The Star: December 16, 2021
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Thursday <strong>December</strong> <strong>16</strong> <strong>2021</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> 27<br />
Villa Maria College<br />
Learn To Prize What Is Of Value<br />
TERM 4 UPDATE<br />
Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te tau hou<br />
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year<br />
May your days be merry and bright with<br />
the light of God’s love.<br />
From our <strong>2021</strong> Head<br />
Girl, Melissa Dunn<br />
Tēnā koutou katoa,<br />
At our Mihi Whakatau at the start of<br />
this year, I used an extended metaphor<br />
throughout my opening speech about<br />
how our lives construct like a neverending<br />
spider web. Each memory, each<br />
success, each failure, produces a new<br />
thread of our web. <strong>The</strong> more threads,<br />
the stronger your web, therefore I<br />
encouraged each Villa girl to intertwine<br />
their individual webs to create one.<br />
Being part of our Villa Maria web means<br />
kindness is automatic, support is<br />
infinite, and our sense of belonging is<br />
astounding. Together as a sisterhood in<br />
<strong>2021</strong>, we have enabled our Villa Maria<br />
web to sprawl deeply into the wider<br />
community, touching hearts with Mercy,<br />
and continuing to succeed in all aspects<br />
across our College.<br />
Dear Villa Maria College<br />
Ki Te Whare o Meri<br />
A letter of gratitude<br />
He reta whakawhetai<br />
To the walls that give us the strength to<br />
stand strong<br />
Ki ngā pakitara e tū hei pou, e tū hei kaha<br />
mō tātou<br />
To the doors that allow us to open our<br />
souls to the light of God<br />
Ki ngā kūaha e tūwhera mai mō tatou kia<br />
tīrama mai a Ihoa<br />
To the buildings that show us how to<br />
house diversity<br />
Ki ngā whare e whakaatu mai ngā<br />
āhuatanga o te whakaehu<br />
To our books that provide us with the<br />
knowledge to decipher right from wrong<br />
Ki ngā pukapuka e whakaako ana i a<br />
mātou i ngā mahi tika, I ngā mahi hē<br />
To our teachers who motivate us to push<br />
our limits and conquer our goals<br />
Ki ngā kaiako e kaha tautoko i a mātou<br />
kia eke pānuku<br />
To our uniform, the one item that<br />
connects each one of us and makes us<br />
a team<br />
Ki ngā pūeru, te hononga o mātou hei tū<br />
kotahi<br />
Our uniform is powerful<br />
He mana to te pūeru<br />
We are leaving our legacy every time we<br />
wear it<br />
Ka waiho a tātou whakarerenga ia te wā<br />
e mau ana i ngā pūeru<br />
Crafting the reputation we desire Villa<br />
students to uphold<br />
Hei whakamana i ngā āhuatanga o Te<br />
Whare o Meri e ngā ākonga<br />
Thank you, Villa Maria, for encouraging<br />
independence and strong-will because<br />
now we know how to stand tall<br />
Nei rā ngā mihi ki a koe e Te Whare o<br />
Meri i ōu mahi akiaki me ōu mahi kaha<br />
tautoko ka mōhio pai ai mātou kia tū hei<br />
rangatira<br />
So tall that when future students stand<br />
upon our shoulders, they will see over<br />
the challenges we have faced and feel<br />
the warmth of the sun that is fuelled by<br />
mercy<br />
He roroa mēnā ka tū mai ngā ākonga a<br />
muri ake nei, ka kitea e rātou ngā wero i<br />
pā ki a mātou, ka rongo hoki i te mahana<br />
o Tama nui te rā e poipoihia ana e ngā<br />
mahi atawhai<br />
139 Year 13 students will hang up their<br />
blazers at the end of this year<br />
Kotahi rau toru tekau mā iwa ngā ākonga<br />
o te reanaga tekau mā toru ka whakatā o<br />
rātou koti hei te mutunga mai o tēnei tau<br />
But we take with us the power of<br />
reflection<br />
Engari, ka mau ana i te mana o te aroaro<br />
Inhale positivity,<br />
Hahau ki roto te takatika,<br />
Reason with morality<br />
Kōrero me te matatika<br />
Exhale respect<br />
Hahau ki waho te whakaute<br />
Serve with justice and generosity<br />
Mahi mā te tika me te atawhai<br />
Thank you, VMC<br />
Nei rā ngā mihi matakuikui e Te Whare o<br />
Meri<br />
Ngā mihi nui,<br />
Melissa Dunn<br />
<strong>2021</strong> Head Girl<br />
Villa’s Can Drive helps families in need<br />
Our Student Leaders organised a food drive for St Vincent de Paul during Term 4.<br />
Well done to Mercy Ambassador Josie Grant and Service Captain Eloise Scanlan<br />
(pictured) for their efforts in driving the activity - the results are impressive. <strong>The</strong><br />
food will be distributed to families in need.<br />
Ko Hāta Maria, te<br />
Matua Wahine o<br />
te Atua<br />
In November, the College<br />
hosted the religious artwork,<br />
Ko Hāta Maria, te Matua<br />
Wahine o te Atua (Holy Mary,<br />
Mother of God). <strong>The</strong> artwork<br />
is on a spiritual hīkoi around<br />
New Zealand called Mary’s<br />
Way or, Te Hīkoi Wairua mo<br />
Te Ara a Maria. <strong>The</strong> artwork<br />
was on display in Te Manawa<br />
Atawhai Catherine McAuley<br />
Centre, with our Intermediate<br />
students welcoming it first<br />
thing with the song, Pepeha.<br />
Villa turns pink for Breast Cancer Awareness<br />
October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on 29 October Villa turned<br />
pink! Students dressed in pink and donated a gold coin for the Breast Cancer<br />
Foundation.<br />
Every day, nine women in New Zealand are diagnosed with breast cancer, so<br />
it’s likely that someone you know will be diagnosed, has had breast cancer in<br />
the past, or is supporting someone with breast cancer. By wearing pink and<br />
making a donation, our College raised vital funds that go towards research,<br />
education and support.<br />
21 Peer Street, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch 8041 Phone: 03 348 4<strong>16</strong>5 Email: villa@villa.school.nz
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