For almost five decades, pupils have passed through the doors of St Peter’s and then gone out to make their way in the world. Some have stayed close to home and contributed to the local community in the Gore area and others have scattered across the globe into new and varied lives.
We look forward to hearing from lots of our ex-pupils with news of their time since St Peter’s. Let us know where you are now and what you have been doing since you left school. Has it all gone to plan, or are you following an entirely different career path or way of life from the one you originally envisaged? Were your schooldays the the best days of your life?
We look forward to hearing from lots of our ex-pupils with news of their time since St Peter’s. Let us know where you are now and what you have been doing since you left school. Has it all gone to plan, or are you following an entirely different career path or way of life from the one you originally envisaged? Were your schooldays the the best days of your life?
1969-79 Students
Paul holland
Kia ora, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou katoa,
Ko Rehuotane te maunga kiwaho
Ko Pukearenga te maunga ki roto
Ko Ngunguru te awa
Ko Tutukaka te whenua
Ko Rangitukiwaho te tangata rongonui
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Ngunguru te marae Ko Ngati Takapari te hapu Ko Ngatiwai te Iwi
Nō Maruawai o Murihiku au
Kei Ōtautahi e noho ana ahau inaianei He Pia au Ko Paul Holland au
Nā reira, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou katoa.
I am Paul Holland and I started at St Peters in February 1969 in the Second Form so I am a First Day pupil, coming up from St Mary’s in Gore. My parents like many Catholic parents in Southland had donated money towards the school’s building fund. I left school at the end of the first term in May 1973 having just passed School Certificate with three subjects in 1972. No pass no drivers’ license. I worked for the National Bank in Gore until I joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July of 1974. I was an accounts clerk in the RNZAF and had signed on for an eight year contract. In those days we had a real Air Force and I got the opportunity to do lots of activities I would never had done if I had not joined. It was most certainly a challenge in some aspects but getting the chance to be in an Iroquois helicopter sitting on the floor with your feet out the door whilst the helicopter was doing 120 knots about two metres off the deck was neat fun, or doing aerobatics and dog fight manoeuvres in a Harvard with a hangover. My eight years in the RNZAF made a very big difference to me and was one of the most formative periods of my life giving me skills and the confidence to stand up tall, straight and stare life straight in the face.
After I left the RNZAF in 1982 I worked in Auckland and then moved back to Christchurch in January 1984. I worked making corrugated cardboard until 1988 when I went to university for the first time doing a pre-entrance course at the University of Canterbury, to learn how to study etc. In 1989 I did a year’s full study to determine if I could handle a degree course which I passed, so in 1990 I started a Bachelors of Science in Geology. I also took some courses in geography which I enjoyed far more than geology, so in 1991 I changed to a Bachelor of Arts in Geography. Looking back I should have just changed the major. Also in 1990 I had joined the Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve in Christchurch. There I learned seamanship skills as well as working with DOC doing dolphin and penguin counts. We also were tasked to do fisheries patrols off the South Island West Coast and this involved rough weather and lots of boarding of foreign and NZ fishing vessels. Could be quite interesting and sometimes had the adrenaline running.
Work commitments and family obligations intervened, but I successfully completed my degree in 2000. My studies concentrated upon coastal geomorphology which is coastal science (studying coasts, beaches, how they form and what changes happen and what causes the changes etc., climatology, some GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and natural hazards where my interest was in tsunami.
In 2001 a university colleague and I formed a company to explore shallow water echo sounding which we did using a hand held echo sounder and a RTKGPS then worth about $100K. My colleague is a cartographer and we did this for about three years whilst we both had day jobs. I worked as a night manager in a hotel and he as a cartographer. I then went to work in a hospital as an orderly.
In 2009 I returned to university and obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Science (Geography) and a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Māori and Indigenous Studies). With the Post.Grad.Dip.Science I furthered my studies in coastal geomorphology and climatology as well as studying glaciology and remote sensing. So I have a strong natural sciences background. For the Grad.Dip.Arts I turned to the dark side and studied some social sciences. I also studied some history and philosophy with a strong emphasis in Māori background, graduating completely in December 2012. At present I have a research company where I work for myself undertaking contract work, preferably in the environmental sciences with Māori input. Last year I wrote a paper for my iwi regarding pollution of waterways from dairy farm runoff and how to prevent and mitigate the pollution. I am also writing a natural hazards report for them with specific reference to tsunami and other coastal inundation hazards.
So what can someone with a degree or two in geography do? Well to use an age old saying the world is your oyster. If you are like me and follow the science side of the discipline you could end up working anywhere from a vineyard in Marlborough (climatology), to the Great Barrier Reef (coastal geomorphology), and / or Antarctica (climatology, glaciology, coastal geomorphology, geomorphology), Africa (fluvial geomorphology – stream and waterways) and so on. One NASA geomorphologist determined that water flowed on Mars by looking at photos taken by Mars orbiting spacecraft. If you follow the human side of the discipline then even more options open up, transport geography, urban planning, population geography, economic, political, feminist, education, cultural geography etc. There are a group in Europe who make a very tidy living from the geography of wine.
Geography gives you a very wide range of skills that are applicable in many endeavours. For example, I've become involved in projects that don't involve science per se. At the moment I am involved in researching and locating aircraft drawings / plans and annuals for an aircraft restoration project; researching what a particular Māori airman did and where he served with the RNZAF during World War Two and I am researching and writing a paper for a group about a particular government policy. All of these involve skills I acquired from my study of Geography.
So that’s my profile, a wide and varied one. For a student sitting in geography class and feeling bored or thinking it is of no use, it most definitely is very useful. Sir Paul Reeves, a former Governor General was a geographer and so is the TV One weatherman, Jim Hickey. Prince William has a degree in geography and he flies helicopters for the Royal Air Force. I know what it was like sitting in class thinking like you do, but then I was also lucky too, as my geography teacher was Brother John Tedesco and he was an excellent teacher and a real character – One really neat guy. I would suggest some things. If you really want to do well, study hard, join the Armed Forces and get them to pay for your university education. Even if they don’t, join anyway, because the skills you learn in there will set you up for life. Grab every opportunity you can with both hands and never forget to have fun. The world is full of economists and lawyers, but there is always need somewhere for someone with the skills and training of a geographer.
Ko Rehuotane te maunga kiwaho
Ko Pukearenga te maunga ki roto
Ko Ngunguru te awa
Ko Tutukaka te whenua
Ko Rangitukiwaho te tangata rongonui
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Ngunguru te marae Ko Ngati Takapari te hapu Ko Ngatiwai te Iwi
Nō Maruawai o Murihiku au
Kei Ōtautahi e noho ana ahau inaianei He Pia au Ko Paul Holland au
Nā reira, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou, tēnā kotou katoa.
I am Paul Holland and I started at St Peters in February 1969 in the Second Form so I am a First Day pupil, coming up from St Mary’s in Gore. My parents like many Catholic parents in Southland had donated money towards the school’s building fund. I left school at the end of the first term in May 1973 having just passed School Certificate with three subjects in 1972. No pass no drivers’ license. I worked for the National Bank in Gore until I joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July of 1974. I was an accounts clerk in the RNZAF and had signed on for an eight year contract. In those days we had a real Air Force and I got the opportunity to do lots of activities I would never had done if I had not joined. It was most certainly a challenge in some aspects but getting the chance to be in an Iroquois helicopter sitting on the floor with your feet out the door whilst the helicopter was doing 120 knots about two metres off the deck was neat fun, or doing aerobatics and dog fight manoeuvres in a Harvard with a hangover. My eight years in the RNZAF made a very big difference to me and was one of the most formative periods of my life giving me skills and the confidence to stand up tall, straight and stare life straight in the face.
After I left the RNZAF in 1982 I worked in Auckland and then moved back to Christchurch in January 1984. I worked making corrugated cardboard until 1988 when I went to university for the first time doing a pre-entrance course at the University of Canterbury, to learn how to study etc. In 1989 I did a year’s full study to determine if I could handle a degree course which I passed, so in 1990 I started a Bachelors of Science in Geology. I also took some courses in geography which I enjoyed far more than geology, so in 1991 I changed to a Bachelor of Arts in Geography. Looking back I should have just changed the major. Also in 1990 I had joined the Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve in Christchurch. There I learned seamanship skills as well as working with DOC doing dolphin and penguin counts. We also were tasked to do fisheries patrols off the South Island West Coast and this involved rough weather and lots of boarding of foreign and NZ fishing vessels. Could be quite interesting and sometimes had the adrenaline running.
Work commitments and family obligations intervened, but I successfully completed my degree in 2000. My studies concentrated upon coastal geomorphology which is coastal science (studying coasts, beaches, how they form and what changes happen and what causes the changes etc., climatology, some GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and natural hazards where my interest was in tsunami.
In 2001 a university colleague and I formed a company to explore shallow water echo sounding which we did using a hand held echo sounder and a RTKGPS then worth about $100K. My colleague is a cartographer and we did this for about three years whilst we both had day jobs. I worked as a night manager in a hotel and he as a cartographer. I then went to work in a hospital as an orderly.
In 2009 I returned to university and obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Science (Geography) and a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Māori and Indigenous Studies). With the Post.Grad.Dip.Science I furthered my studies in coastal geomorphology and climatology as well as studying glaciology and remote sensing. So I have a strong natural sciences background. For the Grad.Dip.Arts I turned to the dark side and studied some social sciences. I also studied some history and philosophy with a strong emphasis in Māori background, graduating completely in December 2012. At present I have a research company where I work for myself undertaking contract work, preferably in the environmental sciences with Māori input. Last year I wrote a paper for my iwi regarding pollution of waterways from dairy farm runoff and how to prevent and mitigate the pollution. I am also writing a natural hazards report for them with specific reference to tsunami and other coastal inundation hazards.
So what can someone with a degree or two in geography do? Well to use an age old saying the world is your oyster. If you are like me and follow the science side of the discipline you could end up working anywhere from a vineyard in Marlborough (climatology), to the Great Barrier Reef (coastal geomorphology), and / or Antarctica (climatology, glaciology, coastal geomorphology, geomorphology), Africa (fluvial geomorphology – stream and waterways) and so on. One NASA geomorphologist determined that water flowed on Mars by looking at photos taken by Mars orbiting spacecraft. If you follow the human side of the discipline then even more options open up, transport geography, urban planning, population geography, economic, political, feminist, education, cultural geography etc. There are a group in Europe who make a very tidy living from the geography of wine.
Geography gives you a very wide range of skills that are applicable in many endeavours. For example, I've become involved in projects that don't involve science per se. At the moment I am involved in researching and locating aircraft drawings / plans and annuals for an aircraft restoration project; researching what a particular Māori airman did and where he served with the RNZAF during World War Two and I am researching and writing a paper for a group about a particular government policy. All of these involve skills I acquired from my study of Geography.
So that’s my profile, a wide and varied one. For a student sitting in geography class and feeling bored or thinking it is of no use, it most definitely is very useful. Sir Paul Reeves, a former Governor General was a geographer and so is the TV One weatherman, Jim Hickey. Prince William has a degree in geography and he flies helicopters for the Royal Air Force. I know what it was like sitting in class thinking like you do, but then I was also lucky too, as my geography teacher was Brother John Tedesco and he was an excellent teacher and a real character – One really neat guy. I would suggest some things. If you really want to do well, study hard, join the Armed Forces and get them to pay for your university education. Even if they don’t, join anyway, because the skills you learn in there will set you up for life. Grab every opportunity you can with both hands and never forget to have fun. The world is full of economists and lawyers, but there is always need somewhere for someone with the skills and training of a geographer.
Chris boyle
Chris Boyle started as a pupil at St Peter’s College in 1969 and never really left until 2013. He decided it was finally time to leave after his lifelong association with the school and resigned as a director of SPC Hostel Ltd.
Back in the sixties, the Boyles were farming at South Hillend near Winton and Chris’s father had been involved in the early fundraising to establish a Catholic boys’ school in Gore. Chris was brought to the opening ceremony of the school and was quite nervous about being a boarder. Coming from a class of 14 in primary school to 3 Form 3 classes of about 30 at SPC was a big change. In those days all the boarders were boys and they had lots of spare time on site and played a wide range of sports. They often went swimming and played pool and enjoyed listening to the music.
Chris was in the maths and science stream and as he didn’t want to go straight to university when he left school, he saw a job advertised for a school leaver in an accountant’s office in Invercargill and got it. He worked there for two years and did part-time tertiary study and then went to Otago University, before returning to the same Invercargill firm. Looking back, Chris reflects that when he left school, Gore was just about the last place on earth he planned to settle, but his next job was here in town. He moved back to Gore in September 1978 and he’s been here ever since.
While at university, Chris met his future wife, Suzanne, also an ex SPC pupil and once settled back in Gore they resumed their long association with the school. Their five children attended St Peter’s, Suzanne served for a number of years as Proprietor’s representative on the Board of Trustees and Chris was secretary to the Board of Governors at the time of integration. He was a regular helper at the Fair, counting the takings, until he pointed out that parents who worked in banks were probably better at counting money than an accountant. On a practical level he also helped out with working bees, like the one to lay all the concrete steps up to the chapel. Over most of the time back in Gore he has had some work connection with the Hostel and when it was restructured in 2011 he became a director of the SPC Hostel Ltd company and continued in this role until 2013.
As for life in Gore, Chris reckons it’s a great place to bring up a family. The wide range of amenities and sporting facilities and the proximity to Central Otago and Fiordland, offer unlimited opportunities. Chris has been an enthusiastic supporter at the many sporting activities that his family have been involved in and also managed various sports teams. Now that he has the opportunity, he enjoys travelling around New Zealand to visit his now widely spread family
Despite having an early aptitude for numbers which led him into an accounting career, he has found that the job is as much about people as numbers and his communication skills have turned out to be just as important. He sees the job as not just helping those who have got into difficulties but helping local people to succeed in business and farming.
Back in the sixties, the Boyles were farming at South Hillend near Winton and Chris’s father had been involved in the early fundraising to establish a Catholic boys’ school in Gore. Chris was brought to the opening ceremony of the school and was quite nervous about being a boarder. Coming from a class of 14 in primary school to 3 Form 3 classes of about 30 at SPC was a big change. In those days all the boarders were boys and they had lots of spare time on site and played a wide range of sports. They often went swimming and played pool and enjoyed listening to the music.
Chris was in the maths and science stream and as he didn’t want to go straight to university when he left school, he saw a job advertised for a school leaver in an accountant’s office in Invercargill and got it. He worked there for two years and did part-time tertiary study and then went to Otago University, before returning to the same Invercargill firm. Looking back, Chris reflects that when he left school, Gore was just about the last place on earth he planned to settle, but his next job was here in town. He moved back to Gore in September 1978 and he’s been here ever since.
While at university, Chris met his future wife, Suzanne, also an ex SPC pupil and once settled back in Gore they resumed their long association with the school. Their five children attended St Peter’s, Suzanne served for a number of years as Proprietor’s representative on the Board of Trustees and Chris was secretary to the Board of Governors at the time of integration. He was a regular helper at the Fair, counting the takings, until he pointed out that parents who worked in banks were probably better at counting money than an accountant. On a practical level he also helped out with working bees, like the one to lay all the concrete steps up to the chapel. Over most of the time back in Gore he has had some work connection with the Hostel and when it was restructured in 2011 he became a director of the SPC Hostel Ltd company and continued in this role until 2013.
As for life in Gore, Chris reckons it’s a great place to bring up a family. The wide range of amenities and sporting facilities and the proximity to Central Otago and Fiordland, offer unlimited opportunities. Chris has been an enthusiastic supporter at the many sporting activities that his family have been involved in and also managed various sports teams. Now that he has the opportunity, he enjoys travelling around New Zealand to visit his now widely spread family
Despite having an early aptitude for numbers which led him into an accounting career, he has found that the job is as much about people as numbers and his communication skills have turned out to be just as important. He sees the job as not just helping those who have got into difficulties but helping local people to succeed in business and farming.
mary phillips
I was a Gore girl….lived in Broughton Street then moved to 10 Devon Street. Walking home from school to Broughton street when I was 8, I saw the house at 10 Devon Street and fell in love with it….I snuck behind the fence and put my initials inside the fence with pencil….a week later Dad said we’re moving and it was to that house….that was the beginning of my life long thinking that dreams can come true if you believe (and never give up).
We were a Catholic family like everyone I knew. I was the only one out of the five in my family that went, to St Peters. I was a first day pupil starting in form one. At that stage there was only form 1 to 3 and it grew from there. You knew every single person at the school. If I am ever in Gore I sneak up the road to see “my Poplar tree” that we planted our first week. All of my year class, first day pupils, planted one and my one was the fifth from the road.
It was an exciting place to be, all brand spanking new. I had never seen a science lab before, and having your own locker, that was amazing. Some of you will remember the lockers (they might still be the same now) but you had to balance them open on your head, which meant you were an on going target for boys picking them up on their way past you and dropping the lid on your head…it hurt soooo much. But I think it was their way of saying you were an ok girl.
I wasn’t very “good” at school. Sadly quite naughty….anything to have fun. If smoking and talking had been school certificate subjects I would have passed with an A+; I can’t even imagine smoking now…what were we all thinking. I wasn’t very academic, more creative, which was hard work when you were expected to be academic. Brother Willet passed on to me a huge love of English. The best days were the days he would read to us in-between his practise golf swings with a ruler. Sister Andrew was another winner, her love of art was exciting and new and I loved that too. We once went to Dunedin with her and she introduced us to some amazing artists, Robin White, Ralph Hotere and John Middleditch the potter, and many others she seemed to know. It was the most engaging and most memorable time I had at school. Mrs Loyola Williams was another winner. She was so supportive of all girls and it was wonderful for her to be there to talk to, she lived and walked in the real world. Loyola walked in the worlds of being a Catholic parent plus she applied huge amounts of common sense to the sometimes-nonsensical situations of that time for Catholic girls.
I was happy at St Peters, but education then wasn’t flexible, so you didn’t have a lot of subject choices. Thank goodness I took typing as now it’s wonderful in my career, (which started off as a writer) to be able to know your way around a computer keyboard quickly.
Gore was such a great place to grow up in; my best friends then are still my best friends now, special times. Rosalind Doherty and I are still close friends as are old classmates Tony Wilkins and Seba Farry. It’s funny where you run into people from St Peters and what they’re doing now; the faces are always the same but with some time added to them. When it was time to think about a career I didn’t know. Luckily my parents got going and enrolled me at Teachers College and I went to Dunedin to become a kindergarten teacher. Best decision ever, I loved that career and in between teaching I travelled and lived overseas. It was perfect, I really loved the children, was amazed at the strength, warmth and support from parents and the communities. I taught in many kindergartens for over 12 years, both Gore kindergartens, and in Invercargill and Dunedin before taking 6 months leave to work on the new preschool TV3 show with Suzy Cato, You and Me.
