ipsa duce - Kavanagh College

the rant... Guest ranter Sam Wilson, Year 11
Monday morning, 8.50am. Kavanagh College Year 11 students straggle into the gym along with
shouts of : “It’s too cold!” “What a waste of time!” “Why can’t we do something fun for a change?”
In charges Mrs Stewart and paper starts to rustle as the usual suspects pull out their notes. “ Mrs
Stewart, I twisted my ankle at netball,” “ Mrs. Stewart, Mum says I can’t do P.E ‘cos I just had my
meningitis shot yesterday,” “ Mrs. Stewart my braces hurt.” Here at Kavanagh College we have 3
hours of PE fortnightly. Is this sufficient? I say: no!
A SLICE OF SEVEN
1. What changes if any should be made to the New Zealand flag?
EVIE : Anything to make it less like the Aussie flag.
RASSANI: Put a silver fern on it instead of the Union Jack.
ALEX: Take out the Union Jack and use the Hundertwasser one which
would show Maori culture, with imagery different to most other flags.
JOE: Something that represents NZ more.
KALA: We should have two; the current one and one which represents
all the ethnic groups who call NZ home.
Rassani Tolovaa Yr 8
DREW: Get rid of the Union Jack.
PABLO: You’re too Aussie. I’d prefer the silver fern.
2. If we had a spare $100,000,to spend on our school, what facilities do
you think we should add?
EVIE: More toilets, desks, chairs and books.
RASSANI: Extend the playing fields.
ALEX: A running track, like the Caledonian; art supplies.
JOE: Overall upgrade.
KALA: More recreational areas, rugby fields, netball courts, cricket pitches.
DREW: Soap for the toilets, new guitars and amps for the Music House.
PABLO: Maybe a pool. A bigger Common room. Above all, I’d make Mr
Ferris pay for me to have another term at Kavanagh.
Joe Whitworth Yr 10
3. What THREE foods could you not live without?
EVIE: Apples, chocolate, ice cream.
RASSANI: Nachos, pizza and lasagna.
ALEX: Fruit, fruit yoghurt and milk arrowroot biscuits (I LOATHE fast food).
JOE: Seedless grapes, smoked salmon, caviar.
KALA: Chocolate, capsicums, frozen yoghurt.
DREW: Cadbury’s Black Forest chocolate, Coke and Thai curry chicken.
PABLO: Mexican food, lasagne, too much good food to write down...
4. What’s the most important thing for you in 2006? Kala Seuili Yr 11
EVIE: Do well in school and be a good friend.
RASSANI: This interview!
ALEX: My running shoes or my diabolo juggling toy.
JOE: Going to the UK to visit family and go to a football match.
KALA: NCEA but mostly just being a kid and having fun. Drew Handcock Yr 12
DREW: Music (the Chili Peppers are coming!) and NCEA.
PABLO: Enjoy time with my mates here, then get home safely. The World Cup!
5. What career do you want to follow?
EVIE: A professional basketball player or vet.
RASSANI: Chief.
ALEX: Architect, juggler or a professional athlete for the 1500m.
JOE: No idea, but something that pays a lot of cash.
‘Sport must be compulsory
in schools’. Everyday we’re
bombarded with facts on obesity
and heart disease and do we
have to learn how to work in
a team by working in KFC or
can sport teach us this minus
the fat and chicken. The youth
of today should have a more
balanced curriculum to suit
today’s changing society.
So, obesity... It’s probably one
of if not the biggest health
risks affecting the youth of today.
According to the Ministry
of Health website one third
of children between 5 and 14
are overweight or obese. One
third! So if a class was New Zealand ,10 of you would be overweight. Imagine that. Those same
stats also say that 13 of 30 percent of children do no physical exercise during the weekend. That’s
pathetic. Obesity is an ever-spiraling problem, as well as making children lazy, tired and anxious
it increases the likelihood of diabetes and heart diseases. Every day I hear insults being thrown at
fat kids and 95% of the time those kids could stop the insults if they were just introduced to sport
regularly at school. It’s pretty simple really.
On top of all this sport isn’t just an arena for meatheads either. I’m sure every sport in the world has
a social league where winning means nothing. Even in competitive competition most people just
play for the friendship aspect. As well as friendship a number of other values can be learnt from
playing sport. These values can also be used when it comes to jobs. Adverts these days always ask
for team players with social skills, something that could be instilled in all children from a very early
age if sport was seen as a critical facet of education.
So there are several reasons why sport has to be a must in schools. I believe that if the inclusion of
compulsory sport ever occurs in ll levels of our curriculum, we will see the results. Children will be
healthier, friendlier and will have a more well rounded life and less rounded body.
