Robert Young Director/Choreographer

Rotorua Boys’ High School is excited to announce the appointment of Robert Young as Director for the RBHS/RGHS Musical Production in 2012.  

 Students from Rotorua Boys and Girls High Schools are very fortunate to have Robert Young as their Director for the 2012 Musical Production Season.  Along with his wealth of experience in musical theatre, Robert Young has a strong commitment to Education in the Performing Arts.  His aims are for students to learn as much as possible, not just about musical theatre, but also about themselves and working as a group.  While a Musical Production involves a significant commitment, the journey for the cast and crew from Audition Day to Closing Night can be one of life’s highlights.  There is no doubt that Robert Young has a special talent for bringing out the very best of artistic talent from the students he Directs, and, along with his Creative Team will produce a memorable experience for his audience.  “Art reflects life”, he says, “and the success of a Musical Production is a combination of everyone involved sharing their talents and celebrating life”.  

Rotorua Boys’ High School Principal, Mr Chris Grinter, says “Rotorua Boys’ High School is not only extremely fortunate but is also greatly excited in having Robert Young directing our 2012 production.  The work of Robert Young is well known throughout our community and indeed in our part of the world and for our students to be afforded this opportunity to work with such a leading and skilled Director is a huge opportunity that I know our boys will welcome and embrace. 

Planning for our 2012 production, which will be staged in the Convention Centre in September, is already well underway and we are hopeful that we will be able to advise what that production will be in the relatively near future. 

2012 promises to be an exciting year and our Robert Young directed production will certainly be a special feature of our new school year.”

RBHS Students are ready and waiting to host our Rugby World Cup visitors at the Rotorua International Stadium.

Now in the final stages of completing their HSI Customer Service training, the 39 RBHS Gateway students are eagerly awaiting the excitement of working at the Stadium during the 2011 Rugby World Cup tournament. 

Karen Fox of Eurest, and RBHS Gateway Co-ordinator, Yolanda Adlam, have been working together for several months to help the students gain accreditation. The focus of the HSI Customer Service Skills training is to offer the best possible experience for the thousands of rugby fans expected at the 3 World Cup games Rotorua is hosting.  In addition to the training, students had to meet a series of formal checks and procedures. They will be working in a variety of hospitality jobs around the Rotorua International Stadium.

Yolanda Adlam says that apart from their World Cup Experience, many of these students will continue on to Tertiary studies and will be able to use their new skills and the experience of an International Event to gain work throughout New Zealand and to help fund those Tertiary Studies.

	Mr G Hunt discuss future pathways  with family groups at Academic Review Day

Late last term, Rotorua Boys’ High School held its first Academic Review Day.  The Academic Review Day was introduced to involve parents, family and caregivers in the target setting and reviewing process that the boys do in school, by giving each student and his family/caregivers an appointment time to come to the school and talk to the house group teacher or careers advisor about future pathways.

The Academic Review Day is distinct from normal High School Parent/Teacher interviews in that there is a focus on the student as a holistic learner rather than discussing his performance in specific subjects.  There is also a spirit of looking forward rather than reporting back.

 Deputy Principal, Mr David Glynn, said that “the day was an outstanding success with a large majority of parents and caregivers taking the opportunity to find out about their son’s progress.  The feedback from students, parents and staff was overwhelmingly positive.”

	RBHS Mitchell Miller (in white) kicks for goal.

Rotorua Boys' High School 1st X1 soccer have made the finals in the Super 8 Secondary Schools Soccer tournament.  They are to face Palmerston North Boys' High School in the final which is to be played at Rotorua Boy's High School at 12.30 today.

The Academic Review Day is designed to allow parents and students the opportunity to review progress mid-year.

Whilst Parent Teacher conferences are for parents to discuss their son’s progress in each individual subject the Academic Review day is meant to provide an overview of each student’s progress in a holistic way. 

Each student set targets at the start of the year.  His House group teacher will have discussed during term two whether he is likely to meet this target.  One of the primary aims of the academic review day is to involve the parents in planning towards and monitoring their son’s progress and to give them ways to support him towards these goals.

It is also an opportunity for students and parents to discuss with the house group teacher future pathways, whether that is careers or university.  At the interview each student will receive the relevant option choice booklet and should discuss possible courses for next year and the pre-requisites for these.  Each house group teacher has a guide to university entrance, GPA and a booklet table listing careers and possible degrees and the subjects which are required or recommended. 

Each parent has been assigned a 15 minute interview time and been sent a letter stating their time.  If parents cannot make the allocated time they can request a new time.  If the parents cannot make the day then the student will be expected to come in and have the opportunity for an extended academic review interview

 The interviews will take place in the student's normal house group classroom.