Day one TV was “my thing”. I wrote my first 5 scripts in 2 days when you were given two weeks to complete them, I found it was something I could do and I loved it. After two years of writing and directing I was given the job of Producer, which in TV is the ultimate, but for me I missed the writing and directing as being a Producer was more management of people. After I left Kids TV and You and Me I came to Auckland. I was 41 and it was scary selling up your house and shifting to the unknown but it had to be done. I worked on TV3’s target and found it interesting but difficult balancing out the stupid choices people made with their lives and families and future employment. It wasn’t the most socially rewarding job, it was very negative and made me yearn for Kids TV again.
So as luck had it, I started my own children’s TV company, Pickled Possum Productions, focusing on a daily afternoon show for TV3 called Sticky TV. 13 years later it’s still going strong and now on FOUR. Since then I’ve been making lots of other shows as well, mostly preschool and now I’ve added animation shows to the list and loving it. I’m lucky I can really visualize my child hood and remember what made me excited, interested, wanting to learn and what made me laugh and that is always my inspiration in making children’s TV. I loved teaching so much and that too supports my view of the children’s world and how to tap into it so they want to learn. My company motto talks about “giving children a voice”, and in any decisions I make that is always there to fall back on and drive everything the child’s way.
So I’ve had a lot of luck in my life, a lot of people who have guided and supported me and a lot of friends and colleagues to walk alongside me but always in the back of my mind is where I first began my journey about learning who I was, and that was at St Peters in Gore. And I’m thinking there’s still a lot more to come… God Bless.
And I’m really looking forward to the next school reunion, see you there!
We were a Catholic family like everyone I knew. I was the only one out of the five in my family that went, to St Peters. I was a first day pupil starting in form one. At that stage there was only form 1 to 3 and it grew from there. You knew every single person at the school. If I am ever in Gore I sneak up the road to see “my Poplar tree” that we planted our first week. All of my year class, first day pupils, planted one and my one was the fifth from the road.
It was an exciting place to be, all brand spanking new. I had never seen a science lab before, and having your own locker, that was amazing. Some of you will remember the lockers (they might still be the same now) but you had to balance them open on your head, which meant you were an on going target for boys picking them up on their way past you and dropping the lid on your head…it hurt soooo much. But I think it was their way of saying you were an ok girl.
I wasn’t very “good” at school. Sadly quite naughty….anything to have fun. If smoking and talking had been school certificate subjects I would have passed with an A+; I can’t even imagine smoking now…what were we all thinking. I wasn’t very academic, more creative, which was hard work when you were expected to be academic. Brother Willet passed on to me a huge love of English. The best days were the days he would read to us in-between his practise golf swings with a ruler. Sister Andrew was another winner, her love of art was exciting and new and I loved that too. We once went to Dunedin with her and she introduced us to some amazing artists, Robin White, Ralph Hotere and John Middleditch the potter, and many others she seemed to know. It was the most engaging and most memorable time I had at school. Mrs Loyola Williams was another winner. She was so supportive of all girls and it was wonderful for her to be there to talk to, she lived and walked in the real world. Loyola walked in the worlds of being a Catholic parent plus she applied huge amounts of common sense to the sometimes-nonsensical situations of that time for Catholic girls.
I was happy at St Peters, but education then wasn’t flexible, so you didn’t have a lot of subject choices. Thank goodness I took typing as now it’s wonderful in my career, (which started off as a writer) to be able to know your way around a computer keyboard quickly.
Gore was such a great place to grow up in; my best friends then are still my best friends now, special times. Rosalind Doherty and I are still close friends as are old classmates Tony Wilkins and Seba Farry. It’s funny where you run into people from St Peters and what they’re doing now; the faces are always the same but with some time added to them. When it was time to think about a career I didn’t know. Luckily my parents got going and enrolled me at Teachers College and I went to Dunedin to become a kindergarten teacher. Best decision ever, I loved that career and in between teaching I travelled and lived overseas. It was perfect, I really loved the children, was amazed at the strength, warmth and support from parents and the communities. I taught in many kindergartens for over 12 years, both Gore kindergartens, and in Invercargill and Dunedin before taking 6 months leave to work on the new preschool TV3 show with Suzy Cato, You and Me.
Day one TV was “my thing”. I wrote my first 5 scripts in 2 days when you were given two weeks to complete them, I found it was something I could do and I loved it. After two years of writing and directing I was given the job of Producer, which in TV is the ultimate, but for me I missed the writing and directing as being a Producer was more management of people. After I left Kids TV and You and Me I came to Auckland. I was 41 and it was scary selling up your house and shifting to the unknown but it had to be done. I worked on TV3’s target and found it interesting but difficult balancing out the stupid choices people made with their lives and families and future employment. It wasn’t the most socially rewarding job, it was very negative and made me yearn for Kids TV again.
So as luck had it, I started my own children’s TV company, Pickled Possum Productions, focusing on a daily afternoon show for TV3 called Sticky TV. 13 years later it’s still going strong and now on FOUR. Since then I’ve been making lots of other shows as well, mostly preschool and now I’ve added animation shows to the list and loving it. I’m lucky I can really visualize my child hood and remember what made me excited, interested, wanting to learn and what made me laugh and that is always my inspiration in making children’s TV. I loved teaching so much and that too supports my view of the children’s world and how to tap into it so they want to learn. My company motto talks about “giving children a voice”, and in any decisions I make that is always there to fall back on and drive everything the child’s way.
So I’ve had a lot of luck in my life, a lot of people who have guided and supported me and a lot of friends and colleagues to walk alongside me but always in the back of my mind is where I first began my journey about learning who I was, and that was at St Peters in Gore. And I’m thinking there’s still a lot more to come… God Bless.
And I’m really looking forward to the next school reunion, see you there!
michael williams
Michael Williams thrives on the challenges of being a cardiologist. He enjoys working with people, gaining the greatest satisfaction from helping patients overcome the toughest situations.
As a boy growing up in Gore, he was content to enjoy its small town charm and his leisure time revolved around sport, cycling and fishing. Gore was a conservative place back in the sixties, but teenage trends reached even here and by the seventies boys were sporting long hair. Although radio was very popular in those days, by 1969 the big event was seeing the moon landing on TV. In that year also, another big event happened in Gore with the opening of St Peter’s College and the influx of some highly educated Rosminians from Europe, bringing with them new ideas from a wider world.
In 1973, Michael found the move from St Mary’s Primary School to SPC was uneventful – everything just got bigger. He enjoyed his new school’s even handed regime and its liberal attitudes. School taught him a range of skills and the assorted staff with their range of nationalities and specialities prepared him well for later life. Michael’s mother, Loyola, was teaching at SPC while he was there, but this didn’t bring with it any problems and he was treated like everyone else, both inside and outside the classroom.
By Year 11 he had decided on medicine as a career. Having no experience of hospital doctors, he based this on what he knew about the work of a GP. He did recognise that as a career, it would be challenging, and it also had appeal as a helping profession. The scientific rigour that he learned in chemistry lessons with teacher Chris Belcher, who had come over from England, provided an excellent introduction to university study.
The careers department organised a visit to Medical School for him to see what would be involved and a GP came to school to talk about medicine as a career. Armed with this background knowledge, Michael went to Otago University and began six years of study. At the end of year 3 he got a break with a two month student exchange to Canada, followed by a memorable drive down the west coast of the USA.
Back at Medical school he was aiming for a career as a GP and had studied paediatrics, psychiatry, medicine and obstetrics in preparation for this, but at this point he changed his mind and went into hospital medicine, becoming first a houseman and then a registrar. He then commenced training in Cardiology and worked in this department at Dunedin Hospital until 1993. The National Heart Foundation funded him to spend time training in Boston, Massachusetts, at one of the world’s leading heart hospitals. He returned to Dunedin and completed his Doctor of Medicine thesis supported by the W & GS Dick Research Fellowship from the Southland Medical Foundation.
As a cardiologist he has spent the last twenty years meeting the challenges of this profession and recently became a professor. This new role carries with it responsibilities to his students and trainees and will involve him in ongoing research programmes.
With such a demanding career, Michael finds a balance by relaxing with his family when on holiday with time to wind down. He enjoys reading, but also the active relaxation of skiing and cycling. International conferences enable him to travel widely.
As for medicine as a career today, he thinks it offers young people everything – the rewards are high, but so it the stress. He is still excited about cardiology, where mortality rates have dropped dramatically and new innovations keep on coming.
As a boy growing up in Gore, he was content to enjoy its small town charm and his leisure time revolved around sport, cycling and fishing. Gore was a conservative place back in the sixties, but teenage trends reached even here and by the seventies boys were sporting long hair. Although radio was very popular in those days, by 1969 the big event was seeing the moon landing on TV. In that year also, another big event happened in Gore with the opening of St Peter’s College and the influx of some highly educated Rosminians from Europe, bringing with them new ideas from a wider world.
In 1973, Michael found the move from St Mary’s Primary School to SPC was uneventful – everything just got bigger. He enjoyed his new school’s even handed regime and its liberal attitudes. School taught him a range of skills and the assorted staff with their range of nationalities and specialities prepared him well for later life. Michael’s mother, Loyola, was teaching at SPC while he was there, but this didn’t bring with it any problems and he was treated like everyone else, both inside and outside the classroom.
By Year 11 he had decided on medicine as a career. Having no experience of hospital doctors, he based this on what he knew about the work of a GP. He did recognise that as a career, it would be challenging, and it also had appeal as a helping profession. The scientific rigour that he learned in chemistry lessons with teacher Chris Belcher, who had come over from England, provided an excellent introduction to university study.
The careers department organised a visit to Medical School for him to see what would be involved and a GP came to school to talk about medicine as a career. Armed with this background knowledge, Michael went to Otago University and began six years of study. At the end of year 3 he got a break with a two month student exchange to Canada, followed by a memorable drive down the west coast of the USA.
Back at Medical school he was aiming for a career as a GP and had studied paediatrics, psychiatry, medicine and obstetrics in preparation for this, but at this point he changed his mind and went into hospital medicine, becoming first a houseman and then a registrar. He then commenced training in Cardiology and worked in this department at Dunedin Hospital until 1993. The National Heart Foundation funded him to spend time training in Boston, Massachusetts, at one of the world’s leading heart hospitals. He returned to Dunedin and completed his Doctor of Medicine thesis supported by the W & GS Dick Research Fellowship from the Southland Medical Foundation.
As a cardiologist he has spent the last twenty years meeting the challenges of this profession and recently became a professor. This new role carries with it responsibilities to his students and trainees and will involve him in ongoing research programmes.
With such a demanding career, Michael finds a balance by relaxing with his family when on holiday with time to wind down. He enjoys reading, but also the active relaxation of skiing and cycling. International conferences enable him to travel widely.
As for medicine as a career today, he thinks it offers young people everything – the rewards are high, but so it the stress. He is still excited about cardiology, where mortality rates have dropped dramatically and new innovations keep on coming.
Robbie uru (robyn ellison)
When Robbie Uru looks back on her time at school, it is with very mixed feelings, but with a strong sense that the experience shaped her life to come.
Following her brothers John and Steven to St Peter’s College she always felt slightly excluded as a non-Catholic and never close to the nuns or priests. She doesn’t recall ever stepping inside the newly opened chapel.
One area where she did fit in however, was on the sports field and she revelled in the opportunities that the school gave her to swim and play softball, basketball and netball. The other thing of value that she gained from school was good study habits and she did well in her courses and rose to be Deputy Head Girl. Unfortunately during her final year, she felt that the subjects available for her to take were limited and she struggled with the lack of a sympathetic mentor to provide support. In those days young people didn’t have a “voice” or a ready means of expressing their concerns and half way through her final year, Robbie left school. No one stopped her. There was no-one to provide support to figure out how to stay.
A move to Invercargill, a series of jobs, marriage to Bill and the birth of two sons, occupied the years that followed. Her longstanding love of the outdoor life translated into tramping and activities on the sea. At one point Robbie and Bill ran a scuba diving school and sons Storm and Jade were introduced to water based activities at an early age. They have both gone on to gain University degrees and to become Olympic rowers. Storm gained a bronze Olympic medal in rowing and was recently a crew member of the winning team in the prestigous Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, while doing an MBA at Oxford University, London.
Having a period of challenges with her health, Robbie became interested in natural healing and the part played by the mind and emotions in the healing process. When her sons left home, Robbie realised it was time to achieve her dream of a university degree, which she will complete this year after 7 years of part-time/working study culminating in a Bachelor of Social Services and Counselling.
Remembering the lack of support that she felt as a teenager, she has also worked as a Counsellor at Aurora College and Menzies College. Today, young people have a much greater chance of receiving that vital support when they need it.
Robbie now manages Soul Time Cottage a Natural Health Centre where she works as a Counsellor in private practice in Invercargill, works part time as a Counsellor at Menzies College and as an educator and Counsellor for The Cancer Society. Spends her leisure time up in the mountains or out on the sea and travelling on adventures overseas. She also supports her high achieving sons and believes being a Mum her hardest earned and most rewarding qualification so far, though she will rate her counselling degree a pretty close second.
Following her brothers John and Steven to St Peter’s College she always felt slightly excluded as a non-Catholic and never close to the nuns or priests. She doesn’t recall ever stepping inside the newly opened chapel.
One area where she did fit in however, was on the sports field and she revelled in the opportunities that the school gave her to swim and play softball, basketball and netball. The other thing of value that she gained from school was good study habits and she did well in her courses and rose to be Deputy Head Girl. Unfortunately during her final year, she felt that the subjects available for her to take were limited and she struggled with the lack of a sympathetic mentor to provide support. In those days young people didn’t have a “voice” or a ready means of expressing their concerns and half way through her final year, Robbie left school. No one stopped her. There was no-one to provide support to figure out how to stay.
A move to Invercargill, a series of jobs, marriage to Bill and the birth of two sons, occupied the years that followed. Her longstanding love of the outdoor life translated into tramping and activities on the sea. At one point Robbie and Bill ran a scuba diving school and sons Storm and Jade were introduced to water based activities at an early age. They have both gone on to gain University degrees and to become Olympic rowers. Storm gained a bronze Olympic medal in rowing and was recently a crew member of the winning team in the prestigous Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, while doing an MBA at Oxford University, London.
Having a period of challenges with her health, Robbie became interested in natural healing and the part played by the mind and emotions in the healing process. When her sons left home, Robbie realised it was time to achieve her dream of a university degree, which she will complete this year after 7 years of part-time/working study culminating in a Bachelor of Social Services and Counselling.
Remembering the lack of support that she felt as a teenager, she has also worked as a Counsellor at Aurora College and Menzies College. Today, young people have a much greater chance of receiving that vital support when they need it.
Robbie now manages Soul Time Cottage a Natural Health Centre where she works as a Counsellor in private practice in Invercargill, works part time as a Counsellor at Menzies College and as an educator and Counsellor for The Cancer Society. Spends her leisure time up in the mountains or out on the sea and travelling on adventures overseas. She also supports her high achieving sons and believes being a Mum her hardest earned and most rewarding qualification so far, though she will rate her counselling degree a pretty close second.
paul casson
Paul Casson liked to cook. His mother worked in catering and encouraged him to help in the kitchen at home. From these small beginnings grew a career that has spanned many aspects of the food and hospitality industry and moved on into education, human resources and economic development.
When he left St Peter’s and trained as a chef, Paul realised that a career in the hotel industry would provide him with a means to travel and meet people and he took full advantage of the opportunities offered. Coming from a Catholic family in Gore, he feels he had a good solid education at St Mary’s and St Peter’s, but left school in Year 12 to do a chef’s apprenticeship, rather than go on and study for a degree. He has no regrets about this – for him the time wasn’t right for him to do further education.
His early years in the hospitality and tourism industry saw him achieve a top apprentice award and go on to work at the Holiday Inn Corporation in the Transkei, South Africa.
Back in NZ in the 1980s he moved into management and then into further education, becoming a catering lecturer at Otago Polytechnic in 1986. By the 1990s he was in Thailand “training the trainers” for the Thai Tourism Association and the UN and tourism in Asia has remained a key part of his career. He gained his Bachelor degree in Commerce in 1997 and Master of Business in Management in 2000 when he felt the time was right for him to tackle further education.
In 2000 as Head of the School of Hospitality and Service Sector Management at Otago Polytechnic he instigated the joint degree programme with Hong Kong Polytechnic University and later became Degree Director and in 2003 was awarded the Industry Training Organisation top tutor award in New Zealand for his contribution to education and training for the industry. Paul believes that his early work experience has enabled him to move in any circles and relate to a wide range of people and cultures. This has been invaluable in the next phase of his career with the Ministry of Social Development (Southern Region), where he was dealing with industries, unions, local government and other agencies. Communication was the key.
Today, Paul is Chief Executive Officer of Venture Southland, the agency responsible for Southland region’s economic and community development.
Reflecting on education today, he sees Broadband and the Internet changing the patterns of education out of all recognition in the future. The digital sector will especially threaten traditional university courses and young people will need to be endlessly adaptable and believe strongly in themselves to take full advantage of all the opportunities available to them. With his experience in Asia, Paul is keenly aware of the importance of this sector to New Zealand and keen that Southland should be at the forefront of exploiting the opportunities there. With a growing Asian middle class creating an increasing demand for high protein food and wanting food security, we are well placed to deliver. He would like to see more widespread study of Mandarin in schools and also more people from industry talking to pupils about the realities of the workplace today.
Paul still enjoys cooking at home, especially tasty Asian dishes, but also traditional New Zealand fare. He is a keen biker and talks enthusiastically about his Triumph Speedmaster. He lives in Invercargill, but still has many relatives here in Gore, so has maintained his links with the town – after all he says, it gave him a good family, good food and a good education.
When he left St Peter’s and trained as a chef, Paul realised that a career in the hotel industry would provide him with a means to travel and meet people and he took full advantage of the opportunities offered. Coming from a Catholic family in Gore, he feels he had a good solid education at St Mary’s and St Peter’s, but left school in Year 12 to do a chef’s apprenticeship, rather than go on and study for a degree. He has no regrets about this – for him the time wasn’t right for him to do further education.
His early years in the hospitality and tourism industry saw him achieve a top apprentice award and go on to work at the Holiday Inn Corporation in the Transkei, South Africa.
Back in NZ in the 1980s he moved into management and then into further education, becoming a catering lecturer at Otago Polytechnic in 1986. By the 1990s he was in Thailand “training the trainers” for the Thai Tourism Association and the UN and tourism in Asia has remained a key part of his career. He gained his Bachelor degree in Commerce in 1997 and Master of Business in Management in 2000 when he felt the time was right for him to tackle further education.
