raising funds to support our neighbours in the Pacific. 👉 Sign up and take the challenge (19-21 June) 👉 Go offline for 40 hours 👉 Ask friends and whānau to sponsor you Now’s the time to stand up, make a difference, and continue AvCol’s strong tradition of giving. Join the Avcol Fundraising Team, or make a donation here: World Vision NZ - Avondale College For more information, contact Mrs Susan Elijas (s.elijas@avcol.school.nz ), keep an eye out on the Daily Notices, and support the 40 Hour Challenge bake sale next week on Thursday!

The school gym was transformed into an interactive exhibition space as Year 12 Health students hosted a Health Expo for visiting Avondale Intermediate students on Tuesday. As part of their Year 12 Health Achievement Standard 2.3 assessment, students researched mental health issues affecting youth in West Auckland. They gathered information by interviewing younger siblings, Year 9 students, and other rangatahi to better understand the challenges young people face. Using their findings, each group set up a table featuring a different hands-on activity, all aimed at helping students better understand and manage their mental health. Some stations encouraged creativity, such as drawing emotions and representing feelings through art. Others were more practical, like making stress balls by filling balloons with water and flour. There were also trust-building experiences, including being blindfolded and guided through an obstacle course, as well as a sharing circle where students could talk openly in a supportive environment. Together, these activities created an engaging and varied experience for everyone involved. For the visiting intermediate students, the day was a memorable experience. Toby, a Year 8 student, especially enjoyed the hands-on elements: “Making the squishies was a really fun experiment. Lots of the tables explained why bullying is bad.” Meanwhile, Year 7 student Michella appreciated the supportive atmosphere: “It’s fun letting your emotions out and it was cool getting to chat to the older students - they were really nice.” The Health Expo gave students the opportunity to apply their learning through health promotion, while gaining valuable insight into the needs of younger students. Following the event, students will reflect on the effectiveness and impact of their health promotion action as part of their assessment.

For the fourth year running, Avondale College has won the regional heats of the Shakespeare Festival, qualifying them to perform on the prestigious St James Theatre stage in Wellington. This year, however, marked a special milestone: for the first time in recent years, the scene was directed not by a teacher, but by a student: Year 11 student Milo Wilson-MacLeod. The performers were also joined by Mandara Gamage who entered the Shakespeare essay competition and Abigail Deng who entered the Shakespeare poster competition. Karl Nathan Liwanag was also a finalist in the Poster competition. The group of performers travelled to Wellington over King’s Birthday weekend and participated in a wide range of workshops hosted by the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand at the beautiful campus of Wellington East Girls' College. The workshops stretched their performance skills across a broad range of disciplines, including stand- up comedy, costume design, text interpretation, and stage combat. On the first day, the group also enjoyed a guided tour of New Zealand Parliament Buildings, learning more about how Parliament operates and even getting the rare opportunity to watch Parliament in session live. After viewing approximately 50 performances from schools around the country, the group also managed to attend a production at Circa Theatre. Julia, a 90-minute solo play about former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, was performed by Lara MacGregor, who generously came out afterwards to meet and speak with the students. At the culminating prizegiving ceremony, the Julius Caesar piece won “Most Imaginative and Innovative Production” award, Mandara Gamage received second place for her essay, Abigail Deng third for her poster, and Karl Nathan Liwanag, Highly Commended for his static image. After a brief visit to Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the students returned home inspired, energised, and full of ideas for next year’s festival!

In this Issue From the Principal Avondale College named national finalist in NZ Education Excellence Awards! Much Ado About Winning: Students triumph at Shakespeare Festival Health students empower young minds How tall is your teacher? 40 Hour Challenge - Go offline, make a difference Dust off & donate your old clothes! Sports Results Notices

Ms Clementine Fraser, Head of History at Avondale College, is celebrating 20 years of service this year. She believes that today, it's more important than ever for young people to have a solid grasp of history. “In a time of conflict, we must understand the past, so we can understand how the present society has come to be,” she explains. “It helps us make sense of the structures of power, social capital, culture, identity, ideas, the things we value, and what makes our communities function - or not function.” Through studying civil rights movements, global conflict and social change, students begin to identify patterns between the past and present. This enables them to engage more thoughtfully with the world around them, including the media they encounter, and to think critically about the information they receive. For Ms Fraser, returning to Avondale College - where she was once a student - was both a natural and intentional choice. After completing a practicum at the school, she developed a strong connection with the Social Sciences department and applied even before a role was even advertised. She was interviewed by then-Deputy Principal Frankie Wynne who later offered her a position when one became available. It is the students, however, who have made the greatest impact on her career. “Teenagers have an innate sense of justice which I enjoy engaging with,” she says. “They can get really passionate about the things they learn. I love that moment when the light goes on and students connect what I'm teaching to their own lived experiences.” Since becoming Head of Department in 2014 - following her earlier role as Head of Junior Social Science - Ms Fraser has relished the opportunity to shape programmes that reflect a wide range of global perspectives. Beyond the classroom, Ms Fraser is also an accomplished writer, having published two fantasy novels, with more in progress. Her historical knowledge helps to build the societies and worlds her characters inhabit. This year also marks a personal milestone, as for the first time in over a decade she doesn't have a child or niece attending the College. "I feel like I'm entering the third phase of my time at Avondale," she reflects. "I've been here a very long time, and despite seeing two decades of change, the College's ethos and focus on HEART values remain strong. The students and staff make it such a rewarding place to be. You feel you can genuinely make a difference here.”

