2026 Awards
In recent weeks we have been acknowledging the incredible achievements of our students through a number of Award Ceremonies.
The Awards books below have details of all the Awards that were made and the names of all the recipients.
Year 13 Academic Awards
Year 11 & Year 12 Academic Awards
Sports Awards
Toka Tū Awards
Creative Arts Awards
Pasifika Awards
Excellence Award from The Graeme Dingle Foundation
On Wednesday 11th November our school received an Excellence Award from The Graeme Dingle Foundation. Some of the reasons given in what was ultimately a successful nomination are below.
- Ōtūmoetai College does not merely host our programme; (Project K) they actively embrace our values, integrate our life skills into their school culture, and extend our outcomes into the wider community.
- From the very beginning, Ōtūmoetai College has treated me (Pitiera) not as an external provider, but as a valued member of their own staff. My initial onboarding was seamless.
- This supportive environment extends directly to the delivery of the programme. Collaborating with the Year 10 deans has been an absolute pleasure. Mary-Ann and Arden have been outstanding.
- Ōtūmoetai College has a deeply rooted understanding of identity, values, and positive direction, which creates the perfect environment for Project K’s life skills to thrive. This was evident to me during my first major staff hui, where I was introduced to the teaching staff. The meeting commenced with the school’s Pepeha, recited collectively by all the teachers.
- Perhaps the most powerful evidence of Ōtūmoetai College’s commitment to the Foundation is their proactive approach to extending our outcomes into the wider community.
- The Graeme Dingle Foundation currently runs a fundraising initiative called: Move Mountains for Youth. Recognizing the strong alignment between our Foundation’s values and their own, Ōtūmoetai College’s leadership made the remarkable decision to add to the name of one of their own major school events (Colours Day) to coincide with Move Mountains for Youth. By doing so, they are not just participating in our programme; they are actively amplifying our message, aligning their school wide events with our mission, and championing our cause to the wider public, also donating money to the charity from this being a mufti day.
- Project K is not seen as an “add-on” programme, but as a core pillar of the school’s pastoral care. The collaborative Move Mountains for Youth event further unites the students, staff, and parents under a shared banner of youth development and community support.
Conclusion:
Ōtūmoetai College’s seamless integration of Project K, their deep respect for our Foundation’s values, and their proactive community leadership make them an outstanding partner. They truly embody the spirit of the Graeme Dingle Foundation, and I cannot recommend them more highly for the Secondary School of the Year Excellence Award.