In 2000 as Head of the School of Hospitality and Service Sector Management at Otago Polytechnic he instigated the joint degree programme with Hong Kong Polytechnic University and later became Degree Director and in 2003 was awarded the Industry Training Organisation top tutor award in New Zealand for his contribution to education and training for the industry. Paul believes that his early work experience has enabled him to move in any circles and relate to a wide range of people and cultures. This has been invaluable in the next phase of his career with the Ministry of Social Development (Southern Region), where he was dealing with industries, unions, local government and other agencies. Communication was the key.
Today, Paul is Chief Executive Officer of Venture Southland, the agency responsible for Southland region’s economic and community development.
Reflecting on education today, he sees Broadband and the Internet changing the patterns of education out of all recognition in the future. The digital sector will especially threaten traditional university courses and young people will need to be endlessly adaptable and believe strongly in themselves to take full advantage of all the opportunities available to them. With his experience in Asia, Paul is keenly aware of the importance of this sector to New Zealand and keen that Southland should be at the forefront of exploiting the opportunities there. With a growing Asian middle class creating an increasing demand for high protein food and wanting food security, we are well placed to deliver. He would like to see more widespread study of Mandarin in schools and also more people from industry talking to pupils about the realities of the workplace today.
Paul still enjoys cooking at home, especially tasty Asian dishes, but also traditional New Zealand fare. He is a keen biker and talks enthusiastically about his Triumph Speedmaster. He lives in Invercargill, but still has many relatives here in Gore, so has maintained his links with the town – after all he says, it gave him a good family, good food and a good education.
ann La Hood
Ann’s first memory of St Peter’s is how big everyone was. Coming from St Mary’s Primary School, the pupils here seemed like a race of giants! She settled in well amongst them though – a sporty girl, who enjoyed sprinting and cross country. She took part in Eisteddfods as well, but doesn’t recall winning anything (although “The Rock” of 1979 records a third prize in Junior Instrumental). Ann does remember plenty of practice in public speaking whilst at school, which has proved useful when giving talks in later years.
She thought about training as a vet, or maybe going into the law, but having helped out in the family pharmacy business during holidays and weekends, she gravitated towards pharmacy as a career. An aptitude for maths and the sciences helped – in 1983 she won prizes for maths and biology – and she got lots of encouragement from Brother Ted, who was a regular visitor at the family home.
The LaHood family always had close connections with St Peter’s and would run the candy floss stall at the annual School Fair. Ann remembers Brother Ted’s infectious enthusiasm for getting everyone on-side and making it a real community effort. There was a lot of camaraderie and as well as hard work, it was good fun.
Head Girl in her final year at school and also an assistant in the production of “The Rock”, on leaving school, Ann went on to pharmacy college in the North Island. After three years of study, she gained her diploma and did a further year as an intern and then returned to work in the family business in Gore. After a few years back home, the wider world beckoned and Ann went travelling.
Over the next ten years she divided her time between travelling in Europe and working back home to fund the next trip, before finally settling back in Gore when she met and married South African, Karl Metzler.
With her own children now pupils at St Mary’s, Ann is looking forward to reconnecting with St Peter’s when they move on to senior school.
She thought about training as a vet, or maybe going into the law, but having helped out in the family pharmacy business during holidays and weekends, she gravitated towards pharmacy as a career. An aptitude for maths and the sciences helped – in 1983 she won prizes for maths and biology – and she got lots of encouragement from Brother Ted, who was a regular visitor at the family home.
The LaHood family always had close connections with St Peter’s and would run the candy floss stall at the annual School Fair. Ann remembers Brother Ted’s infectious enthusiasm for getting everyone on-side and making it a real community effort. There was a lot of camaraderie and as well as hard work, it was good fun.
Head Girl in her final year at school and also an assistant in the production of “The Rock”, on leaving school, Ann went on to pharmacy college in the North Island. After three years of study, she gained her diploma and did a further year as an intern and then returned to work in the family business in Gore. After a few years back home, the wider world beckoned and Ann went travelling.
Over the next ten years she divided her time between travelling in Europe and working back home to fund the next trip, before finally settling back in Gore when she met and married South African, Karl Metzler.
With her own children now pupils at St Mary’s, Ann is looking forward to reconnecting with St Peter’s when they move on to senior school.
mark la hood
When Brother Ted wanted prizes for the St Peter’s Fair, he would visit La Hood’s Chemist shop in Gore and convince Mark’s father that lots of items on the shelves were no longer needed and could be donated for his Tombola. He would often phone the family and ask what they were having for tea. If he liked the sound of it, he would say he’d be there in half an hour – if he didn’t - he’d go elsewhere!
These are just two of Mark La Hood’s memories from his time at St Peter’s College. He didn’t realise it then, but looking back, he acknowledges just how inspirational and influential the Rosminians were in teaching their students. Many of them came from Europe in the 60s and 70s and brought a world view to Gore, which could be quite parochial back then. Brother Ted, especially, was a well known and much loved character in the locality.
Mark was a pupil here for seven years in the 1970s – followed by a younger brother and two sisters. He recalls that growing up in Gore was uncomplicated in those days. Whatever the weather, you walked or biked to school; discipline was strict but fair and you knew where you stood. In the days before cyber bullying and drugs problems, you made your own entertainment with your friends – a bike and a fishing rod were all that was needed.
When he left St Peter’s, Mark went on to study pharmacy and after qualifying, worked in Auckland, before returning to the family business in Gore.
He has travelled widely, but still thinks that Gore is a great place to bring up a family – a caring community and an enviable environment. Mark makes the most of what is on offer here and in the surrounding areas, enjoying cycling and running, as well as skiing and other sports.
He still thinks there could be more recreational facilities in town that people could walk to, especially down by the river – perhaps a playground and barbeque area and riverside walk where families could picnic and relax together and enjoy their surroundings.
When he meets old friends from his schooldays, Mark says there is an instant bond and he enjoys keeping in touch with old classmates.
He didn’t have a particular career in mind as he went through school, but jokes that he started work in the pharmacy aged four, when his dad sent him up the chimney of the old pharmacy building to remove some bricks from the top. He was the only one small enough to go up and his dad wanted to prove to the council that the chimney wasn’t holding the whole building up and so could be removed.
In the intervening years, the advent of computers may have changed the pharmacy business in undreamed of ways, but the family commitment to the town remains the same.
These are just two of Mark La Hood’s memories from his time at St Peter’s College. He didn’t realise it then, but looking back, he acknowledges just how inspirational and influential the Rosminians were in teaching their students. Many of them came from Europe in the 60s and 70s and brought a world view to Gore, which could be quite parochial back then. Brother Ted, especially, was a well known and much loved character in the locality.
Mark was a pupil here for seven years in the 1970s – followed by a younger brother and two sisters. He recalls that growing up in Gore was uncomplicated in those days. Whatever the weather, you walked or biked to school; discipline was strict but fair and you knew where you stood. In the days before cyber bullying and drugs problems, you made your own entertainment with your friends – a bike and a fishing rod were all that was needed.
When he left St Peter’s, Mark went on to study pharmacy and after qualifying, worked in Auckland, before returning to the family business in Gore.
He has travelled widely, but still thinks that Gore is a great place to bring up a family – a caring community and an enviable environment. Mark makes the most of what is on offer here and in the surrounding areas, enjoying cycling and running, as well as skiing and other sports.
He still thinks there could be more recreational facilities in town that people could walk to, especially down by the river – perhaps a playground and barbeque area and riverside walk where families could picnic and relax together and enjoy their surroundings.
When he meets old friends from his schooldays, Mark says there is an instant bond and he enjoys keeping in touch with old classmates.
He didn’t have a particular career in mind as he went through school, but jokes that he started work in the pharmacy aged four, when his dad sent him up the chimney of the old pharmacy building to remove some bricks from the top. He was the only one small enough to go up and his dad wanted to prove to the council that the chimney wasn’t holding the whole building up and so could be removed.
In the intervening years, the advent of computers may have changed the pharmacy business in undreamed of ways, but the family commitment to the town remains the same.
Patrick cooney
Warrant Officer Pat Cooney of the New Defence Force ensured that the 2013 Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington went without a hitch. The ceremonial for State Visits and other national occasions is also his responsibility, working closely with government departments, including Parliament, the Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. Parades, guards of honour, and events overseas are also part of his brief, ensuring that New Zealand ceremonial is of the highest standard.
Pat’s army career started 37 years ago when he enlisted through the recruiter in Invercargill in 1976. Although Pat lived in Elizabeth Street in Gore, while he was a day pupil at St Peter’s, he describes his background as more rural than town. His spare time was spent down by the river, or up in the Hokonuis, or at his cousins’ farm at Te Tipua. His strongest memories of his school days are that there was always something happening. It was a great environment, offering excellent options for both academic subjects and sports. He was a keen member of the Tramping Club and enjoyed some great trips, including the Milford Track and Stewart Island. His time at school was generally happy (except when waiting outside the Headmaster’s office for ‘guidance”).
Initially he thought he might join the National Parks as a track walker (working on the tracks and huts), but three of his friends, Allan Broome, Gary Borgman and Peter Finn, joined the Army Cadets and hearing about their experiences made him consider a military career instead. In this he was following a strong family tradition of military service. His uncle Pat Cooney KIA, had been a bomber pilot over Belgium and his name can be found on the local memorial and the High School Gates Memorial and his maternal uncle, Matt Hunt was awarded the Military Cross. St Peter’s College values of compassion, commitment and community have been part of Pat’s life since leaving school and they have been strongly mirrored by the Army’s motto of courage, commitment, comradeship and integrity. Joining the infantry, Pat was looking for challenges, working as part of a team and a chance to travel overseas. He came to appreciate the strong outdoor environment of sport and bush trekking he had enjoyed at school as good preparation for army life. The cold climate of Gore winters meant that undergoing training at Waiouru held no surprises weather wise.
Living near Wanganui and commuting weekly to Wellington, at weekends, Pat likes to relax at home and seeing his family. He has four daughters and 12 grandchildren. His hobbies include researching his and his wife’s family histories, target shooting and he enjoys a wide range of music.
Pat still has some family connections in the Gore district, but work and other commitments mean that he doesn’t often get the chance to visit the area now and over the years he has lost touch with many of his peers from school.
There have been many highlights in his army life – promotions and new qualifications, training new recruits and postings abroad in places like East Timor and the Sinai Peninsula. What remains a continuous highlight is the strong comradeship he enjoys from being part of a military service. He recommends this life as a great career choice for young New Zealanders, both boys and girls if they are really keen to make the most of it. It offers many skills and trades and a wide range of development opportunities both here and abroad.
Pat’s army career started 37 years ago when he enlisted through the recruiter in Invercargill in 1976. Although Pat lived in Elizabeth Street in Gore, while he was a day pupil at St Peter’s, he describes his background as more rural than town. His spare time was spent down by the river, or up in the Hokonuis, or at his cousins’ farm at Te Tipua. His strongest memories of his school days are that there was always something happening. It was a great environment, offering excellent options for both academic subjects and sports. He was a keen member of the Tramping Club and enjoyed some great trips, including the Milford Track and Stewart Island. His time at school was generally happy (except when waiting outside the Headmaster’s office for ‘guidance”).
Initially he thought he might join the National Parks as a track walker (working on the tracks and huts), but three of his friends, Allan Broome, Gary Borgman and Peter Finn, joined the Army Cadets and hearing about their experiences made him consider a military career instead. In this he was following a strong family tradition of military service. His uncle Pat Cooney KIA, had been a bomber pilot over Belgium and his name can be found on the local memorial and the High School Gates Memorial and his maternal uncle, Matt Hunt was awarded the Military Cross. St Peter’s College values of compassion, commitment and community have been part of Pat’s life since leaving school and they have been strongly mirrored by the Army’s motto of courage, commitment, comradeship and integrity. Joining the infantry, Pat was looking for challenges, working as part of a team and a chance to travel overseas. He came to appreciate the strong outdoor environment of sport and bush trekking he had enjoyed at school as good preparation for army life. The cold climate of Gore winters meant that undergoing training at Waiouru held no surprises weather wise.
Living near Wanganui and commuting weekly to Wellington, at weekends, Pat likes to relax at home and seeing his family. He has four daughters and 12 grandchildren. His hobbies include researching his and his wife’s family histories, target shooting and he enjoys a wide range of music.
Pat still has some family connections in the Gore district, but work and other commitments mean that he doesn’t often get the chance to visit the area now and over the years he has lost touch with many of his peers from school.
There have been many highlights in his army life – promotions and new qualifications, training new recruits and postings abroad in places like East Timor and the Sinai Peninsula. What remains a continuous highlight is the strong comradeship he enjoys from being part of a military service. He recommends this life as a great career choice for young New Zealanders, both boys and girls if they are really keen to make the most of it. It offers many skills and trades and a wide range of development opportunities both here and abroad.
katrina van de water
Katrina van de Water left school having gained just two subjects at School Certificate. Never part of the in-crowd – short in stature, with glasses, red hair, dyslexic tendencies and she struggled with reading. Not a promising beginning, but there were aspects of school that Katrina loved. Social studies, the spirituality, the singing, the Masses, the vitality of life at St Peter’s under the Rosminians and the Mercy Sisters, all combined to ensure that overall she enjoyed her schooldays. In later life she was able to build on these positive things to become a successful academic.
Katrina was a Gore girl, although she spent some of her childhood at Mandeville where she attended primary school, before moving back to Gore and a year at St Mary’s. The van de Waters were a Catholic family and three of her brothers were pupils at St Peter’s. The family ran a 7 day a week dairy in town among other things. Katrina and her brothers all had turns working in the shop to help out and earn a little pocket money.
When the time came for her to start at St Peter’s, she was given a bike so that she could ride to school. This was one highlight of her school days, another being a trip to Christchurch, when her class sold the most raffle tickets and were rewarded by being taken to see “Jesus Christ, Superstar”.
By the time she reached form 5 in 1976, the family had moved to Dunedin and she completed her education at Moreau College. With her shop experience, she decided on a career in retail at Arthur Barnett’s department store.
Ten years went by, during which time Katrina rose to be a Department Manager/Buyer and decided to re-explore academic life by taking a year off to study at Otago University. One year became three and she gained a degree in Theology. A new career followed, as chaplain at Kavanagh College and buoyed up by her success in gaining a degree, she embarked on a teaching diploma at Wellington. With this under her belt, she moved to Palmerston North and taught Religious Education and her old love – social studies at the Francis Douglas Memorial College. Here she took her education to a higher level still and embarked on a Master’s Degree in Theology, but was also lured by the “call of the wild”.
The de La Salles order wanted teachers to work in remote Aboriginal communities in the Australian desert regions and Katrina found herself completing her Masters by distance learning while teaching at Balgo in the Outback. She loved the desert life and peoples and went on to work as a Religious Education Advisor in Kimberley in the Broome Diocese, while completing a second Master’s Degree in Religious Education.
After a spell as principal of a remote school at Gibb River, she decided to come home to New Zealand after her father died. She returned to a job in Palmerston North as a Religious Education and Tertiary Advisor for the diocese.
By then memories of life in the desert made her realise that she was homesick for Kimberley and she returned to the Outback as a deputy principal in Beagle Bay, before moving on to be principal at Warmun Aboriginal School at Ngalangangpum.
Working with Aboriginal children proved to be tremendously rewarding and her final teaching job was five years at St Mary’s College where fifty per cent of the students were Aboriginal.
Her mother became seriously ill in 2014 and she again returned to NZ and a part-time job with the Dunedin Diocese as Catholic Education Advisor working in Otago and Southland. Based in Roxburgh, she can now enjoy time in her extensive range of hobbies – gardening, fishing, brewing, distilling, pistol shooting, cooking, and keeping chickens.
She has travelled widely – not only to Australia, but also Europe, America, Canada and the Cook Islands. Looking back, Katrina says she has loved all the places in her wide range of experience.
A late starter academically, she still relished the vitality at St Peter’s in the 1970s and has gone on to prove that it’s never too late to learn.
Katrina was a Gore girl, although she spent some of her childhood at Mandeville where she attended primary school, before moving back to Gore and a year at St Mary’s. The van de Waters were a Catholic family and three of her brothers were pupils at St Peter’s. The family ran a 7 day a week dairy in town among other things. Katrina and her brothers all had turns working in the shop to help out and earn a little pocket money.
When the time came for her to start at St Peter’s, she was given a bike so that she could ride to school. This was one highlight of her school days, another being a trip to Christchurch, when her class sold the most raffle tickets and were rewarded by being taken to see “Jesus Christ, Superstar”.
By the time she reached form 5 in 1976, the family had moved to Dunedin and she completed her education at Moreau College. With her shop experience, she decided on a career in retail at Arthur Barnett’s department store.
Ten years went by, during which time Katrina rose to be a Department Manager/Buyer and decided to re-explore academic life by taking a year off to study at Otago University. One year became three and she gained a degree in Theology. A new career followed, as chaplain at Kavanagh College and buoyed up by her success in gaining a degree, she embarked on a teaching diploma at Wellington. With this under her belt, she moved to Palmerston North and taught Religious Education and her old love – social studies at the Francis Douglas Memorial College. Here she took her education to a higher level still and embarked on a Master’s Degree in Theology, but was also lured by the “call of the wild”.
The de La Salles order wanted teachers to work in remote Aboriginal communities in the Australian desert regions and Katrina found herself completing her Masters by distance learning while teaching at Balgo in the Outback. She loved the desert life and peoples and went on to work as a Religious Education Advisor in Kimberley in the Broome Diocese, while completing a second Master’s Degree in Religious Education.
After a spell as principal of a remote school at Gibb River, she decided to come home to New Zealand after her father died. She returned to a job in Palmerston North as a Religious Education and Tertiary Advisor for the diocese.
By then memories of life in the desert made her realise that she was homesick for Kimberley and she returned to the Outback as a deputy principal in Beagle Bay, before moving on to be principal at Warmun Aboriginal School at Ngalangangpum.
Working with Aboriginal children proved to be tremendously rewarding and her final teaching job was five years at St Mary’s College where fifty per cent of the students were Aboriginal.
Her mother became seriously ill in 2014 and she again returned to NZ and a part-time job with the Dunedin Diocese as Catholic Education Advisor working in Otago and Southland. Based in Roxburgh, she can now enjoy time in her extensive range of hobbies – gardening, fishing, brewing, distilling, pistol shooting, cooking, and keeping chickens.
She has travelled widely – not only to Australia, but also Europe, America, Canada and the Cook Islands. Looking back, Katrina says she has loved all the places in her wide range of experience.
A late starter academically, she still relished the vitality at St Peter’s in the 1970s and has gone on to prove that it’s never too late to learn.
john gallagher
John Gallaher’s roles on the Dunedin Diocesan Board of Education and the New Zealand Catholic Education Board, enable him to play a part in ensuring that today’s children have access to the same quality of Catholic education that he enjoyed. John sees these roles as “closing the circle” and “giving something back”.
