New Birkenhead College Police Academy Studies course a success for students and Police
This year Birkenhead College has partnered with the New Zealand Police to launch an innovative new course. Year 13 Police Academy Studies gives students an in-depth look into what it means to be a police officer. The college is the only North Shore school to offer the programme which includes field trips to police units, including the Dog Squad, Marine Unit, and the Eagle Air Support Unit. Local officers have regular input with the group and the students have personal training programmes aiming at ensuring they attain the demanding entrance fitness requirement by the end of the year. On completion of this course they will receive a Level Four Certificate: Introduction to Police Studies (linked with Unitec), and if they are 18 then have the opportunity to go straight into the New Zealand Police Academy. It is an exciting option for our students. It challenges them and offers an insight into what could be a great future with the police.
Bianca Carpendale Hong Kong bound
Bianca is excited about her selection to represent New Zealand at the 2019 Blue Light International Conference in Hong Kong. The event brings together young leaders from around the world who are on course to join their country’s respective police forces. Bianca is a foundation member of the Police Academy Studies course at Birkenhead College. She will travel to Hong Kong during the July school holidays and spend nine days touring law enforcement facilities, taking part in crime scene investigation and fingerprinting workshops, as well as some challenging outdoor activities such as abseiling. Bianca will proudly represent the New Zealand Police and the school, while enjoying the sights of Hong Kong.
Top musician award goes to Maximus More of Birkenhead College
Congratulations to Maximus More, who took out the top musician award at the recent Smokefree Rockquest on the shore. Maximus and the Birkenhead College group Distraction also took People’s Choice and now have the opportunity to vie for the Regional Finals’ title.
Maximus’ interest in music started when he joined Birkenhead College as a Year Nine. He immediately felt at home in the music department and discovered a talent for a wide range of instruments, his favourite being the tenor saxophone along with the bass, acoustic and electric guitars. Now in Year 12, a dream for Maximus is acceptance into the New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University where many other Birkenhead College students have honed their craft. Maximus has a passion for jazz and hopes to make this his genre in the future.
Rugby League returns to Birkenhead College
After a decade with no League at Birkenhead, Student Council member Sam McIntyre and his father, Nick, have re-established the game at the school. Sam is a gifted young player having played for the New Zealand Under 16s in 2018 and has been signed for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. Sam’s contract is through to 2020 but he decided to complete his schooling first before taking it up later in November this year.
The team also has the help of past Head Boy and former Newcastle Knights player David Bhana. The team is loving the challenge of starting from scratch; it is in the Senior A division and celebrated their first win last week over Rutherford High. Well done to Sam, Nick and David on bringing this chance to the students of Birkenhead College and good luck for the rest of their first season.
