60th Reunion 2025
By Julie Leslie – Reunion Co-ordinator
Our 60th Reunion, held on Saturday 31 May, was a resounding success.
There were about 200 attendees for the activities and entertainment for the day and 160 attended the dinner at night.
The highlight for me was having 4 out of 5 of our Principals together and the spontaneous applause they were given as they said a few words at the beginning of the day. All very fine gentlemen who are held in such high esteem.
My sincere thanks and gratitude to those of you who helped behind the scenes to ensure the day was outstanding.
The many students who were on site to assist with the official pōwhiri and welcome, taking tours, providing entertainment and our drone photographer were all brilliant and represented Ōtūmoetai College with pride.
The evening speakers of our Kaumātua, Bruce Farthing, Head Students, Bryce Lawrence and Stacey Mareroa Roberts set the tone for a wonderful evening.
My thanks to you all for your contributions in making a lot of people very happy and knowing that you have left a legacy of success.
Please click here to view – capturing karakia to bless the tree – planted by students and Foundation Pupils.
3 photos above by Katie Cox Photography
Kapa Haka Performances
Tēnā koutou katoa
Our school Kapa Haka group were honoured to help celebrate our schools 60th anniversary last week and they represented our school with mana. Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou!
On Thursday 19th June they will also be competing at Te Haka a Toi to represent Ōtūmoetai College and they’ve been training very hard to get our school back on stage. They’ve had a total of 6 full weekend practices and many after school practices with their well respected tutors- Matua Paretoroa, Whaea Kaiesha and Matua Kiwa.
We look forward to watching our ākonga take the stage soon and we are so very proud of them. Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei!
Guest Speakers Visiting the Art Department – Weeks 3 & 4
Dr. Johnson Witehira, a leading Māori artist and designer, recently visited Ōtūmoetai College to speak with senior students. Known for blending traditional Māori art with modern digital media, his work has featured in public spaces and even Times Square. He shared how his cultural heritage shapes his creative practice and inspired students to think about storytelling, identity, and the role of indigenous perspectives in design today.
Designer and illustrator Hope McConnell recently visited Ōtūmoetai College to talk with Year 12 and 13 design students. Based in the Bay of Plenty, Hope is known for her bold, colourful work inspired by everyday life, fashion, and food. She shared her journey into the design world, from early successes in fashion styling to working on creative projects for brands like Dilmah Tea. Her visit gave students valuable insights into the design industry and inspired them to explore their own creative paths.
Maraea Timutimu, a multidisciplinary artist from Tauranga Moana, recently visited Ōtūmoetai College to talk to Year 13 Art History students about the media and process of Toi Whenua. She often uses traditional Māori art forms and natural pigments from her ancestral lands. During her visit, she shared insights into her creative process and the deep connection between land, whakapapa, and art, inspiring students to explore these themes in their essays.
Rhianna May, an oil painter from Mount Maunganui, recently visited Ōtūmoetai College to talk with Year 13 painting students. She shared her oil painting techniques and showed how she captures light, texture, and emotion in her work. Her visit inspired students to try new methods and develop their own style.
Congratulations Citlali
Exciting news from our Year 12 Business Management class!
Congratulations to Citlali Keys Flores who is one of only 60 Young Enterprise students from 5000 around Aotearoa to be invited to the 2025 EiA Entrepreneurs in Action event held in Wellington during the next holiday break. 3 nights in the capital, 2 business challenges, prize opportunities and all expenses paid.
We wish you well on your next enterprise adventure and look forward to hearing all about it.
Ngā Manu Kōrero Mātaatua Regionals
Tēnā koutou e ngā hoa mā,
The following students represent our school on Wednesday 4 June in the Mātaatua Regional Ngā Manu Kōrero competition in Whakatāne.
Lucia Poff – Senior English
Ari Miru-Saunders – Junior Māori
Anahera Smith – Junior English
All speakers did really well and received lots of positive compliments from judges and other kura throughout the day. Our school kuia Nanny Hīriwa came along to tautoko our rangatahi and we are always grateful for her support.
Lucia Poff placed third in the prepared speeches section and first in the impromptu speeches.
He rawe a rātou mahi – tū kaha, tū maia, tū rangatira e.
The Big Buddy Group Programme
The Big Buddy Group Programme is launching in Tauranga on August 3rd.
Here is a short video about Big Buddy Group highlighting the great outcomes 2024 participants report about their experience. The programme comes at no cost to whānau however we do need boys registered by June 30th. We currently have just 4 places left.
Please see the link below for further information.
Student Self Leadership Programme
For further information on this opportunity please see the links below.