He joined St Peter’s College in 1972 in the 4th form, from Invercargill’s Marist High School. He didn’t really know what to expect as a boarder and spent the first year settling in and getting used to the new way of life away from home.
At the time, St Peter’s offered a different way of doing things in secondary education. The regime fostered European influenced, forward thinking teaching methods and had high expectations of its pupils.
Now, looking back, John says that he was fortunate to have been taught by the Rosminians and Mercy Sisters with their emphasis on excellence and their insistence that you give one hundred per cent, while they instilled in you the confidence to do so. Whilst their regime may have been more liberal than was usual at the time, pupils were left in no doubt that there would be repercussions if privileges were abused.
In this environment, John flourished and felt able to have a go at many new challenges, like singing solo in the Eisteddfod and becoming involved in sports that were new to him. He took up basketball and enjoyed it so much that he began coaching year one and two pupils in the school. As their coach, he took real pride in the youngsters’ efforts, especially when he got them involved in inter-school matches. This early involvement has led to a lifelong association with basketball in New Zealand. As well as playing the game for 40 years, John went on to become involved in and then organise the sport in Otago, then became President and Chair of New Zealand Basketball and now sits on the sport’s global Finance Board in Geneva.
While still at school, John had the idea that he would like to go on and train as an architect, but after being away from home as a boarder at St Paul’s Without the Walls, he decided to take a year out after school and live at home in Invercargill, rather than going away to start training immediately. While at home he took a job with ANZ and this led to him studying some units in commerce. He found that he rather enjoyed it and went on to complete a degree at Otago University in Accounting and Information Systems. He spent time working in the areas of accounting, computing and finance including Marac Finance.
By 1985, now married, and with a growing interest in the stock market, he moved to Dunedin and began his career with Forsyth Barr. New opportunities within the firm, as it grew into a national organization, have presented him with regular challenges over the years and now thirty years on he can look back and say that he has enjoyed every day.
John holds an impressive list of directorships and chairmanships in a diverse range of commercial and non-profit organisations. When asked “how he keeps so many balls in the air?” he says that he focusses on what’s important and doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Once he had completed his final school year and began working full time and studying part time, he learned to be well organised, get the best out of others and focus on outcomes. Although his particular interests lie in the field of education, he is involved with such organisations as City Forests, the Mercy Hospital, the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust, and the Young Enterprise Trust. With the latter he works as a mentor and introduces young people to the challenges and rewards of a career in finance. His own career has been positive for family life, thanks to the ongoing support of his wife Marelda. The eldest of their four children, Matthew, has followed dad into a career in finance and marketing, whilst daughter Samara plays professional basketball in Melbourne and is a NZ Tall Fern. Younger son Tom is training to be a teacher and daughter Hanna is in her final year at Kavanagh College.
Becoming Chair of the Tui Motu Foundation, John had the opportunity of again “closing the circle” by working with Fr. Michael Hill and Fr.John Buckner, his old teachers from St Peter’s College to set up Tui Motu, the Catholic magazine. As John says “it’s all about giving something back”.
He joined St Peter’s College in 1972 in the 4th form, from Invercargill’s Marist High School. He didn’t really know what to expect as a boarder and spent the first year settling in and getting used to the new way of life away from home.
At the time, St Peter’s offered a different way of doing things in secondary education. The regime fostered European influenced, forward thinking teaching methods and had high expectations of its pupils.
Now, looking back, John says that he was fortunate to have been taught by the Rosminians and Mercy Sisters with their emphasis on excellence and their insistence that you give one hundred per cent, while they instilled in you the confidence to do so. Whilst their regime may have been more liberal than was usual at the time, pupils were left in no doubt that there would be repercussions if privileges were abused.
In this environment, John flourished and felt able to have a go at many new challenges, like singing solo in the Eisteddfod and becoming involved in sports that were new to him. He took up basketball and enjoyed it so much that he began coaching year one and two pupils in the school. As their coach, he took real pride in the youngsters’ efforts, especially when he got them involved in inter-school matches. This early involvement has led to a lifelong association with basketball in New Zealand. As well as playing the game for 40 years, John went on to become involved in and then organise the sport in Otago, then became President and Chair of New Zealand Basketball and now sits on the sport’s global Finance Board in Geneva.
While still at school, John had the idea that he would like to go on and train as an architect, but after being away from home as a boarder at St Paul’s Without the Walls, he decided to take a year out after school and live at home in Invercargill, rather than going away to start training immediately. While at home he took a job with ANZ and this led to him studying some units in commerce. He found that he rather enjoyed it and went on to complete a degree at Otago University in Accounting and Information Systems. He spent time working in the areas of accounting, computing and finance including Marac Finance.
By 1985, now married, and with a growing interest in the stock market, he moved to Dunedin and began his career with Forsyth Barr. New opportunities within the firm, as it grew into a national organization, have presented him with regular challenges over the years and now thirty years on he can look back and say that he has enjoyed every day.
John holds an impressive list of directorships and chairmanships in a diverse range of commercial and non-profit organisations. When asked “how he keeps so many balls in the air?” he says that he focusses on what’s important and doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Once he had completed his final school year and began working full time and studying part time, he learned to be well organised, get the best out of others and focus on outcomes. Although his particular interests lie in the field of education, he is involved with such organisations as City Forests, the Mercy Hospital, the Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust, and the Young Enterprise Trust. With the latter he works as a mentor and introduces young people to the challenges and rewards of a career in finance. His own career has been positive for family life, thanks to the ongoing support of his wife Marelda. The eldest of their four children, Matthew, has followed dad into a career in finance and marketing, whilst daughter Samara plays professional basketball in Melbourne and is a NZ Tall Fern. Younger son Tom is training to be a teacher and daughter Hanna is in her final year at Kavanagh College.
Becoming Chair of the Tui Motu Foundation, John had the opportunity of again “closing the circle” by working with Fr. Michael Hill and Fr.John Buckner, his old teachers from St Peter’s College to set up Tui Motu, the Catholic magazine. As John says “it’s all about giving something back”.
brendan sheehan
Not many eleven year old boys could say that they had driven the two biggest earth moving machines in the country. While still at primary school, Brendan Sheehan did just that and already knew that when he grew up, he wanted to be an engineer.
Achieving that aim took guts and determination, especially as with a less than glowing academic record, Brendan wasn’t encouraged to aim for it at school. His attitude in class had always been “Why learn Shakespeare, when you want to be an engineer?” Luckily, his mother did encourage his ambitions and wanted to know how he was going to achieve them and this was all the incentive he needed.
One of four brothers who attended St Peter’s College as boarders, Brendan made lifelong friends at school. He integrated well and soon got involved with camps and sports and loved all outdoor activities. Brendan’s Dad had been a builder, but sadly, had died when Brendan was just eight. Family friends with a big earth moving company provided a strong role model for the young Brendan and his interest in engineering grew from that. At school, the boarding experience taught him how to get along with others and be tolerant with different types of people – a life skill that has proved useful in his career and life in general.
From St Peter’s, Brendan moved on to SIT in Invercargill to study for a Diploma in Civil Engineering and a job at the Ministry of Works was the first step in achieving his goal. Experiencing the world of work meant that he could develop both his practical and theoretical skills and despite having a serious accident he followed his ambition. An OE with class mates from St Peter’s lasted for four years. He based himself in London and took advantage of the building boom there and when a financial blip meant that work dried up he went off travelling again and manged to visit large parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, USA and Canada.
Returning to New Zealand in 1991, Brendan undertook further studies to enable him to progress his career and enrolled at Canterbury University in 1993 to study for a Civil Engineering degree as a mature student. This involved mastering Year 12 maths, which he’d never quite managed to master at school. His degree then led to work with a company who at that time, were doing repairs to large dams. They employed international consultants to oversee the work and suddenly Brendan discovered a whole new side of engineering that he knew nothing about but wanted to embrace. His next step was to enrol at Virginia Tech in the U.S.A. to study for a Master’s Degree specialising in dams and he then spent nine months gaining work experience working in San Francisco with a firm of international consultants.
Back in New Zealand with a new qualification and greater experience, he was able to work for an electricity company on big dams and by 2007 he was ready to go it alone and set up Mount Aurum Engineering Consultants Ltd. in Wanaka, which provides civil and dam engineering expertise across a wide variety of projects.
Brendan sources and works on projects in both Australia and New Zealand including dams, hydro-electric power schemes, town water supplies and large irrigation developments. Brendan works with a wide variety of consultants who are engaged to support design and implementation of these projects.
Reflecting on his choice of career, Brendan recommends any type of engineering as a stimulating environment for young people to work in. It demands not only mathematical skills but also well-developed people skills and he says that even after doing ten years of training he’s still learning.
Brendan named his company after Mount Aurum, the highest mountain visible from his Skippers Canyon crib. This is where he continues to enjoy the great outdoors with his wife and four year old daughter.
Achieving that aim took guts and determination, especially as with a less than glowing academic record, Brendan wasn’t encouraged to aim for it at school. His attitude in class had always been “Why learn Shakespeare, when you want to be an engineer?” Luckily, his mother did encourage his ambitions and wanted to know how he was going to achieve them and this was all the incentive he needed.
One of four brothers who attended St Peter’s College as boarders, Brendan made lifelong friends at school. He integrated well and soon got involved with camps and sports and loved all outdoor activities. Brendan’s Dad had been a builder, but sadly, had died when Brendan was just eight. Family friends with a big earth moving company provided a strong role model for the young Brendan and his interest in engineering grew from that. At school, the boarding experience taught him how to get along with others and be tolerant with different types of people – a life skill that has proved useful in his career and life in general.
From St Peter’s, Brendan moved on to SIT in Invercargill to study for a Diploma in Civil Engineering and a job at the Ministry of Works was the first step in achieving his goal. Experiencing the world of work meant that he could develop both his practical and theoretical skills and despite having a serious accident he followed his ambition. An OE with class mates from St Peter’s lasted for four years. He based himself in London and took advantage of the building boom there and when a financial blip meant that work dried up he went off travelling again and manged to visit large parts of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, USA and Canada.
Returning to New Zealand in 1991, Brendan undertook further studies to enable him to progress his career and enrolled at Canterbury University in 1993 to study for a Civil Engineering degree as a mature student. This involved mastering Year 12 maths, which he’d never quite managed to master at school. His degree then led to work with a company who at that time, were doing repairs to large dams. They employed international consultants to oversee the work and suddenly Brendan discovered a whole new side of engineering that he knew nothing about but wanted to embrace. His next step was to enrol at Virginia Tech in the U.S.A. to study for a Master’s Degree specialising in dams and he then spent nine months gaining work experience working in San Francisco with a firm of international consultants.
Back in New Zealand with a new qualification and greater experience, he was able to work for an electricity company on big dams and by 2007 he was ready to go it alone and set up Mount Aurum Engineering Consultants Ltd. in Wanaka, which provides civil and dam engineering expertise across a wide variety of projects.
Brendan sources and works on projects in both Australia and New Zealand including dams, hydro-electric power schemes, town water supplies and large irrigation developments. Brendan works with a wide variety of consultants who are engaged to support design and implementation of these projects.
Reflecting on his choice of career, Brendan recommends any type of engineering as a stimulating environment for young people to work in. It demands not only mathematical skills but also well-developed people skills and he says that even after doing ten years of training he’s still learning.
Brendan named his company after Mount Aurum, the highest mountain visible from his Skippers Canyon crib. This is where he continues to enjoy the great outdoors with his wife and four year old daughter.
paul borgman
Paul Borgman is enjoying school now more than he did as a pupil forty years ago.
As a former member of the St Peter’s College Board of Trustees, he shares in the responsibility for school governance and strategic planning. Now into his second term on the Board, he is keenly aware that their mission is to ensure that they provide the very best quality education with the available resources. As he observes, the outcome of all the policies and planning is “the student” and how they turn out.
As a student himself, Paul was the youngest in a family of seven children. The Borgmans had emigrated from Holland to New Zealand in 1953. A staunchly Catholic family, they first arrived at Port Chalmers by ship and after almost a year in Dunedin, moved to Gore. Mr Borgman Snr. worked as a dental technician in the Fairfield Dental building and daughters Carol and Yvonne were first day pupils at St Peter’s College.
Paul started his education at St Mary’s and remembers when the old building burned down. When he moved up to senior school he didn’t enjoy a very auspicious start - being a victim of bullying and didn’t particularly relish school work either in the early years. He did enjoy the photography club and spending time in the library and outdoor education trips to Borland Camp. He has good memories of Brother Ted’s science lessons and of kindly support from the staff when his father passed away in 1981.
By the time he reached his final years at the school things had improved for him, with access to the Common Room, more privileges and good friends, Paul was enjoying the experience more, but had no clear goal in mind for a future career. His mother wouldn’t let him leave school until he had a job to go to, so Paul got a position as a parts assistant at the Ford dealership in Gore. This went well until the dealership folded in 1986 and he was made redundant. Signing on with an employment agency he found a new role as an insurance representative with NZI. Paul had found his niche and went on to become an insurance manager, working with the company for over fifteen years. An opportunity then arose to set up as an insurance broker in his own right and he still runs this established business in the town.
Now married to Jo, who worked in the school's office for a number of years, Paul’s life is very family focussed and his two sons are current pupils at the school. He feels strongly that Gore is an ideal place to bring up children and the family enjoy a rural lifestyle close to the town, where they keep alpacas and chickens.
Paul is enthusiastic about the animals, maintaining that alpacas make ideal pets, as well as providing high quality fibre to sell. Apart from shearing, nail trimming and an annual dose of vitamins, they need little more that their food and make great companions.
When he left school, Paul didn’t go a big OE round the world, but sees that as a goal for when his two sons leave home and he and Jo have more time on their hands. In the meantime, by staying in the town, sending his sons to his old school and serving on the Board of Trustees, Paul has given a great vote of confidence both to Gore and to St Peter’s College.
As a former member of the St Peter’s College Board of Trustees, he shares in the responsibility for school governance and strategic planning. Now into his second term on the Board, he is keenly aware that their mission is to ensure that they provide the very best quality education with the available resources. As he observes, the outcome of all the policies and planning is “the student” and how they turn out.
As a student himself, Paul was the youngest in a family of seven children. The Borgmans had emigrated from Holland to New Zealand in 1953. A staunchly Catholic family, they first arrived at Port Chalmers by ship and after almost a year in Dunedin, moved to Gore. Mr Borgman Snr. worked as a dental technician in the Fairfield Dental building and daughters Carol and Yvonne were first day pupils at St Peter’s College.
Paul started his education at St Mary’s and remembers when the old building burned down. When he moved up to senior school he didn’t enjoy a very auspicious start - being a victim of bullying and didn’t particularly relish school work either in the early years. He did enjoy the photography club and spending time in the library and outdoor education trips to Borland Camp. He has good memories of Brother Ted’s science lessons and of kindly support from the staff when his father passed away in 1981.
By the time he reached his final years at the school things had improved for him, with access to the Common Room, more privileges and good friends, Paul was enjoying the experience more, but had no clear goal in mind for a future career. His mother wouldn’t let him leave school until he had a job to go to, so Paul got a position as a parts assistant at the Ford dealership in Gore. This went well until the dealership folded in 1986 and he was made redundant. Signing on with an employment agency he found a new role as an insurance representative with NZI. Paul had found his niche and went on to become an insurance manager, working with the company for over fifteen years. An opportunity then arose to set up as an insurance broker in his own right and he still runs this established business in the town.
Now married to Jo, who worked in the school's office for a number of years, Paul’s life is very family focussed and his two sons are current pupils at the school. He feels strongly that Gore is an ideal place to bring up children and the family enjoy a rural lifestyle close to the town, where they keep alpacas and chickens.
Paul is enthusiastic about the animals, maintaining that alpacas make ideal pets, as well as providing high quality fibre to sell. Apart from shearing, nail trimming and an annual dose of vitamins, they need little more that their food and make great companions.
When he left school, Paul didn’t go a big OE round the world, but sees that as a goal for when his two sons leave home and he and Jo have more time on their hands. In the meantime, by staying in the town, sending his sons to his old school and serving on the Board of Trustees, Paul has given a great vote of confidence both to Gore and to St Peter’s College.
DAVID BONE
|
“I enjoy my work because it pushes you out of your comfort zone every day”, says St John Station Manager and Paramedic, David Bone. “You are helping people, but the job can be exciting and scary sometimes and you never know what to expect when you come to work.”
David’s early years as a schoolboy at St Peter’s College, gave no indication of the level of responsibility that he would later assume. Born in Invercargill, he moved with his family to Gore and started school at St Mary’s. As one of the “baby boomers” he had lots of other children to play with in the town – popular pastimes were rafting on the river, going fishing and riding their bikes. Moving up to senior school to join his older sister, he found St Peter’s very large and intimidating at first. Once he settled in he found that he was good at maths, average at sports and being slightly dyslexic, written subjects were more challenging. David loved being outdoors, so trips to camp were the highlights of his schooldays. Life after school offered no clear career path and he worked on farms and as a storeman for a while until he was made redundant. A new job at Blue Mountain Lumber Company at Tapanui allowed him to thrive and after three years of study he received an Excellence in his Tradesman Saw Doctor qualifications, becoming the Top Apprentice in New Zealand with the highest mark for a Trade Certificate for 1988. By now married to Carmel McLay also an ex St Peter’s student, he went on to do the Advanced Trade Certificate and gained a National Certificate in first Line Management, taking on a more managerial role. Forestry is well known for being a high accident risk industry and during his time at Blue Mountain Lumber, David became a First Responder and in charge of the company’s private ambulance. With a staff of 400 there was plenty of demand for First Aid and occasional major accidents to deal with. By 2011 after working in the forestry industry for 20 years, it was time for a change and he applied for an Emergency Medical Technician’s job with St John in Gore. It was fortuitous timing as news came that the saw mill was closing down and he was losing his job, but an hour later he heard from St John that he had been successful – he was only redundant for an hour! His new full time role at St John brought its own challenges, but after a further two years, he gained his Paramedic qualification and in 2013 took on the Station Manager’s role. Working for St John is a career that David would recommend to young people today, but advises that it’s a good idea to get some life experience first. You never know what you’ll have to deal with when you come to work – it could be anything from a routine hospital transfer to a crashed bus load of foreign tourists. Unwinding at the end of his shifts, David enjoys family time – he has four children, three are ex-students of St Peter’s and Kerrin is still completing her studies in school. Ironically he also enjoys sawing up wood – using his skills from his forestry days is a great way to relax. |
|
Kate (Kathy) O’Neill
|
I’m still working as a Lighting Technician here at the Sydney Opera House. We’re between shows at the moment – just finished a matinee of Top Girls and having a break before tonight’s performance. I was the first female technician permanently employed in this position back in 1982 – liked it so much that I’ve hung around for 36 years. I had my first theatrical experience at St Peters performing in The Diary of Anne Frank, the Importance of Being Earnest and The Winslow Boy, but my preference has always been backstage. It was a challenge being the only woman on the crew, especially with some of the hard line attitudes of some of my co-workers but I just got on with the job. It’s not rocket science but it’s challenging, demanding and so, so, rewarding.