Evie Beentjes Yr 7
Alex Gorrie Yr 9
Pablo Dohms
Y13, German
exchange student
KALA: English and drama teacher, or else I’ll do Gabrielle Styles (except my
Carlos will be a hot Samoan rugby player) and become a desperate housewife.
DREW: Professional musician and/or guitar tutor.
PABLO: Two more years school in Germany, then military service and probably languages at uni.
TRIBUTE TO BR SHEPHERD:
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
On behalf of the little Sisters, I would like to thank
you for the privilege of caring for Br Shepherd,
known as John Henry or Shep. Brother brought
so much joy and happiness into our home just
being himself. We Sisters could not help admiring
Brother, for we had to place him at a table in
the dining room with ladies in their mid-seventies
to nineties and it was not possible to have very
stimulating conversation. However, he could see
what needed to be done for the residents and did
it: such as Sr Pauline, who need to be taken out of
the Chapel after Mass, so he took it on as his job.
Then he noticed how the nurses in the dining room
wheel in about twenty walking frames to their
owners, so he would bring them in. One night
we were very short of staff in the dining room for
serving the meal, so he asked: “Now what can I do
to help you?”
Our nurses were really touched by the way he tried
to do all he could for himself and his acceptance of
his condition in such an uncomplaining way, never
feeling sorry for himself, always having a goal. In
fact, one of the nurses said that not many people
had touched her the way Brother had, and that
over the years she had seen many. Others said that
Brother had a good sense of humour, that he made
them laugh so that they felt uplifted in his presence
and that one could sense his inner strength.
He crossed all ages with the same understanding.
Many of our staff are not Catholics, but Brother’s
inner peace and acceptance went beyond just faith
to touch all lives. There were times when everyone
felt that there was something that we could
tempt Brother to eat or to make his life a little
more comfortable. When asked, the reply was:
“Oh, you’re too good. I have all I need.” When
Sr Mary Catherine told him about one of our Little
Sisters who had just been diagnosed with cancer
and had three months to live, he asked for her
phone number and contacted her so that she and Sr
Carmel could talk together.
There were days in the last weeks that Brother said
how much he hated missing Mass, but he truly
was too ill. One of those days was October 7th,
the Feast of the Rosary, but in the afternoon, when
the relics of St Therese of the Child Jesus came
home for one hour, he struggled to walk to the
Chapel. You could see how weak he was but also
what love and faith he had. I will add that the cap
was in his hand.
The number of young people who came to visit
him was exceptional.. They improved our singing
at Mass on several occasions. One can’t help but
think of all the testimonies made by the youth a
the vigil and for the Requiem Mass a number of
young people standing up the sides of the Church
and in the sanctuary. There must have been 800
people all together for one humble servant of
Edmund Rice, who loved the Good Shepherd
and spent his life loving his neighbours, doing so
much good for all. He won’t be on the top media
programme, which is a crying shame for the world
is crying out for witnesses of love like Brother. If
all those present take heed of Bishop Campbell’s
homily and not make Brother a memory but put
into practice what he taught, then the Church in
Dunedin and beyond will be a true remembrance
of a wonderful person who worked quietly in the
Lord’s Vineyard. Thank you once again, Brother,
for the privilege you gave to all who live at Sacred
Heart Home.
In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Your Little Sister
Sr Elizabeth LSP
Year 11 Drama
Assessment:
For the last six weeks the Year 11 Drama
class has completed their first NCEA
achievement standard for the year by
devising and rehearsing a series of short
plays using the galleries of the Otago Museum.
The Museum staff provided excellent
support and guidance both during the
development of the dramas and also by
giving us the opportunity to perform them
to an audience on the evening of Wednesday
April 5.
An exploration of the lengths women will
go through to achieve “Beauty”: Clementine
Hyndman, Rebecca Hay, and in the
second photo, Isabelle Butler and Gemma
Duncan-Burgess.
KAV QUIZ
by Gabriella Hyndman
1. Who are Kavanaghs Head Boy
and Head Girl this year?
2. Which teacher modelled in one
of the fashion parades during
Dunedin’s Fashion week?
3. Which school is hosting the
Bishops Shield this year?
4. What trophy did our first XI
win over the summer holidays in
Brisbane?
5. Which ex Kavanagh student
played cricket for the Otago Volts
during this years State Shield
Season?
Answers on page 4!
DEPARTING STAFF:
Br Glen, Brass tutor
André Sintmaartendijk, Sport Co-ordinator
Mr A Cropp, ICT
Miss D Summers, Mathematics
RETURNING STAFF:
Mr D Kelly, HOD Mathematics