This spring, myself and another student from Albany Senior High School had the invaluable opportunity of travelling to Wellington to partake in the National Student Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018.
When I stepped onto the grounds of Parliament as the Head of Government for the United Kingdom, it was at that moment I realised how fortunate I really was. I was about to experience two days of debate and learning, surrounded by young people from all across New Zealand who all aspired to make the world a better place for those to come.
Over the two days, we not only had sessions with expert speakers about the role of New Zealand in international politics and conflict resolution, sat in on Question Time, experienced the debate between our Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and explored the capital city of New Zealand, but we also improved our public speaking, confidence and fostered our love of politics. My time at Albany Senior High has fostered my passion for civic education and provided me with endless opportunities. This inspired me to apply for the 2019 United Nations Global Development Tour.
The month-long tour visits New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Rome and Hong Kong, with a focus on learning more about the realisation of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Not only will I have the opportunity to meet with international agencies, NGOs and policy makers who are at the forefront of the SGD’s implementation, I will also represent New Zealand at the prestigious Columbia University Model United Nations Conference and Exposition (CMUNCE) in New York.
When I started at ASHS, I never would have imagined that I was capable of travelling the world to represent New Zealand, let alone get to do so with the UN. I am so excited for this opportunity and the challenges and learning that will come from it, and can’t wait to be able to bring this learning back to New Zealand to help continue to make our country a better place for years to come.
By Caitlin Hancy, Year 13 student
As You Like It - treading the boards at ASHS
I am an unapologetic drama kid. The performing arts have always been a big part of my life and, as a Year 12 student, school has too. I walked into 2018 thinking 'how could I possibly excel in both at the same time'? Luckily for me, Albany Senior High School and its Impact Project curriculum has been the perfect outlet for me to do just that. Now I can proudly say that over the course of the year, myself and two of my closest friends have successfully produced, directed, and performed in our very own full length production of ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare.
We began with nothing more than a vision on a mood-board, a vision we spent the next six months bringing to the stage. While the show looked seamless in performance, we, alongside our mentors, cast, and crew poured our hearts and souls into smoothing out the nitty gritty behind the scenes work. As a student-led production team, we navigated late night rehearsals and a triple-booked cast, wrangled with Shakespearean text, created costumes, developed marketing material, and coerced non performers into performing. Our spare time was then spent on stage! We have lived, breathed, and slept this play, and out of it we have discovered just how meaningful this project has been to so many of those involved. We enabled a creative space for students who are passionate about the performing arts and those who have never stepped foot on a stage to perform together in a no pressure, all fun environment. We introduced Shakespeare as a new, relatable play write to teenagers who until now had believed his plays to be outdated and boring. We entertained a variety of people, from regular theatregoers to supportive friends and family. However, the most important impact we made was on ourselves. During this show we developed relationships among the cast and crew that we never would have been able to build without the months teamwork, triumphs, effort and laughs.
Personally, this experience has shaped me. It was driven by my love for performing at ASHS and it has weaved its way into my outside of school curriculum. To this end, I have just started rehearsals for my second season of Shoreside Theatre’s annual Summer Shakespeare. I will be performing in Henry V and I could not be more excited to get onstage and use what I have learnt through performing at Albany Senior High School among a variety of like-minded people.
By Sophie Watson, Year 12 student at ASHS