I did do a Bachelor of Arts at Otago University while I was trying to figure out my life and have followed that up with a Post Grad in Arts Management and am at present finishing off a Post Grad in History, because I do enjoy learning. I am very grateful for the inspiration of people like Father Hurdidge, Brother Tedesco and Sister Mary Andrew, to name a few, and I hope to catch up with many others at the 2019 reunion. I was very fortunate to be among the first students at the beginning of St Peters and I think the school’s innovative attitude towards teaching was an inspiration to me at the time – although my school results may not of reflected that – and it’s not for want of trying by some very talented teachers. I hope I’ve made up for that since then and I am very grateful for their commitment. I have a 19yr old son who is just starting to study at Macquarie University and the best I can hope for him is that he meets educators, who are as dedicated and inspirational as those I had at St Peters College, Gore |
Kate in the Green Room of the Sydney Opera House
|
1980-89 Students
damian ryan
Damian Ryan (Head Boy and Dux in 1992) recently returned to visit St Peter’s while holidaying here from the UK. He said it felt good to be back on familiar ground and although the school layout looked the same, there were many more facilities and he could sense a great cultural change. He was struck by the aspirations and achievements of today’s students, many of whom are featured in displays around the corridors.
Damian grew up on his family’s farm at Balfour and came to St Peter’s as a boarder and has especially good memories of his final two years in school. While here, he had the opportunity to take part in debating and public speaking sessions and the Bishop’s Shield competition and knew even then that he would like a career in diplomacy.
An agricultural science degree from Lincoln University, followed by a 4 year OE and then post graduate studies in International relations at Uni in Dunedin, led him to a job at the ministry in Wellington dealing with international trade and climate negotiations. After two years there, he left for the UK and was perfectly placed to take up a job with The Climate Group, newly formed by Tony Blair. This is an independent non-profit making organisation, working with governments and business leaders to help determine policies to alleviate climate change at a national and international level.
When asked if he was pessimistic about the effects of climate change, Damian pointed out that his organisation viewed it in a positive light – as an opportunity issue which can lead to better economies: Carbon down –Profit up. He highlighted examples of countries which were leaders in the field – Denmark with its pioneering of wind technology, Costa Rica, protecting 100 per cent of its rainforest, Scotland aiming for 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. He expressed a wish that the NZ government would be more ambitious in its aims to reduce carbon production, but conceded that there were special difficulties here as a large proportion of it was produced by agriculture.
As Senior Policy Manager of The Climate Group, Damian’s high powered job brings him into contact with many figures on the world stage, i.e. Ban Ki-moon, Helen Clark, Tony Blair and Richard Branson, but from his home in Oxford he takes part in the same outdoor pursuits that he enjoyed in New Zealand – cycle touring, skiing and running and he has taken part in marathons in both London and Edinburgh. He clearly finds his work both absorbing and hugely worthwhile and is happily settled in the UK for the moment, but he admits that one day he would like to return to New Zealand to carry on the good work here.
Damian grew up on his family’s farm at Balfour and came to St Peter’s as a boarder and has especially good memories of his final two years in school. While here, he had the opportunity to take part in debating and public speaking sessions and the Bishop’s Shield competition and knew even then that he would like a career in diplomacy.
An agricultural science degree from Lincoln University, followed by a 4 year OE and then post graduate studies in International relations at Uni in Dunedin, led him to a job at the ministry in Wellington dealing with international trade and climate negotiations. After two years there, he left for the UK and was perfectly placed to take up a job with The Climate Group, newly formed by Tony Blair. This is an independent non-profit making organisation, working with governments and business leaders to help determine policies to alleviate climate change at a national and international level.
When asked if he was pessimistic about the effects of climate change, Damian pointed out that his organisation viewed it in a positive light – as an opportunity issue which can lead to better economies: Carbon down –Profit up. He highlighted examples of countries which were leaders in the field – Denmark with its pioneering of wind technology, Costa Rica, protecting 100 per cent of its rainforest, Scotland aiming for 100 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. He expressed a wish that the NZ government would be more ambitious in its aims to reduce carbon production, but conceded that there were special difficulties here as a large proportion of it was produced by agriculture.
As Senior Policy Manager of The Climate Group, Damian’s high powered job brings him into contact with many figures on the world stage, i.e. Ban Ki-moon, Helen Clark, Tony Blair and Richard Branson, but from his home in Oxford he takes part in the same outdoor pursuits that he enjoyed in New Zealand – cycle touring, skiing and running and he has taken part in marathons in both London and Edinburgh. He clearly finds his work both absorbing and hugely worthwhile and is happily settled in the UK for the moment, but he admits that one day he would like to return to New Zealand to carry on the good work here.
mike puru
When he finished his spell as Head Boy at St Peter’s in 1993, Mike Puru wrote a piece for the his fellow pupils in “The Rock”. Intending to inspire them, he wrote “YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN”. And then he did.
Brought up in the countryside, he enjoyed the laid back kind of childhood that Southland offers – going eeling, helping out at local farms and doing a paper round.
Life wasn’t all straightforward though, when Mike was nine and living at Waikoikoi, the Puru house burned down. While the family and bystanders waited for the fire brigade to arrive, fate took an odd turn when Martin Thyne, deputy principal of St Peter’s drove past. Stopping to see if he could help, he spoke to Mrs Puru and finding that Mike’s elder sister was due to start secondary school, he promised that St Peter’s would assist in any way possible. As a result of that encounter, Mike and his two sisters became pupils at St Peter’s and Mike’s journey into radio and TV had begun.
By chance his new form teacher was Lindy Cavanagh, who was involved in the local operatic society’s production of The Wizard of Oz and encouraged her class to audition for Munchkin parts in the chorus. Mike so enjoyed the experience that the following year his “you can make it happen” philosophy prompted him to audition for a leading role. He didn’t get it, but did move up from the chorus and his love of performing grew.
At school he took part in Eisteddfods and won both duet and solo prizes. Under the headship of John Boyce, the emphasis at St Peter’s had recently changed from sports, which had traditionally dominated, to more cultural pursuits, like music and debating. In this environment Mike flourished.
As well as his interest in music and performance, he was fascinated by technology and in particular, radio, which was his subject in an assignment about a career. Mike set up St Peter’s own radio show, where he was able to present the week’s events in school in a one hour slot from Invercargill. A studio and engineer were provided but Mike needed sponsorship to fund the project. Making it happen involved writing to the Lottery Commission and being awarded $5000 to cover costs. From this followed a day working at Hokonui Gold Radio station – he had found his metier. Part time work at the station followed and Mike was quick to volunteer to fill in when someone was off sick or to do holiday cover.
In his final year Mike became Head Boy and looks back on his time at school with happy memories. He acknowledges that as a Maori student he found the first few years hard, but while at school, he learned how to relate to other people and treat them with respect and those lessons have stayed with him ever since. His experience at school and in local radio meant that he was accepted at NZ Broadcasting School and he spent seven years in Hamilton before moving on to Auckland.
Today he is one of the morning presenters on The Edge music station. He’s appeared in a variety of TV roles and met and interviewed a host of world class celebrities. Looking back he sees a clear path from that first audition for the Wizard of Oz and having the confidence for school radio and being Head Boy. From there it was a natural progression to national TV and radio. He made it happen.
Brought up in the countryside, he enjoyed the laid back kind of childhood that Southland offers – going eeling, helping out at local farms and doing a paper round.
Life wasn’t all straightforward though, when Mike was nine and living at Waikoikoi, the Puru house burned down. While the family and bystanders waited for the fire brigade to arrive, fate took an odd turn when Martin Thyne, deputy principal of St Peter’s drove past. Stopping to see if he could help, he spoke to Mrs Puru and finding that Mike’s elder sister was due to start secondary school, he promised that St Peter’s would assist in any way possible. As a result of that encounter, Mike and his two sisters became pupils at St Peter’s and Mike’s journey into radio and TV had begun.
By chance his new form teacher was Lindy Cavanagh, who was involved in the local operatic society’s production of The Wizard of Oz and encouraged her class to audition for Munchkin parts in the chorus. Mike so enjoyed the experience that the following year his “you can make it happen” philosophy prompted him to audition for a leading role. He didn’t get it, but did move up from the chorus and his love of performing grew.
At school he took part in Eisteddfods and won both duet and solo prizes. Under the headship of John Boyce, the emphasis at St Peter’s had recently changed from sports, which had traditionally dominated, to more cultural pursuits, like music and debating. In this environment Mike flourished.
As well as his interest in music and performance, he was fascinated by technology and in particular, radio, which was his subject in an assignment about a career. Mike set up St Peter’s own radio show, where he was able to present the week’s events in school in a one hour slot from Invercargill. A studio and engineer were provided but Mike needed sponsorship to fund the project. Making it happen involved writing to the Lottery Commission and being awarded $5000 to cover costs. From this followed a day working at Hokonui Gold Radio station – he had found his metier. Part time work at the station followed and Mike was quick to volunteer to fill in when someone was off sick or to do holiday cover.
In his final year Mike became Head Boy and looks back on his time at school with happy memories. He acknowledges that as a Maori student he found the first few years hard, but while at school, he learned how to relate to other people and treat them with respect and those lessons have stayed with him ever since. His experience at school and in local radio meant that he was accepted at NZ Broadcasting School and he spent seven years in Hamilton before moving on to Auckland.
Today he is one of the morning presenters on The Edge music station. He’s appeared in a variety of TV roles and met and interviewed a host of world class celebrities. Looking back he sees a clear path from that first audition for the Wizard of Oz and having the confidence for school radio and being Head Boy. From there it was a natural progression to national TV and radio. He made it happen.
ray parker
From 1978-1982, Ray Parker was one of a particularly dynamic group of students at St Peter’s College. In school they felt comfortable pushing the boundaries, both academically and with co-curricular activities. It was encouraged to take part in all of the activities on offer and the co-hort competed enthusiastically in the Eisteddfod, the Bishop’s Shield, School musical, House competitions and in a full range of sporting activities.
Ray was a boarder in the SPC Hostel and remembers his school days as happy and challenging. Outside of school hours he recalls many memorable outings with one of the Brothers at the wheel of the school minibus, setting off for a favourite swimming hole or a keenly contested table tennis match. Many lifelong friendships were formed in these years, not least with classmate Sharon Corcoran, who later became his wife.
Life in the Hostel provided a very structured day. There was no time for TV, and study and revision could become group activities where ideas sparked back and forth.
Ray came from a farming background in Roxburgh, but these were hard years for farmers, so he took extra lessons in accountancy at Gore High School in years 12 and 13, as it wasn’t then available at St Peter’s.
He went on to gain a scholarship to Otago University from an accountancy firm in Invercargill and went back south to work for them as a chartered accountant, after graduation.
A return to Dunedin found him working for a client who started buying farms to convert to dairying and this project grew into the world’s largest pastoral dairy farm owning company, Tasman Agriculture, which listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. At just 26 he was appointed CEO of Tasman and they went on to own 96 farms – 73 in the South Island and 23 in Tasmania.
Later when the farms were successfully sold down, Ray was employed by Fonterra as General Manager, Shareholder Services, later developing his own business interests in the Rural and Commercial sector. He has recently joined ASB as a Rural Corporate Manager, based in Dunedin.
Throughout his career he has worked with young people looking to progress and has found working with the Young Enterprise Schemes to be particularly satisfying. He would like to see a much broader understanding of career options offered in schools as well as an emphasis on teaching Mandarin and Spanish. These are the languages that business will need in the future, as New Zealand develops trade with the Chinese and South American markets.
Ray also sees a need for more agricultural teaching in NZ schools, with agricultural scholarships for boarders. He feels strongly that the education that he received at SPC fitted him for the role that he has today, both academically and socially and hostel life was a great preparation for life away from home at university.
In his spare time ray enjoys water skiing, boating, mountain biking and walking when he gets away to his holiday home in Twizel to relax with his family. Early musical participation in school Eisteddfods resulted from the competitive spirit amongst his peers and he has continued his interest in the guitar and banjo, but a part in his wider family’s band was short lived.
Ray has been able to maintain his connections with agriculture through its need for strong financial backing. Asked about future trends, he would like to see the country investing more in start-ups, cutting edge technology and home grown businesses, plus recognising Ag for the value it brings to the economy and local communities.
He speaks from experience.
Ray was a boarder in the SPC Hostel and remembers his school days as happy and challenging. Outside of school hours he recalls many memorable outings with one of the Brothers at the wheel of the school minibus, setting off for a favourite swimming hole or a keenly contested table tennis match. Many lifelong friendships were formed in these years, not least with classmate Sharon Corcoran, who later became his wife.
Life in the Hostel provided a very structured day. There was no time for TV, and study and revision could become group activities where ideas sparked back and forth.
Ray came from a farming background in Roxburgh, but these were hard years for farmers, so he took extra lessons in accountancy at Gore High School in years 12 and 13, as it wasn’t then available at St Peter’s.
He went on to gain a scholarship to Otago University from an accountancy firm in Invercargill and went back south to work for them as a chartered accountant, after graduation.
A return to Dunedin found him working for a client who started buying farms to convert to dairying and this project grew into the world’s largest pastoral dairy farm owning company, Tasman Agriculture, which listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. At just 26 he was appointed CEO of Tasman and they went on to own 96 farms – 73 in the South Island and 23 in Tasmania.
Later when the farms were successfully sold down, Ray was employed by Fonterra as General Manager, Shareholder Services, later developing his own business interests in the Rural and Commercial sector. He has recently joined ASB as a Rural Corporate Manager, based in Dunedin.
Throughout his career he has worked with young people looking to progress and has found working with the Young Enterprise Schemes to be particularly satisfying. He would like to see a much broader understanding of career options offered in schools as well as an emphasis on teaching Mandarin and Spanish. These are the languages that business will need in the future, as New Zealand develops trade with the Chinese and South American markets.
Ray also sees a need for more agricultural teaching in NZ schools, with agricultural scholarships for boarders. He feels strongly that the education that he received at SPC fitted him for the role that he has today, both academically and socially and hostel life was a great preparation for life away from home at university.
In his spare time ray enjoys water skiing, boating, mountain biking and walking when he gets away to his holiday home in Twizel to relax with his family. Early musical participation in school Eisteddfods resulted from the competitive spirit amongst his peers and he has continued his interest in the guitar and banjo, but a part in his wider family’s band was short lived.
Ray has been able to maintain his connections with agriculture through its need for strong financial backing. Asked about future trends, he would like to see the country investing more in start-ups, cutting edge technology and home grown businesses, plus recognising Ag for the value it brings to the economy and local communities.
He speaks from experience.
jackie bristow
Ex St Peter’s pupil and country music recording artist, Jackie Bristow, has returned to Southland from Texas, for a 2013 working summer holiday, which includes appearances in Gore, Heriot and Invercargill.
Jackie is spending time back home in NZ before heading off to Australia to appear on the Hunter Festival stage. She has just completed her fourth album with producer Brady Blade and plans to move from Texas to Los Angeles later this year.
Jackie is spending time back home in NZ before heading off to Australia to appear on the Hunter Festival stage. She has just completed her fourth album with producer Brady Blade and plans to move from Texas to Los Angeles later this year.
dominic flatley
District Court Judge Dominic Flatley returned to St Peter’s College in October 2012 for the first time in thirty years. Although the school seemed smaller than he remembered and a few rooms had changed function, it was mostly reassuringly familiar.
Dominic was guest speaker at the Blues Assembly. In 1982, as Head Boy, he had spoken on the same stage at the school’s first ever prize giving ceremony. He told his audience that his memories of his time as a pupil at St Peter’s were happy ones. He had enjoyed being part of a close knit and nurturing community, where he made lasting friendships and still sees many of his old school friends today.
He described himself as academically average at school, but he excelled as a swimmer and swimming has remained his passion. He was president of the swimming club in Invercargill until recently and still swims two or three times a week and takes part in international competitions.
When he left St Peter’s for Otago University he thought he might go on to teach, but then had a feeling that he should study law and after graduating, practised as a lawyer in Central Otago for two years.
Dominic’s family had originally emigrated from England to New Zealand when he was just five years old. His father was a printer and worked first at the Southland Times in Invercargill and then at the Ensign in Gore. After his spell as a lawyer, Dominic and his wife decided to travel to the UK. Although he intended to work there as a swimming coach, he was drawn back to the law and worked for a legal firm in South London that specialised in Family Law. It was here that his future direction became clear and he knew that he wanted to work as a family lawyer and after returning to NZ, he went on to set up his own practice in Christchurch.
While there, he enrolled at Canterbury University in 1998 and gained a Masters in Education in 2003. Through his legal work he had became interested in child development and this informed his work with children caught up in legal battles involving neglect, abuse and parental separation.
Today this experience informs his work as a District Court Judge based in Dunedin. His philosophy of “the more you put in, the more you get out” has stood him in good stead as he has risen in his profession and shown just what a boy from Gore can achieve.
Dominic was guest speaker at the Blues Assembly. In 1982, as Head Boy, he had spoken on the same stage at the school’s first ever prize giving ceremony. He told his audience that his memories of his time as a pupil at St Peter’s were happy ones. He had enjoyed being part of a close knit and nurturing community, where he made lasting friendships and still sees many of his old school friends today.
He described himself as academically average at school, but he excelled as a swimmer and swimming has remained his passion. He was president of the swimming club in Invercargill until recently and still swims two or three times a week and takes part in international competitions.
When he left St Peter’s for Otago University he thought he might go on to teach, but then had a feeling that he should study law and after graduating, practised as a lawyer in Central Otago for two years.
Dominic’s family had originally emigrated from England to New Zealand when he was just five years old. His father was a printer and worked first at the Southland Times in Invercargill and then at the Ensign in Gore. After his spell as a lawyer, Dominic and his wife decided to travel to the UK. Although he intended to work there as a swimming coach, he was drawn back to the law and worked for a legal firm in South London that specialised in Family Law. It was here that his future direction became clear and he knew that he wanted to work as a family lawyer and after returning to NZ, he went on to set up his own practice in Christchurch.
While there, he enrolled at Canterbury University in 1998 and gained a Masters in Education in 2003. Through his legal work he had became interested in child development and this informed his work with children caught up in legal battles involving neglect, abuse and parental separation.
Today this experience informs his work as a District Court Judge based in Dunedin. His philosophy of “the more you put in, the more you get out” has stood him in good stead as he has risen in his profession and shown just what a boy from Gore can achieve.
maria hurrell (maria english)
Joining the Board of the St Peter’s College Foundation in 2015 marks a welcome return to the school for ex-pupil, Maria Hurrell (nee English). Maria first arrived at St Peter’s from Mataura Primary School in 1982, the same year that the uniform changed to the current kilts and red jerseys for both girls and boys. She followed older brother Stephen, and later younger sister Julie came too.
