New Plymouth Girls' High School

Highlighting NPGHS Student Achievements - Past & Present

Karri Shaw selected to represent New Zealand in the United Nations Youth Pacific project

Karri Shaw (Year 13) has been selected to represent New Zealand in the United Nations Youth Pacific project to take place in July 2012.

The Pacific Project is a new initiative facilitated by UN Youth New Zealand. The Pacific Project delegation will involve a group of ten senior high school students selected from around New Zealand, travelling to Vanuatu to engage in volunteer work, before flying to Melbourne to attend UN Youth Australia’s National Model UN Conference.

Through its work, UN Youth provides a forum for discussion of issues including poverty and development. Whilst living in a village environment, Students will also gain a greater understanding of New Zealand’s role in Pacific Island development through a visit to the New Zealand High Commission.

Upon departing Vanuatu, the delegation will fly to Melbourne for UN Youth Australia’s National Model UN Conference (UNYC). UNYC is a week-long conference bringing together over 150 passionate young people. UNYC aims to educate students about important international issues facing today’s world.

The theme for UNYC 2012 is “Striving for Justice”, with the educational programme canvassing issues such as global justice, corporate social responsibility and human rights, whilst a programme of cultural excursions will investigate the diverse network of social justice. This academically challenging and experientially rich theme is sure to open young minds to the myriad of ways that justice underpins our everyday lives.

The Pacific Project is a stage for the development of student-led education, community involvement and problem solving. Congratulations to Karri.

Students' art 'some of the best in the country'

A wrinkled man losing his marbles and a well-known musician helped two Taranaki students create some of the best secondary school art work in the country last year.

The work of New Plymouth Girls' High school seventh former Bronte Heron, 17, and former Inglewood High School student James Drummond, 18, has been touring the country as part of the 2011 NCEA Level 3 Excellence exhibition.

Former students Ashleigh Ballinger, Demelza Law and Chloe Ann Ramsay have also had their work on show at the exhibition, currently at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

Bronte said her painting boards were inspired by the metaphor of an old man losing his marbles.

"I used old paper and tea stains to give it that old look," she said.

"I think portrait's really cool and I like painting wrinkled faces which is where that came in."

Bronte said it was fantastic to see her work on show among all the other top art.

"It was a lot of hard work so it was cool to see that it all paid off."

James, who left school last year, used Australian musician John Butler as inspiration for his photography boards.

Working as back-stage crew when Butler toured New Plymouth during the Rugby World Cup allowed James to get some up-close-and-personal photos of the guitarist and vocalist. "I got a real buzz out of seeing my work on show."

The Top Art exhibition will be on show at Govett-Brewster until May 18.

Lucky pair off to space centre

A passion for science and space is taking two New Plymouth students all the way to Houston, Texas.

One year 12 student from both New Plymouth Boys' and Girls' high schools have been selected to travel to America where they will join 30 like-minded teenagers from 18 different countries.

New Plymouth Girls' High School's Sally Bruce, 16, says the trip to the academic base of the Foundation for International Space Education in Houston is her first taste of another country.

"I'm excited about everything we're going to get to do and I know I want to work in either astrophysics or quantum mechanics," she said.

"The dream is to one day work at a space centre."

Sally said 12 students applied for the opportunity and last week her principal, Jenny Ellis, told her she had been selected to go. "The four other finalists were there as well and I was really excited when I found out but felt really bad for the other girls," she said.

Fifteen-year-old Adrian Robb, from New Plymouth Boys' High School, said he found out late last year that he had been selected.

"I was pretty happy but I'm not really the screaming sort."

National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 2 physics and maths is a subject requirement to take part in the programme and Adrian says he has always been passionate about science and technology.

The lucky pair will be approaching people to help sponsor the $5000 they each need to pay for the trip in July.

"There will probably be a few sausage sizzles as well," Sally said.

Families connected to the space education centre will host the students while they are visiting for two weeks. "It will be great to meet so many new people and make new friends," she said.

Learn more about our Vision & Mission Statements

Our vision: To develop educated, confident young women of outstanding character.

Our mission: New Plymouth Girls' High School will provide a range of dynamic academic, cultural, sporting and personal learning experiences through quality teaching in a challenging yet supportive environment. Each young women will have the opportunity to discover and develop the necessary knowledge, skills, values and character to enable her to fulfil her potential.