Rotorua Boys' High School gave a stand-out performance at the Stage Challenge Competition last Friday night.  Competing in the raw division, RBHS were the recipients of the following Awards,

Award of Excellence for Performance Skill

Award of Excellence for Concept

Award of Excellence for Drama

Award of Excellence for Soundtrack

Award of Excellence for Visual Enhancement

Award of Excellence for Student Leadership

Award of Excellence for Costuming Character

Award of Excellence for Choreography

Spirit of Stage Challenge Award

The Raukura Kapa Haka Team has won the recent Kapa Haka Regional Competition.  The many hours of hard work put in by the students from Rotorua Boys' and Girls' High Schools showed in their fantastic performance on the day.

The Puhikura team, also made up of students from Rotorua Boys' and Girls' High Schools put in another fine performance, and were placed 7th in the competition.

	Group leader, Tawhanga Rika with the trophy for winning Kapa Haka

Super 8 Cultural Festival was held on Friday 13th May and Saturday 14th May in Napier.  Rotorua Boys' High School was one of only three schools who entered every event, including Music Solo and Group, Drama, Debating, Oratory, Theatre Sports and Kapa Haka.  While all of the boys performed well, Rotorua Boys' High School performed especially well in Kapa Haka and Oratory, with RBHS  Head Boy, Jordi Webber taking out 1st place in Senior Oratory, and our Kapa Haka defeating a very polished Gisborne BHS to win the title.  

Led by Mr Panapa, the RBHS Kapa Haka team put together a really engaging bracket and were clear crowd favourites. Special mention to Tawhanga Rika who led the boys, and soloists Allan King, Henare Gardiner, Tukiri Tini, Wirihana & Hare Te Rangi, and Tairoa Morrison. The kapa were limited to 15 members and also included Tahana Pirini, Wharehuia Manley, Te Rangikatukua Maika, Irikau Grant, Terewai Kopua Te Whati Kihi-Waikato, Arapo Whata and Khan Aranga. Reserves were Brodie Smith and Hort Rewi.

	Prefect, Te Reweti Graham presents a special edition tee shirt to Greg Murphy.  Image taken by Year 12 student, Cassidy Katu

V8 Supercar legend, Greg Murphy visited RBHS recently to spread the message of safe driving.

In conjuction with the Motor Trade Association, Greg Murphy has been travelling the country, delivering his message of safer driving to school students. It is an area that he is very passionate about, and togerther with the mta has developed a formula that makes the subject interesting and digestible for secondary school students.

 During the morning, Greg first spoke informally to a small group of senior student leaders about driving experiences and safe driving. Greg then presented his message to the Year 11, 12, and 13 students, speaking on why he is so keen to see us improve our safety performance amongst young drivers, and what students can do about it. Question-and-answer time followed, with give-aways and hand-out booklets, before the school rose up into a rousing haka – Raukura style. 

The visit concluded with an informal morning tea with staff, students and members of the media, autograph signing, press interviews and photographs.

	Wirihana Te Rangi sings his way to winning Boys High-dol for 2011

Boys High-dol 2011 once again showcased some great talent with beautiful vocal performances and keen entertainers.  The Boys Highdol for 2011  Wirihana Te Rangi, who was accompanied by Hare Te Rangi.  Runner up was Atawhai Kaiwai with a fine piano/vocal performance.

	Pasifika Achievement Leader, Mr S Pomona left, with Joeli Nagera right.

Hard work has paid off for the combined RBHS/RGHS Pasifika Group, who won the trophy for the" Most Valuable Contribution to the Pasifika by Nature Festival" this month.

The Festival, held at the Founders Theatre in Hamilton is a celebration of colour and culture featuring performances from Pacific youth in the Waikato Region. The RBHS/RGHS Pasifika group put in many hours of rehearsal for their performance which lasted for 20 minutes,and included 5 items from 4 cultures and 2 changes of costumes.

Pasifika Achievement Leader at Rotorua Boys' High School, Mr S Pomana said of the competition, “we have achieved one of our goals, which was to compete against the best schools and win an award.  We were thrilled and were buzzing all the way home on the cold bus, singing along with our ukulele”. The group looks forward to competing again next year, and hoping to bring the main award home. “Koe pale ‘o e ngaue lelei koe toe fai mo ha ngaue lelei ‘e taha” Mr Pomana says,  “the reward for the good job you’ve done is to do a greater job”

	RBHS Sports Captain Mitchell Miller delivers his speech

On Thursday 12^th May, Rotorua Boys’ High School held its’ 2011 Celebration of Success evening.  Forty students were recognised at this year’s celebration, with their achievements ranging through the academic, sporting and cultural spheres. 

The format of the evening encourages boys to bring along significant people in their lives, be that parents, grandparents, siblings or hostel masters, and each boy makes a short speech to thank the people who have helped mould them into fine young men.