In those days, there were so many Catholic pupils travelling up from Mataura that the St Peter’s students had their own bus. Growing up, there had been plenty for young children to do in Mataura – long days outdoors in the countryside – Maria and her friends loved riding horses, played football with the boys and roamed far and wide without a care in the world.
When the time came for secondary school, St Peter’s College was the natural choice. Maria’s family had a long association with the school. Her grandfather Jack Egan had been one of the original “collectors” in the 1950s. They stood outside the Catholic churches every Sunday after Mass and collected funds to enable the building of a “Southland Catholic Boys’ School”. Jack hoped that the school would be finished in time for his own children to attend, but there were delays and it was his grandchildren and great grandchildren, boys and girls, who would eventually benefit from his efforts.
Despite being nicknamed “turd” like all the other new starters at St Peter’s, Maria loved her schooldays and her time at St Peter’s. Geography, biology and agriculture were her favourite subjects, which perhaps gives some indication of where her future would lie. She remembers Martin Thyne and Loyola Williams as being particularly inspirational teachers and remembers very fondly the fun and exciting atmosphere that surrounded school sports days and the annual fairs.
When it came to choosing a career path, Maria was awarded a scholarship to attend Lincoln University to do a Parks and Recreation Management Diploma. However she really wanted to be a farmer so decided instead at the last minute, to change her mind and applied to join the Farm Cadet Scheme run by Federated Farmers and was accepted into their training programme (much to her mother’s disapproval).
Through this scheme she got her first job on a dairy farm at Thornbury and also attended classes in Agriculture at the Polytech. After a short time she progressed on to a sheep farm and after 4 years on the land she was running a leased 300 acre farm, and unusually for a girl at the time, she turned her hand to everything herself, - shearing, dagging, tractor driving and mustering were all in her day’s work.
Her interest in farming then prompted her to join the Gore Sheep Dog Trial Club. She ran a couple of dogs herself and was soon appointed as the club’s secretary. Through this shared interest in dog trialing she met husband to be, Ross Hurrell, who was at the time the stock manager at Nithdale Station at Kaiwera. Even when their children were only small Maria still helped out on the farm and in the sheep yards whenever she could, and she also found time to qualify as a rural veterinary technician.
A reorganisation at the station in 2006 meant that Ross, who was by then the manager, was eventually made redundant and the family relocated to Wendonside. Children, Bridget and Mark travelled by school bus to St Mary’s in Gore and when the family moved again the following year, this time to Glenham, Maria was keen for them to continue at St Mary's and then follow in her footsteps to St Peter’s. This meant ferrying them by car to Gore every day for almost eight years, a big commitment, but one they never regretted. As parents they also maintained close links with both St Mary’s and St Peter’s by coaching, managing and photographing their children’s sports teams in their spare time.
Maria kept up her dog trialling activities and in 2000 she was appointed secretary of the Southland Sheep Dog Trial Association, the parent body for all 15 dog trial clubs in Southland. Apart from a short break away from dog trials in 2005 after her daughter had a serious farm accident that resulted in seven months off school, she continues in this role and working mostly from home she organises meetings, local trials, championship trials and national events. Maria and Ross have a team of eight working dogs at home and breed both heading and huntaway pups to work on farms far and wide.
As if this wasn’t enough to keep her occupied full time, her other passion is genealogy and she is a keen and meticulous researcher who runs her own blog online, mariasfamilyarchives.blogspot.co.nz. In conjunction with an elderly cousin, she published a book on the Egan family history and then lead the committee that organised a large family reunion, something she is very keen to do again sometime soon for another branch of her family. Using the vast online record system available now, as well as local archives, museums and oral history, Maria is continuing to compile the stories of all the various branches of her large family, tracing their beginnings in New Zealand and beyond, and recording all the stories of the characters that helped make her who she is today.
Maria still keeps in touch with a few of her friends from school, but is looking forward to reconnecting with many more through her new role with the St Peter’s College Foundation.
In those days, there were so many Catholic pupils travelling up from Mataura that the St Peter’s students had their own bus. Growing up, there had been plenty for young children to do in Mataura – long days outdoors in the countryside – Maria and her friends loved riding horses, played football with the boys and roamed far and wide without a care in the world.
When the time came for secondary school, St Peter’s College was the natural choice. Maria’s family had a long association with the school. Her grandfather Jack Egan had been one of the original “collectors” in the 1950s. They stood outside the Catholic churches every Sunday after Mass and collected funds to enable the building of a “Southland Catholic Boys’ School”. Jack hoped that the school would be finished in time for his own children to attend, but there were delays and it was his grandchildren and great grandchildren, boys and girls, who would eventually benefit from his efforts.
Despite being nicknamed “turd” like all the other new starters at St Peter’s, Maria loved her schooldays and her time at St Peter’s. Geography, biology and agriculture were her favourite subjects, which perhaps gives some indication of where her future would lie. She remembers Martin Thyne and Loyola Williams as being particularly inspirational teachers and remembers very fondly the fun and exciting atmosphere that surrounded school sports days and the annual fairs.
When it came to choosing a career path, Maria was awarded a scholarship to attend Lincoln University to do a Parks and Recreation Management Diploma. However she really wanted to be a farmer so decided instead at the last minute, to change her mind and applied to join the Farm Cadet Scheme run by Federated Farmers and was accepted into their training programme (much to her mother’s disapproval).
Through this scheme she got her first job on a dairy farm at Thornbury and also attended classes in Agriculture at the Polytech. After a short time she progressed on to a sheep farm and after 4 years on the land she was running a leased 300 acre farm, and unusually for a girl at the time, she turned her hand to everything herself, - shearing, dagging, tractor driving and mustering were all in her day’s work.
Her interest in farming then prompted her to join the Gore Sheep Dog Trial Club. She ran a couple of dogs herself and was soon appointed as the club’s secretary. Through this shared interest in dog trialing she met husband to be, Ross Hurrell, who was at the time the stock manager at Nithdale Station at Kaiwera. Even when their children were only small Maria still helped out on the farm and in the sheep yards whenever she could, and she also found time to qualify as a rural veterinary technician.
A reorganisation at the station in 2006 meant that Ross, who was by then the manager, was eventually made redundant and the family relocated to Wendonside. Children, Bridget and Mark travelled by school bus to St Mary’s in Gore and when the family moved again the following year, this time to Glenham, Maria was keen for them to continue at St Mary's and then follow in her footsteps to St Peter’s. This meant ferrying them by car to Gore every day for almost eight years, a big commitment, but one they never regretted. As parents they also maintained close links with both St Mary’s and St Peter’s by coaching, managing and photographing their children’s sports teams in their spare time.
Maria kept up her dog trialling activities and in 2000 she was appointed secretary of the Southland Sheep Dog Trial Association, the parent body for all 15 dog trial clubs in Southland. Apart from a short break away from dog trials in 2005 after her daughter had a serious farm accident that resulted in seven months off school, she continues in this role and working mostly from home she organises meetings, local trials, championship trials and national events. Maria and Ross have a team of eight working dogs at home and breed both heading and huntaway pups to work on farms far and wide.
As if this wasn’t enough to keep her occupied full time, her other passion is genealogy and she is a keen and meticulous researcher who runs her own blog online, mariasfamilyarchives.blogspot.co.nz. In conjunction with an elderly cousin, she published a book on the Egan family history and then lead the committee that organised a large family reunion, something she is very keen to do again sometime soon for another branch of her family. Using the vast online record system available now, as well as local archives, museums and oral history, Maria is continuing to compile the stories of all the various branches of her large family, tracing their beginnings in New Zealand and beyond, and recording all the stories of the characters that helped make her who she is today.
Maria still keeps in touch with a few of her friends from school, but is looking forward to reconnecting with many more through her new role with the St Peter’s College Foundation.
katrina bristow
She was always going to make a “song and dance” about it!
In Katrina Bristow’s earliest memory she is four years old, all made up, wearing her pyjamas, holding a wooden microphone and standing on a home-made stage with sister Jackie, to entertain the family.
The Bristow family was musical – grandparents included a music teacher and a tap dancer and singer and Katrina’s mother sang and played guitar. Later when Katrina went to St Mary’s Primary school in Gore, her natural talent was nurtured by teacher Walter Hales and she was encouraged to develop these interests. At St Mary’s all the children played instruments, but when it came to performances the strings were removed from the ukuleles of those who weren’t very good!
Luckily there were also talented music and dance teachers in town and with the support of her parents Katrina was able to take extra classes, as well as devoting time to her other interests of swimming and looking after her horse.
When she went on to St Peter’s, Katrina expanded her talents, performing in Eisteddfods, competing in public speaking debates, developing a love of poetry and taking prizes for swimming and art. At the same time she wasn’t neglecting her studies and she went on to Otago University to do a Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in accountancy with a Diploma in Marketing. After graduation she left Dunedin for Christchurch where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant and then left New Zealand to work in Sydney.
Four years later, Katrina managed to combine her passion for music and dancing with her accountancy career, by spending the next eight years working in London as a Financial Controller in the TV and music industry. Admission to the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, one of the UK’s leading drama schools, enabled her to resume her studies, progress her work in musical theatre and eventually to write an album.
Newly married and as part of a contemporary dance group, she spent a year in Africa, living in Zimbabwe. This time in Africa influenced her personal development too, as she volunteered with groups helping to educate on issues associated with AIDS.
It was here also that she enjoyed some of her most challenging moments – whitewater rafting down the Zambezi river and “walking with lions” – experiences that tended to put everything else in perspective.
Nowadays, Katrina is back home in New Zealand. After her marriage broke down, she felt a need to change and recreate her life, and 2014 finally saw the launch of her album “Home”. She has been able to step away from expectations and forge her own path. In her chartered accountancy role she is based in Queenstown, but spends two days a week in Gore teaching Nia – holistic fusion fitness, yoga and singing. Of the future, she says she used to have a map, but that got thrown out and she embraces the “now”, which is her friends and family her “song and dance”.
In Katrina Bristow’s earliest memory she is four years old, all made up, wearing her pyjamas, holding a wooden microphone and standing on a home-made stage with sister Jackie, to entertain the family.
The Bristow family was musical – grandparents included a music teacher and a tap dancer and singer and Katrina’s mother sang and played guitar. Later when Katrina went to St Mary’s Primary school in Gore, her natural talent was nurtured by teacher Walter Hales and she was encouraged to develop these interests. At St Mary’s all the children played instruments, but when it came to performances the strings were removed from the ukuleles of those who weren’t very good!
Luckily there were also talented music and dance teachers in town and with the support of her parents Katrina was able to take extra classes, as well as devoting time to her other interests of swimming and looking after her horse.
When she went on to St Peter’s, Katrina expanded her talents, performing in Eisteddfods, competing in public speaking debates, developing a love of poetry and taking prizes for swimming and art. At the same time she wasn’t neglecting her studies and she went on to Otago University to do a Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in accountancy with a Diploma in Marketing. After graduation she left Dunedin for Christchurch where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant and then left New Zealand to work in Sydney.
Four years later, Katrina managed to combine her passion for music and dancing with her accountancy career, by spending the next eight years working in London as a Financial Controller in the TV and music industry. Admission to the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, one of the UK’s leading drama schools, enabled her to resume her studies, progress her work in musical theatre and eventually to write an album.
Newly married and as part of a contemporary dance group, she spent a year in Africa, living in Zimbabwe. This time in Africa influenced her personal development too, as she volunteered with groups helping to educate on issues associated with AIDS.
It was here also that she enjoyed some of her most challenging moments – whitewater rafting down the Zambezi river and “walking with lions” – experiences that tended to put everything else in perspective.
Nowadays, Katrina is back home in New Zealand. After her marriage broke down, she felt a need to change and recreate her life, and 2014 finally saw the launch of her album “Home”. She has been able to step away from expectations and forge her own path. In her chartered accountancy role she is based in Queenstown, but spends two days a week in Gore teaching Nia – holistic fusion fitness, yoga and singing. Of the future, she says she used to have a map, but that got thrown out and she embraces the “now”, which is her friends and family her “song and dance”.
bernie weller (bernie ryan)
Bernie Weller, past pupil of St Peter’s College and now a member of the college’s Foundation board and on the School’s Board of Trustees, maintains that what you do today sets you up for tomorrow and her story illustrates this very well. Despite her packed schedule she makes home and family her first priority, but always has systems in place to manage her many other commitments.
An avid reader, she reads widely and well to stay abreast of the many organisations that she is involved with. Recently she took on the role of Returning Officer for the Clutha Southland Electorate for the 2017 General Election, she sits on the Southland Board of Federated Farmers and their National Water Team and is studying for a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration majoring in Dispute Resolution at Massey University. At home, she and husband Grant run an award-winning sheep and beef hill country farm, where Bernie is just as likely to be out mustering as indoors working in her office.
So, where did all this energy come from? Bernie says she aspires to be like the many strong women in her family’s past and those she admired growing up. The Ryans, of Irish heritage, farmed at Balfour and their connections with St Peter’s College go back to the 1950s when her father, who prior to joining the Air Force trained as a cabinet maker, put money towards the proposed new Catholic Boys’ boarding school, as he approved of the inclusion of a woodwork department. As the school was co-educational when it opened, Bernie and her sister were able to become boarders at the Hostel in the 1980s.
Looking back on her schooldays, she reflects that she didn’t appreciate all the opportunities offered to her at first, but in her senior years she knuckled down to work. A decision in her senior year to study calculus, statistics and physics is still hard to explain given her ineptitude in these subjects and only thanks to Mr Art Santure’s persistence and patience in explaining repeatedly did she succeed. When she went on to be one of only 20% of her class who passed calculus in her 1st year of commerce, she rang him to thank him for not giving up on her.
After university she travelled overseas, working in London and then with her farming background, as a lambing shepherd at Castle Douglas in Scotland. News that her father was planning to lease out the family farm, brought her back to New Zealand. None of her four siblings wanted to take over the farm, but Bernie had a deep love of that land and was determined to keep it in the family. Serendipity intervened – she met her future husband, Grant, working on a local farm and the two of them were able to take over management of the Ryan farm.
Sharing a keen interest in the environment and frustrated at some of the farming practices that they saw around them, Grant and Bernie entered the Balance Farm Environmental Awards in 2011 and emerged supreme winners for the Southland Region. The judges noted that they had a clear ”vision, mission and culture” and coupled a “strong family involvement with ‘buy in’ of retention of natural habitat of the Hokonui Hills” and still operated a profitable and productive farm.
They went on later that year to become the Inaugural National Winners of the competition and the first recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy. Their role was to be ambassadors for the year for New Zealand agriculture, with constant media attention, speaking engagements and a trade tour to Europe for a month. (Getting away from her busy home life was only made possible by her sister Clare, moving in and “becoming her” while she was away.)
During this time, Bernie heard about the Agri-Womens’ Development Trust Escalator Course, which aims to develop the huge untapped resource of rural women with diverse skills working on farms and in the Agri-industry. She was accepted to do a 10 month course in Governance and Leadership in Wellington which was to give her life new direction.
The organization is still a source of support and development for her as an Alumni member. Furthering her ability as co-founder to two start up companies, joining Federated Farmers and continuing her lifelong love of learning.
Returning to St Peter’s College as a parent, she found that nothing and everything had changed. Things have moved on but the ethos stays the same and with her youngest child also due to start at the school next year, Bernie’s association with St Peter’s has many years to go.
In the meantime she is setting up a programme to breed green thistle beetles in collaboration with Environment Southland – she says it’s being out on the farm that keeps her grounded...
An avid reader, she reads widely and well to stay abreast of the many organisations that she is involved with. Recently she took on the role of Returning Officer for the Clutha Southland Electorate for the 2017 General Election, she sits on the Southland Board of Federated Farmers and their National Water Team and is studying for a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration majoring in Dispute Resolution at Massey University. At home, she and husband Grant run an award-winning sheep and beef hill country farm, where Bernie is just as likely to be out mustering as indoors working in her office.
So, where did all this energy come from? Bernie says she aspires to be like the many strong women in her family’s past and those she admired growing up. The Ryans, of Irish heritage, farmed at Balfour and their connections with St Peter’s College go back to the 1950s when her father, who prior to joining the Air Force trained as a cabinet maker, put money towards the proposed new Catholic Boys’ boarding school, as he approved of the inclusion of a woodwork department. As the school was co-educational when it opened, Bernie and her sister were able to become boarders at the Hostel in the 1980s.
Looking back on her schooldays, she reflects that she didn’t appreciate all the opportunities offered to her at first, but in her senior years she knuckled down to work. A decision in her senior year to study calculus, statistics and physics is still hard to explain given her ineptitude in these subjects and only thanks to Mr Art Santure’s persistence and patience in explaining repeatedly did she succeed. When she went on to be one of only 20% of her class who passed calculus in her 1st year of commerce, she rang him to thank him for not giving up on her.
After university she travelled overseas, working in London and then with her farming background, as a lambing shepherd at Castle Douglas in Scotland. News that her father was planning to lease out the family farm, brought her back to New Zealand. None of her four siblings wanted to take over the farm, but Bernie had a deep love of that land and was determined to keep it in the family. Serendipity intervened – she met her future husband, Grant, working on a local farm and the two of them were able to take over management of the Ryan farm.
Sharing a keen interest in the environment and frustrated at some of the farming practices that they saw around them, Grant and Bernie entered the Balance Farm Environmental Awards in 2011 and emerged supreme winners for the Southland Region. The judges noted that they had a clear ”vision, mission and culture” and coupled a “strong family involvement with ‘buy in’ of retention of natural habitat of the Hokonui Hills” and still operated a profitable and productive farm.
They went on later that year to become the Inaugural National Winners of the competition and the first recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy. Their role was to be ambassadors for the year for New Zealand agriculture, with constant media attention, speaking engagements and a trade tour to Europe for a month. (Getting away from her busy home life was only made possible by her sister Clare, moving in and “becoming her” while she was away.)
During this time, Bernie heard about the Agri-Womens’ Development Trust Escalator Course, which aims to develop the huge untapped resource of rural women with diverse skills working on farms and in the Agri-industry. She was accepted to do a 10 month course in Governance and Leadership in Wellington which was to give her life new direction.
The organization is still a source of support and development for her as an Alumni member. Furthering her ability as co-founder to two start up companies, joining Federated Farmers and continuing her lifelong love of learning.
Returning to St Peter’s College as a parent, she found that nothing and everything had changed. Things have moved on but the ethos stays the same and with her youngest child also due to start at the school next year, Bernie’s association with St Peter’s has many years to go.
In the meantime she is setting up a programme to breed green thistle beetles in collaboration with Environment Southland – she says it’s being out on the farm that keeps her grounded...