AvCol’s Spoken Word Poetry Club may have only formed this year, but they have already competed in the WORD – The Front Line Poetry regionals and qualified for the semi-finals. At the regionals, held at the Auckland Performing Arts Centre, they were up against seasoned teams from MAGS, Northcote, and Diocesan. Our team was drawn to perform last, but managed to hold a tired audience in rapture. The first group of three students to perform consisted entirely of ESOL students, whose bravery and tenacity in standing up and performing in that environment was nothing short of extraordinary. For one student, it was the first time she had ever been part of an extra-curricular group. Harper Spurway (Year 10) then performed a powerful solo piece about kaitiakitanga and mental health, after which one of the judges commented it “should have been performed in front of Parliament.” The third piece was a full group performance, written and choreographed by Sheneth Fernando (Year 11), which owned the stage and set a high bar for the next round of competition. Sheneth drew on personal experience, sharing that something which happened “on a random Wednesday” triggered significant challenges and inspired his writing. “I wanted to bring awareness to teenage mental health and how simply asking someone about their day can create a huge impact,” he said. “I was able to open up about my experiences, empower other teenagers who can relate, and encourage them to speak up about the issues they face, especially during Mental Health Awareness Month.” Harper reflected on the experience, noting that despite the competition, the other teams were friendly and supportive: “It was great to meet lots of like-minded, amazing young poets!” Although the team was new to spoken word and had only attended two preparation workshops with competition facilitators, they performed with confidence and matched other schools in both content and delivery. Spoken word is set to continue growing at Avcol, and this experience was invaluable for the team.

Students in our Year 13 Hospitality class travelled to Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) recently to complete an assessment, creating complex sandwiches, pickles and preserves in an industrial kitchen. Chef Brian and Chef Fabio were outstanding tutors, and they complimented the students on how they worked efficiently and collaboratively throughout the day. Students were also treated to seeing how the Baking Diploma students were busy in action. It was another enjoyable learning experience for all of them to achieve and understand more about the food service industry.

On Tuesday, 12 May, a massive convoy of 106 students, comprising three NCEA Level 3 Geography classes and one Cambridge IGCSE class, swapped their digital screens for the wild, wind-blasted playground of Muriwai Beach! The adventure kicked off as our buses tackled the scenic, winding roller-coaster roads of the Waitākere Ranges, bringing plenty of nervous laughs and wide eyes. While Auckland’s west coast is notorious for fierce storm squalls, the weather worked in our favour, and we were greeted with brilliant clear blue skies and a perfect coastal breeze. Once on the sand, the beach transformed into a buzzing scientific hub. Students unlocked Muriwai's deep geological secrets, learning how the iconic black sand underfoot is iron-rich titanomagnetite carried hundreds of kilometres from Mount Taranaki by powerful ocean currents, giving our IGCSE geographers a front-row seat to real-time coastal processes. Armed with high-tech tools, student research teams sprinted across the landscape to run line transects stretching from the crashing surf right back into the deep hinterland forest. The dunes were alive with energy as students mastered professional fieldwork techniques: sighting steep slopes with clinometers, catching the breeze with anemometers, and using thermometers to measure the baking heat of the unshaded black ironsand. They tested soil moisture and pH, and methodically dropped quadrats to map plant communities. Students witnessed first-hand how the harsh shoreline microclimate acts as a filter where only tough pioneer grasses like Spinifex can anchor themselves, before softening inland to allow majestic Pōhutukawa trees to take over. The expedition was an absolute triumph that made psammosere succession [the study of how plants and ecosystems gradually develop on bare sand over time] incredibly fun, sending 106 tired, sandy geographers home with a treasure trove of data. A massive thank you to the staff, students, and drivers who made this unforgettable day a huge success! Mrs A Fisher

Last week, a group of Year 9 students stayed after school to begin investigating real-world scientific questions as part of our Junior Scholars Academy. The ten-week after-school programme gives students the opportunity to explore a global issue of their choice through a science and mathematics lens. Working in small groups and supported by senior student mentors, students design research questions, collect and analyse data, and develop evidence-based conclusions through their own investigations. Current projects are exploring topics linked to issues such as climate change, sustainability, and public health. Rather than following set tasks, students are encouraged to think critically, solve problems, and take ownership of their learning. The Junior Scholars Academy is a fantastic opportunity for students who are curious, enjoy problem-solving, and want to extend themselves beyond the classroom in science and mathematics. To conclude the programme, students will present their findings at a Junior Scholars Science Fair, which will be open to whānau and the wider school community. Sign-ups will reopen at the end of this term for students interested in joining next term’s programme. We encourage any Year 9 student with an interest in science and mathematics to get involved. Miss N Burlace

In this Issue From the Principal Scholars Academy a place for our youngest innovators Hospitality's on the menu for 13THO Muriwai trip: where the dunes tell the story Year 11s stitch their ideas into life Anchor gets behind Avcol Sport Spoken Word Club makes their powerful debut 20 years of sharing the past, & shaping the future Cambridge fees due Fri 12 June Sports Results Notices

Our Year 11 Fashion Technology classes have been making bespoke soft toys, and the results are nothing short of gorgeous! Students have created teddies, rabbits, cats, stars, monkeys, penguins and even drinks out of soft materials. "Making these soft toys in Fashion Technology was a really fun learning experience where we got to develop our sewing skills and bring personal and whānau identities into our designs. I loved bringing my cat Pudding's personality out and onto a canvas he can play with!" - Chloe Moussier "In Fashion Technology, I've been creating a personalised matcha-inspired soft toy for my older sister, inspired by her love for matcha from Gong Cha. These lessons have been such a fun experience because it gives students the chance to show hidden talents and creativity that people normally wouldn't get to see in other subjects. It's also really cool seeing your ideas turn into an actual product over time. Even though there were challenges, mistakes, and stressful moments, it still made the whole process fun and worth it at the end." - Lanu Sanevili