1990-99 Students
duncan gibson
The Gibson family moved from Clydevale to Riversdale in the 1990s. Dad, Alistair, was a farm consultant and the family had a block of land and lived the rural life.
Duncan, the eldest of the four Gibson children started at St Peter’s College in 1996. He had some difficult years in his teens, but a few years as a boarder in the school hostel settled him down and he loved his time there. He especially remembers teachers, Lindy Cavanagh and Art Santure, who encouraged him to achieve his full potential.
School holidays were usually spent on farms but Duncan knew that although he loved the outdoor life, he didn’t want to be a farmer. Along with his brother Hamish, he was keen on kayaking. Through school, he took part in “Otago Paddles Up” and he went on to represent the school and became a member of the New Zealand Junior Development team. While kayaking he got to spend time in the wine growing areas of Central Otago and with a keen interest in chemistry he decided to pursue a career in winemaking.
A degree course in viticulture at Lincoln University was the starting point. Duncan found that this was character building in the broadest sense. It not only developed academic ability and how to do research, but also living with others taught compromise and social skills. After basic science in the first year, Duncan went on to study viticulture – the growing of grapes and oenology – the science of winemaking. During the course the students made many contacts with people from the wine industry – useful when it came to looking for jobs.
Duncan worked on the wine harvest at Villa Maria in Auckland then Tyrrells in the Hunter valley and the then Esk Valley Wines at Hawkes Bay, gaining experience as he went. In 2006 this led to a full time job as assistant winemaker at Chard Farm Vineyard near Queenstown.
Each year Duncan would go abroad in the off season. He travelled to Australia and also took part in northern hemisphere grape harvests in the Napper Valley USA and in Germany and Italy. Four working trips to French vineyards mean that he now has a working knowledge of the French language too. Since 2009 he has been assistant winemaker at Peregrine Wines in the Gibbston valley.
Duncan, the eldest of the four Gibson children started at St Peter’s College in 1996. He had some difficult years in his teens, but a few years as a boarder in the school hostel settled him down and he loved his time there. He especially remembers teachers, Lindy Cavanagh and Art Santure, who encouraged him to achieve his full potential.
School holidays were usually spent on farms but Duncan knew that although he loved the outdoor life, he didn’t want to be a farmer. Along with his brother Hamish, he was keen on kayaking. Through school, he took part in “Otago Paddles Up” and he went on to represent the school and became a member of the New Zealand Junior Development team. While kayaking he got to spend time in the wine growing areas of Central Otago and with a keen interest in chemistry he decided to pursue a career in winemaking.
A degree course in viticulture at Lincoln University was the starting point. Duncan found that this was character building in the broadest sense. It not only developed academic ability and how to do research, but also living with others taught compromise and social skills. After basic science in the first year, Duncan went on to study viticulture – the growing of grapes and oenology – the science of winemaking. During the course the students made many contacts with people from the wine industry – useful when it came to looking for jobs.
Duncan worked on the wine harvest at Villa Maria in Auckland then Tyrrells in the Hunter valley and the then Esk Valley Wines at Hawkes Bay, gaining experience as he went. In 2006 this led to a full time job as assistant winemaker at Chard Farm Vineyard near Queenstown.
Each year Duncan would go abroad in the off season. He travelled to Australia and also took part in northern hemisphere grape harvests in the Napper Valley USA and in Germany and Italy. Four working trips to French vineyards mean that he now has a working knowledge of the French language too. Since 2009 he has been assistant winemaker at Peregrine Wines in the Gibbston valley.
justine wootton (justine kelly)
Justine returned to St Peter’s College for a brief visit in June 2014 to talk to pupils in assembly about using the opportunities given to them at school here in Gore as a springboard into the wider world.
Afterwards, Justine reflected on her own schooldays and growing up in Gore.
Home life was on the family farm, where everyone was expected to muck in. The sixth of eight siblings, she acknowledges that she was an academic child who enjoyed her school days at SPC. Keen on sport too, she played netball and volleyball and particularly enjoyed touch rugby. Learning the art of public speaking and performing was very much part of school life, with everyone expected to participate in Eisteddfods. Debating in the Bishop’s Shield competitions honed these skills and gave confidence in dealing with people from all walks of life in her future career.
When she left school, Justine took a course in physiotherapy at Auckland Institute of Technology, but after the first year changed direction and decided to do law and psychology at Canterbury. After completing a double degree, she went travelling for eighteen months, working in America and Ireland before returning to work in Christchurch and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 2004.
In 2005, she continued her travels, moving to the UK. While living and working in Bristol, she met her future husband, Ben, also a lawyer. There she started working for a large bank, providing legal advice for consumer products. The next few years saw a move to London and the first of her children; followed by a return to New Zealand, a second child and three years working in Auckland. Staying in banking, she has continued to advise on changes to consumer laws. Achieving the best outcomes for both companies and consumers has been challenging both on an intellectual and a people level.
The family have now returned to the UK where Justine will be working as a full time corporate lawyer; juggling family needs with a steady progression up the seniority ladder. She is making the most of the great start that she was given, both at school in Gore and back home on the family farm.
Afterwards, Justine reflected on her own schooldays and growing up in Gore.
Home life was on the family farm, where everyone was expected to muck in. The sixth of eight siblings, she acknowledges that she was an academic child who enjoyed her school days at SPC. Keen on sport too, she played netball and volleyball and particularly enjoyed touch rugby. Learning the art of public speaking and performing was very much part of school life, with everyone expected to participate in Eisteddfods. Debating in the Bishop’s Shield competitions honed these skills and gave confidence in dealing with people from all walks of life in her future career.
When she left school, Justine took a course in physiotherapy at Auckland Institute of Technology, but after the first year changed direction and decided to do law and psychology at Canterbury. After completing a double degree, she went travelling for eighteen months, working in America and Ireland before returning to work in Christchurch and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 2004.
In 2005, she continued her travels, moving to the UK. While living and working in Bristol, she met her future husband, Ben, also a lawyer. There she started working for a large bank, providing legal advice for consumer products. The next few years saw a move to London and the first of her children; followed by a return to New Zealand, a second child and three years working in Auckland. Staying in banking, she has continued to advise on changes to consumer laws. Achieving the best outcomes for both companies and consumers has been challenging both on an intellectual and a people level.
The family have now returned to the UK where Justine will be working as a full time corporate lawyer; juggling family needs with a steady progression up the seniority ladder. She is making the most of the great start that she was given, both at school in Gore and back home on the family farm.
melanie craig (melanie rodgers)
“Southland always makes sure your feet are on the ground”, says Melanie Craig on her design website. This ex St Peter’s pupil always had her sights set firmly on having her own business and in 2005 she embarked on her successful design business in the spare room of her Gertrude St home in Gore and you can’t get much more grounded than that.
Melanie describes herself as having been an “average pupil” at school, but one who was also self-reliant and confident. The Rodgers were a Gore family of Irish extraction and they chose St Peter’s for Melanie and her two brothers because of its ideal size, John Boyce’s forward direction and the stance St Peter’s held in the community.
Melanie joined St Peter’s in the 1st form, coming across from West Gore Primary. Not knowing many of the children in her form meant day one was a daunting day. “St Peter’s was a very welcoming school, I felt part of a wider family very quickly”. Although a non-Catholic, she enjoyed the religious values that were part of school life and the emphasis on kindness, friendship and trust. “I enjoyed the Catholic teaching during my time there and I knew that I wanted my children brought up in the Catholic school system too”.
A highlight of her time at school was when she was chosen to sail aboard “The Spirit of Adventure” sailing ship in the 5th form. She was very focussed on what she wanted to achieve and this came over in the letter she had to write on why she wanted to join the crew. Her passion at school was all forms of PE and she loved it when Mrs McDowall said the term focus was on gym or dancing as she would often get to demonstrate. She looked forward to the Eisteddfod every year, you will find her name on many of the dance trophies.
“I was itching to get out and start a business, I just didn’t know what”. Personal Training study at SIT meant that Melanie left school in 6th form, but PT had too much downtime for Melanie and with her creativity bubbling away, she took to a career as a hair stylist. She studied at Serville’s Hairdressing School in Auckland and found the life there brilliant and challenging. However, her heart was back in Southland with then boyfriend, Bradley and she moved back to Gore and a job initially sweeping up hair in The ‘Scape Hair Salon. Melanie loved hairdressing - the conversation, the people, the colleagues, creating shapes with moving hair… however suffering with eczema meant that this could only be a part time career. Also at the time, it paid the minimum wage and she wanted to buy a house. PPCS Waitane was a quick place to earn cash for young people.
At the same time, business ideas were still floating around in Melanie’s mind – but what form should they take?
Back at home, Melanie’s parents had always been involved in house renovations and having studied graphics at St Peter’s, she had developed an early interest in the design aspect of home improvement. Mark Robinson employed Melanie in Kitchen Design, setting the bar high and she thinks this was the best starting point in the world - meeting builders, understanding and respecting trades’ rules, stages of the build site and learning clients’ emotions through a build project.
However, designing kitchens working to a modular formula didn’t allow Melanie the flexibility in design she wanted, so she broke free and started a design company with her mother. “I did the math, it looked easy on paper… it was a completely different story”.
Gradually the business took off and by 2009 she had her own premises and had won her first award. This was followed in 2011 by becoming the youngest winner ever of NZ Supreme Designer of the Year, the award that took her to Milan. “Wow, you can get inspiration from everything in Italy”. She was to win the award again in 2014. She now has studio in Wanaka but her studio in Gore remains her favourite grounded point.
Now married to Bradley Craig, the couple have three daughters, Fenella, Lyla and Ivy. Bradley was also an ex SPC pupil and breakfast host on Hokonui Gold Radio. It was Bradley’s radio career that eventually took them to Wanaka, a perfect location, only two and a quarter hours from their home town.
Looking ahead, Melanie would like to remain in Wanaka and travel with her family. She wants her girls to have the same grounded upbringing that both she and Bradley enjoyed. If Bradley gets his way and the girls go to boarding school, they may follow their parents to St Peter’s.
Melanie feels that she would love to mentor other young people into their business, with the knowledge that she has gained by just doing it. “It’s not an easy road, it’s challenging, stressful and exciting. You are the face of your vision, only you can control where it goes”.
Melanie describes herself as having been an “average pupil” at school, but one who was also self-reliant and confident. The Rodgers were a Gore family of Irish extraction and they chose St Peter’s for Melanie and her two brothers because of its ideal size, John Boyce’s forward direction and the stance St Peter’s held in the community.
Melanie joined St Peter’s in the 1st form, coming across from West Gore Primary. Not knowing many of the children in her form meant day one was a daunting day. “St Peter’s was a very welcoming school, I felt part of a wider family very quickly”. Although a non-Catholic, she enjoyed the religious values that were part of school life and the emphasis on kindness, friendship and trust. “I enjoyed the Catholic teaching during my time there and I knew that I wanted my children brought up in the Catholic school system too”.
A highlight of her time at school was when she was chosen to sail aboard “The Spirit of Adventure” sailing ship in the 5th form. She was very focussed on what she wanted to achieve and this came over in the letter she had to write on why she wanted to join the crew. Her passion at school was all forms of PE and she loved it when Mrs McDowall said the term focus was on gym or dancing as she would often get to demonstrate. She looked forward to the Eisteddfod every year, you will find her name on many of the dance trophies.
“I was itching to get out and start a business, I just didn’t know what”. Personal Training study at SIT meant that Melanie left school in 6th form, but PT had too much downtime for Melanie and with her creativity bubbling away, she took to a career as a hair stylist. She studied at Serville’s Hairdressing School in Auckland and found the life there brilliant and challenging. However, her heart was back in Southland with then boyfriend, Bradley and she moved back to Gore and a job initially sweeping up hair in The ‘Scape Hair Salon. Melanie loved hairdressing - the conversation, the people, the colleagues, creating shapes with moving hair… however suffering with eczema meant that this could only be a part time career. Also at the time, it paid the minimum wage and she wanted to buy a house. PPCS Waitane was a quick place to earn cash for young people.
At the same time, business ideas were still floating around in Melanie’s mind – but what form should they take?
Back at home, Melanie’s parents had always been involved in house renovations and having studied graphics at St Peter’s, she had developed an early interest in the design aspect of home improvement. Mark Robinson employed Melanie in Kitchen Design, setting the bar high and she thinks this was the best starting point in the world - meeting builders, understanding and respecting trades’ rules, stages of the build site and learning clients’ emotions through a build project.
However, designing kitchens working to a modular formula didn’t allow Melanie the flexibility in design she wanted, so she broke free and started a design company with her mother. “I did the math, it looked easy on paper… it was a completely different story”.
Gradually the business took off and by 2009 she had her own premises and had won her first award. This was followed in 2011 by becoming the youngest winner ever of NZ Supreme Designer of the Year, the award that took her to Milan. “Wow, you can get inspiration from everything in Italy”. She was to win the award again in 2014. She now has studio in Wanaka but her studio in Gore remains her favourite grounded point.
Now married to Bradley Craig, the couple have three daughters, Fenella, Lyla and Ivy. Bradley was also an ex SPC pupil and breakfast host on Hokonui Gold Radio. It was Bradley’s radio career that eventually took them to Wanaka, a perfect location, only two and a quarter hours from their home town.
Looking ahead, Melanie would like to remain in Wanaka and travel with her family. She wants her girls to have the same grounded upbringing that both she and Bradley enjoyed. If Bradley gets his way and the girls go to boarding school, they may follow their parents to St Peter’s.
Melanie feels that she would love to mentor other young people into their business, with the knowledge that she has gained by just doing it. “It’s not an easy road, it’s challenging, stressful and exciting. You are the face of your vision, only you can control where it goes”.
talia andrews
Talia was a pupil here from 1994 to 2001, having been fast tracked into St Peter’s College as a bright ten year old. Her first love was basketball and PE . She had early ambitions to be a sports manager but left St Peter’s half way through year 13 to work in an Invercargill accounting firm. Talia says she didn’t shine at maths in school, but had studied accounting by correspondence course and her first job was as an office junior with McCullough & Ptns.
A spell working in Queenstown was then followed by a job at the Information Centre in Gore and a qualification in Travel and Tourism which led to a very satisfying five years travelling around New Zealand as part of her job. With partner James, she then moved to Auckland and was in the fortunate position of being offered two positions, one with a travel company (where she felt her lack of knowledge of world geography might let her down!) and the other with Forsyth Barr. She took the latter which involved her in events management and this administrative experience has been invaluable at St Peter’s.
After a year in Auckland, she and James returned to Gore to save up and get married. Following a couple of short term jobs with WINZ and in the accounts department of a computer firm, Talia made a planned career move and joined Westpac Bank. The next few years proved happy and productive, marriage, a baby boy and a satisfying career, but one day in the staffroom at work she spotted the advert for an Executive Officer at St Peter’s. She literally screamed with excitement as she felt that this was her “dream job” and phoned for details straight away.
She has been in post for almost a year and the reality has lived up to expectations. Talia says she feels a strong empathy with the pupils that she deals with and remembers all too well her own feelings as a schoolgirl. The caring ethos that exists at St Peter’s has also had an effect on her own life in the family and the wider community. She is thrilled to be expecting a new baby in May 2013.
A spell working in Queenstown was then followed by a job at the Information Centre in Gore and a qualification in Travel and Tourism which led to a very satisfying five years travelling around New Zealand as part of her job. With partner James, she then moved to Auckland and was in the fortunate position of being offered two positions, one with a travel company (where she felt her lack of knowledge of world geography might let her down!) and the other with Forsyth Barr. She took the latter which involved her in events management and this administrative experience has been invaluable at St Peter’s.
After a year in Auckland, she and James returned to Gore to save up and get married. Following a couple of short term jobs with WINZ and in the accounts department of a computer firm, Talia made a planned career move and joined Westpac Bank. The next few years proved happy and productive, marriage, a baby boy and a satisfying career, but one day in the staffroom at work she spotted the advert for an Executive Officer at St Peter’s. She literally screamed with excitement as she felt that this was her “dream job” and phoned for details straight away.
She has been in post for almost a year and the reality has lived up to expectations. Talia says she feels a strong empathy with the pupils that she deals with and remembers all too well her own feelings as a schoolgirl. The caring ethos that exists at St Peter’s has also had an effect on her own life in the family and the wider community. She is thrilled to be expecting a new baby in May 2013.
megan corry
“Assisting students to deal with personal, social or behavioural issues that put their wellbeing, learning and school achievement at risk”, is how Megan Corry sees her new role as Guidance Counsellor at St Peter’s College. At times this also includes assisting staff colleagues or school families/whānau. Ex-pupil Megan joined the staff in August 2015, having spent the previous two years teaching in China.
Megan is part of the school’s pastoral care network, along with learning tutors and senior management. She feels that her job is not necessarily to solve problems but to empower others to develop strategies and awareness and make their own decisions. Often all that is needed is someone to listen to them, not to tell them what to do. The digital age puts many extra pressures on young people and can leave them feeling out of their depth. Study pressures, social relationship issues, and social media can all have negative effects and become a barrier to learning. Students can be helped by the whole community and putting in place a support network of parents, staff and peers is usually the way forward.
Guidance counsellors work to a code of ethics and are themselves supported by an external supervisor. Their work must be in the best interests of their client but they will also be taking into account who else might be at risk and are other people involved in the issue.
Megan is a Gore girl. She comes back to St Peter’s with an impeccable pedigree. Her grandfather, Maurice Adair was one of the school’s founding fathers. He wanted all of his family to come here, but by the time the school finally opened, only her youngest uncle was able to attend. From St Mary’s in Gore, she followed her brother on to St Peter’s and having always been a tall child, she suddenly felt very small alongside what seemed to be huge people at the big school. It was also a surprise to find that there were more people in the world than in her primary school population!
She always enjoyed sport and movement activities and by year 12 had decided that PE was the subject that resonated most with her, but was undecided what to do next. Her mentor was teacher Gaye McDowell, who was her form teacher and basketball coach and always seemed to be passionate about everything she did.
Megan decided to enrol at Otago University School of Physical Education and loved both the practical and theory side of the course. Meeting lots of cool people in Cumberland Hall added to the experience, but then she had to decide what to do next. She embarked on a Bachelor of Education degree, planning to do primary teaching, but then switched to secondary. Gaye McDowell, now at the same college, resumed her mentoring role and Megan qualified as a teacher in 2008.
Having sustained an injury, resulting in concussion, she decided to stay in Dunedin for a while and worked for a year at the Body Synergy Gym – helping to rehabilitate people who had suffered back injuries – doing training to strengthen their bodies.
Around this time, an opportunity arose which provided a good transition into actual teaching. St Peter’s needed a temporary relief teacher for year 9 students. Megan returned to her old school to take up the post, teaching PE, Religious Education and Mathematics.
At the same time she realised that she needed to broaden her horizons, so her next job took her to Menzies College at Wyndham and it was here that she was to meet her future fiancée, Brad Lamb. By 2011, Megan was HOD in the school’s Outdoor Education department, but those broader horizons were calling and she and Brad moved to Western Australia for six months relief teaching, before setting off to work at Ningbo International School at Ningbo in China.
Their two years there proved very challenging, and enriching, dealing with many nationalities and a new language. For the international students, diversity was the norm and education was a two way process – Megan learned a lot from them. A bonus of actually living in China, was the ability to leave the tourist trail and explore places that foreigners don’t usually get to see.
While she was teaching PE and health subjects there, she was also studying counselling through papers with Massey University. With more life experience behind her she felt able to move into this new field and an opportunity arose to return to New Zealand and pursue her Masters Degree in counselling. When a job as Guidance Counsellor came up at St Peter’s College, it seemed like her chance to give something back to the community. Outside of her day to day work, she is looking forward to supporting extracurricular activities in the school and getting involved in sport again herself.
And has St Peter’s changed since she was a pupil here? Megan says that the core values of the school don’t change and that’s the important thing that drives the school forward.
Megan is part of the school’s pastoral care network, along with learning tutors and senior management. She feels that her job is not necessarily to solve problems but to empower others to develop strategies and awareness and make their own decisions. Often all that is needed is someone to listen to them, not to tell them what to do. The digital age puts many extra pressures on young people and can leave them feeling out of their depth. Study pressures, social relationship issues, and social media can all have negative effects and become a barrier to learning. Students can be helped by the whole community and putting in place a support network of parents, staff and peers is usually the way forward.
Guidance counsellors work to a code of ethics and are themselves supported by an external supervisor. Their work must be in the best interests of their client but they will also be taking into account who else might be at risk and are other people involved in the issue.
Megan is a Gore girl. She comes back to St Peter’s with an impeccable pedigree. Her grandfather, Maurice Adair was one of the school’s founding fathers. He wanted all of his family to come here, but by the time the school finally opened, only her youngest uncle was able to attend. From St Mary’s in Gore, she followed her brother on to St Peter’s and having always been a tall child, she suddenly felt very small alongside what seemed to be huge people at the big school. It was also a surprise to find that there were more people in the world than in her primary school population!
She always enjoyed sport and movement activities and by year 12 had decided that PE was the subject that resonated most with her, but was undecided what to do next. Her mentor was teacher Gaye McDowell, who was her form teacher and basketball coach and always seemed to be passionate about everything she did.
Megan decided to enrol at Otago University School of Physical Education and loved both the practical and theory side of the course. Meeting lots of cool people in Cumberland Hall added to the experience, but then she had to decide what to do next. She embarked on a Bachelor of Education degree, planning to do primary teaching, but then switched to secondary. Gaye McDowell, now at the same college, resumed her mentoring role and Megan qualified as a teacher in 2008.
Having sustained an injury, resulting in concussion, she decided to stay in Dunedin for a while and worked for a year at the Body Synergy Gym – helping to rehabilitate people who had suffered back injuries – doing training to strengthen their bodies.
Around this time, an opportunity arose which provided a good transition into actual teaching. St Peter’s needed a temporary relief teacher for year 9 students. Megan returned to her old school to take up the post, teaching PE, Religious Education and Mathematics.
At the same time she realised that she needed to broaden her horizons, so her next job took her to Menzies College at Wyndham and it was here that she was to meet her future fiancée, Brad Lamb. By 2011, Megan was HOD in the school’s Outdoor Education department, but those broader horizons were calling and she and Brad moved to Western Australia for six months relief teaching, before setting off to work at Ningbo International School at Ningbo in China.
Their two years there proved very challenging, and enriching, dealing with many nationalities and a new language. For the international students, diversity was the norm and education was a two way process – Megan learned a lot from them. A bonus of actually living in China, was the ability to leave the tourist trail and explore places that foreigners don’t usually get to see.
While she was teaching PE and health subjects there, she was also studying counselling through papers with Massey University. With more life experience behind her she felt able to move into this new field and an opportunity arose to return to New Zealand and pursue her Masters Degree in counselling. When a job as Guidance Counsellor came up at St Peter’s College, it seemed like her chance to give something back to the community. Outside of her day to day work, she is looking forward to supporting extracurricular activities in the school and getting involved in sport again herself.
And has St Peter’s changed since she was a pupil here? Megan says that the core values of the school don’t change and that’s the important thing that drives the school forward.
Sam Mackay
|
It’s a long way from Riversdale to Riyadh, but Sam Mackay’s future career was to take him all over the world.
His family’s connection to St Peter’s College goes back to the early days when the priests visited the family farm at Kaweku, near Riversdale, raising funds to build the new Catholic boys’ school in Gore. The family’s long association with the school meant that Sam enrolled at St Peter’s in 1995, following in the footsteps of dad Don, aunt Kerry and uncle Jamie. The transition from Riversdale Primary School to the big school was a bit overwhelming and, among other things, meant learning to tie a tie. He particularly remembers his first journey to school, as he and his neighbour were the only passengers on the bus, Gore High School not opening until the following day. Looking back, Sam acknowledges that it was the cultural opportunities offered by St Peter’s that enabled him to develop skills in public speaking and connecting with a wide range of people. He loved taking part in Eisteddfods and travelling to Dunedin, Oamaru and Invercargill to take part in Bishop’s Shield competitions. Social studies with Miss Scorgie and history with Mr Febery made a lasting impression and opened his eyes to what the wider world had to offer. On leaving school he enrolled at Victoria University in Wellington to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Politics and a Bachelor of Laws. He followed these up with a Master’s degree in international law. While at university, Sam volunteered at a disability charity and with his qualifications, this work helped him to gain his first job with the Ministry of Education which then led to a range of international roles. His career has seen him posted to New Zealand’s embassies in Riyadh, Beijing and Washington DC and to the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. As Strategy and Insight Manager at Education New Zealand, his work involves using education to promote New Zealand’s role in the global economy and society and encouraging students to have international perspectives. Sam returned to his old school in 2018 as Speaker at the Academic Blues Assembly and shared his story with today’s pupils. He credits his roots as a Southlander with giving him a perspective of looking outward into the wider world, of being adaptable and having an entrepreneurial mindset – skills handed down from forefathers. Southlanders are good connectors too – a skill he honed at school, along with developing good character and giving back. Living the motto “Charity fulfils the Law”. |
|
2000-09 Students
anna langford
Briefly back in her beloved Southland in November 2014, Anna Langford took time out to reflect on her performing career and where it all started.
She grew up in Riversdale with three older sisters and it was at the local primary school that she had her first opportunity to get involved in performing. Keen on hockey too, she spent her spare time practicing her sport, as well as going to dance lessons.
Both Anna’s parents were from large Southland, Catholic families and in January 2000 she followed in her sisters’ footsteps to St Peter’s College. She had already visited the school many times to watch them take part in Eisteddfods and prize giving, so the school was already familiar. She did find starting in the third form a bit daunting though, as friend groups were already established and as a newcomer there was a lot to learn.
Anna enjoyed a broad range of subjects, especially English, music and PE and particularly remembers her English teacher, Lianne Mackay’s influence and encouragement when taking part in performances. Lianne also coached her for the Sheila Winn Shakespeare Festival and the Bishop Shield. Anna felt that she always had huge support from teachers like Lindy Cavanagh and Gaye McDowall, when she was trying to juggle school work and extra-curricular activities.
In school she was heavily involved in all things cultural and as Captain of Culture enjoyed helping to organise the Eisteddfod. Out of school she was doing jazz and tap dancing and taking part in Gore Operatic shows like “Chess” and “Rush”.
When it was time to choose a career, Anna didn’t want to follow in her father’s footsteps – knowing how tough the life of a vet could be, but she was scared to admit that she really wanted to be a performer. It wasn’t until her first week at Otago University that she switched her subjects and decided to major in the performing arts, theatre studies, film and media.
While at university, Dunedin Musical Theatre gave her the opportunity to take part in “Beauty and the Beast”, “Chicago” and “Cats”. After graduating came the long audition processes to get work and having the right contacts became very important. A move to London enabled Anna to discover further educational opportunities abroad and expand her skills, when she gained a place at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts for post graduate study. There followed six years of performing in concerts, showcases, cabarets and Fringe productions and Anna appeared alongside West End names like Hannah Waddingham, Rebecca Caine, Melanie LaBarrie and Daniel Koek.
Dealing with unemployment between jobs meant that Anna needed a flexible “day job” and she trained as a Talent Agent, learning how the industry works from the other side. Ideally she would like to pursue a dual career in acting and running her own talent agency.
Meantime, back in Southland, she is catching up with family, enjoying hearing the Southland accent again, and planning to resume her career on this side of the world, maybe in Auckland or Melbourne.
Looking back she sees that the values of fortitude and perseverance, learned in her school days, have helped her in the tough world of acting, but she feels that performing is something that people pursue for the love of it and if you have passion and some raw talent you should just go for it, as you just never know where you might end up.
She grew up in Riversdale with three older sisters and it was at the local primary school that she had her first opportunity to get involved in performing. Keen on hockey too, she spent her spare time practicing her sport, as well as going to dance lessons.
Both Anna’s parents were from large Southland, Catholic families and in January 2000 she followed in her sisters’ footsteps to St Peter’s College. She had already visited the school many times to watch them take part in Eisteddfods and prize giving, so the school was already familiar. She did find starting in the third form a bit daunting though, as friend groups were already established and as a newcomer there was a lot to learn.
Anna enjoyed a broad range of subjects, especially English, music and PE and particularly remembers her English teacher, Lianne Mackay’s influence and encouragement when taking part in performances. Lianne also coached her for the Sheila Winn Shakespeare Festival and the Bishop Shield. Anna felt that she always had huge support from teachers like Lindy Cavanagh and Gaye McDowall, when she was trying to juggle school work and extra-curricular activities.
In school she was heavily involved in all things cultural and as Captain of Culture enjoyed helping to organise the Eisteddfod. Out of school she was doing jazz and tap dancing and taking part in Gore Operatic shows like “Chess” and “Rush”.
When it was time to choose a career, Anna didn’t want to follow in her father’s footsteps – knowing how tough the life of a vet could be, but she was scared to admit that she really wanted to be a performer. It wasn’t until her first week at Otago University that she switched her subjects and decided to major in the performing arts, theatre studies, film and media.
While at university, Dunedin Musical Theatre gave her the opportunity to take part in “Beauty and the Beast”, “Chicago” and “Cats”. After graduating came the long audition processes to get work and having the right contacts became very important. A move to London enabled Anna to discover further educational opportunities abroad and expand her skills, when she gained a place at the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts for post graduate study. There followed six years of performing in concerts, showcases, cabarets and Fringe productions and Anna appeared alongside West End names like Hannah Waddingham, Rebecca Caine, Melanie LaBarrie and Daniel Koek.
Dealing with unemployment between jobs meant that Anna needed a flexible “day job” and she trained as a Talent Agent, learning how the industry works from the other side. Ideally she would like to pursue a dual career in acting and running her own talent agency.
Meantime, back in Southland, she is catching up with family, enjoying hearing the Southland accent again, and planning to resume her career on this side of the world, maybe in Auckland or Melbourne.
Looking back she sees that the values of fortitude and perseverance, learned in her school days, have helped her in the tough world of acting, but she feels that performing is something that people pursue for the love of it and if you have passion and some raw talent you should just go for it, as you just never know where you might end up.
hamish gibson
Hamish Gibson always knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to be a farmer.
The second of the Gibson children to come to St Peter’s, (2000 – 2005), he cheerfully says that he wasn’t too keen on the academic side of school, but shone at sports and represented the school in kayaking (canoe slalom), rugby and hockey. He later represented New Zealand at kayaking in Europe in the junior and then the senior team.
After completing a bridging course he went on to study at Lincoln University and gained a degree in agriculture.
With this qualification under his belt, he took up his dream job, working as a high country shepherd at Mt Nicholas Station, Queenstown. With 104,000 acres to cover, it took seven men, thirty dogs and seven horses to muster their nine thousand merino wethers, bringing them down from the mountains before the winter weather. Hamish says that during the musters you learned how far you could push yourself.
After two years he moved on to Beaumont, where he is second in charge of a breeding and finishing farm. Here he is working with both beef cattle and sheep and has his own team of six dogs and a chance to broaden his experience. He hopes to travel more in years to come, particularly back to Canada, which impressed him on a previous visit.
In the longer term, he hopes to return to some spectacular New Zealand scenery and manage his own high country station.
The second of the Gibson children to come to St Peter’s, (2000 – 2005), he cheerfully says that he wasn’t too keen on the academic side of school, but shone at sports and represented the school in kayaking (canoe slalom), rugby and hockey. He later represented New Zealand at kayaking in Europe in the junior and then the senior team.
After completing a bridging course he went on to study at Lincoln University and gained a degree in agriculture.
With this qualification under his belt, he took up his dream job, working as a high country shepherd at Mt Nicholas Station, Queenstown. With 104,000 acres to cover, it took seven men, thirty dogs and seven horses to muster their nine thousand merino wethers, bringing them down from the mountains before the winter weather. Hamish says that during the musters you learned how far you could push yourself.
After two years he moved on to Beaumont, where he is second in charge of a breeding and finishing farm. Here he is working with both beef cattle and sheep and has his own team of six dogs and a chance to broaden his experience. He hopes to travel more in years to come, particularly back to Canada, which impressed him on a previous visit.
In the longer term, he hopes to return to some spectacular New Zealand scenery and manage his own high country station.
jonno baker & chris leishman
A short film by Jonno Baker and Chris Leishman called “Do the Knight Thang” (see below) was recently screened in the St James Theatre, Gore, to much acclaim. The film had just won the regional final of the V48 Hour Film Making Competition in Dunedin and was described as a “damn fine film” by one of the judges. Jonno was a pupil at St Peter’s College from 2005-09 and Chris from 2007-10 and it was here that their interest in Media Studies developed, although Chris had a keen interest in film, theatre and drama while still at primary school.
Film making was part of their Media Studies course and they were also able to make a few films together in their spare time. While at school, Chris also developed as an actor, taking the lead in a school production of ‘Henry’ in 2010.
Their teacher Barbara Fraser recalls Chris’s great passion for film-making and the long hours he spent editing and re-editing to gain just the right effects. His knowledge of music tracks was extensive and he was always able to find a perfect match for his visuals. One of his horror movies was made at her old house, and in keeping with his desire to capture quality takes, what was to be one evening’s filming actually turned into several appearances with his video camera and cast in tow! His methodology was very much in the Peter Jackson style of just getting on with it all, and once during a 48-hour film competition, he managed to persuade a Milton policeman who had stopped to investigate their night-time activities to feature in his film! Such was his enthusiasm to fully explore all crafting possibilities, Chris was known for going way beyond the recommended time limits set for films for internal assessment, but his peers and teachers certainly enjoyed the results.
Jonno came into film-making in his last year at St. Peter’s and his interests were more in the realm of fight scenes than horror, and he also spent many hours persevering with changing casts and setting up times for locations in Gore as well as around the countryside. He quickly gained confidence and was able to reflect his quirky sense of humour into his storylines, and it is no surprise that he has flourished both in photography and in his film-making!
Their growing interest in film led them both to decide that they wanted to pursue it as a career and the next step was enrolling at S.I.T. to study the Bachelor of Digital Media course, where they are now in their second year.
Jonno is enthusiastic to pursue directing, while Chris hopes to become a writer for film. In the meantime they will gain as much experience as possible working on short films, music videos and commercials. Their first priority is to graduate and pass their course, but they hope that their year’s short films might be screened in Gore before too long – maybe as a prelude to their first blockbuster!
Film making was part of their Media Studies course and they were also able to make a few films together in their spare time. While at school, Chris also developed as an actor, taking the lead in a school production of ‘Henry’ in 2010.
Their teacher Barbara Fraser recalls Chris’s great passion for film-making and the long hours he spent editing and re-editing to gain just the right effects. His knowledge of music tracks was extensive and he was always able to find a perfect match for his visuals. One of his horror movies was made at her old house, and in keeping with his desire to capture quality takes, what was to be one evening’s filming actually turned into several appearances with his video camera and cast in tow! His methodology was very much in the Peter Jackson style of just getting on with it all, and once during a 48-hour film competition, he managed to persuade a Milton policeman who had stopped to investigate their night-time activities to feature in his film! Such was his enthusiasm to fully explore all crafting possibilities, Chris was known for going way beyond the recommended time limits set for films for internal assessment, but his peers and teachers certainly enjoyed the results.
Jonno came into film-making in his last year at St. Peter’s and his interests were more in the realm of fight scenes than horror, and he also spent many hours persevering with changing casts and setting up times for locations in Gore as well as around the countryside. He quickly gained confidence and was able to reflect his quirky sense of humour into his storylines, and it is no surprise that he has flourished both in photography and in his film-making!
Their growing interest in film led them both to decide that they wanted to pursue it as a career and the next step was enrolling at S.I.T. to study the Bachelor of Digital Media course, where they are now in their second year.
Jonno is enthusiastic to pursue directing, while Chris hopes to become a writer for film. In the meantime they will gain as much experience as possible working on short films, music videos and commercials. Their first priority is to graduate and pass their course, but they hope that their year’s short films might be screened in Gore before too long – maybe as a prelude to their first blockbuster!
malcolm gibson
Coming from a small country school it was a big change coming to St Peters. It wasn’t too scary as Hamish and Rebecca were still there and some of my friends from Riversdale were going to St Peters too. I thought it was so big and having to move class every 45 minutes, just about made my head spin (at Riversdale we stayed in one class the whole day).
I enjoyed my first few years a lot (maybe more than the teachers appreciated at times). Of the teachers, I will always remember Mr Sutton. He first taught me 5th form maths, then chemistry in 6th and 7th form. I got into a lot of trouble at school. He took no nonsense from me, which I respected (rare for me at the time). He saw past my behaviour and challenged me academically. He only expected the best of me and wouldn’t let me get away with just passing. His straight up and down, no bullshit approach, really pulled me into line and made me work at school.
I spent a lot of the school holidays working. My parents always made us kids work, to teach us those vital basic skills and install discipline from a young age. I remember in the 4th form I was being really naughty at school and my dad sent me to work at a timber mill in the holidays. From that point on I knew I had to get an education, because I could not handle being stuck in a factory, stacking timber.
I had always been good at sciences. My parents both have science backgrounds, so all of us kids were made to do the three sciences, which fortunately were the subjects I needed. Understanding them meant that I enjoyed them, but I didn’t know what I was going to do at university until 6th form and then I never had the confidence to tell anyone in case they laughed. I was never really an academic at school. Telling someone that I was going to try and get into such an academic course may have seemed very far fetched.
I decided on training as a vet because in the holidays I had worked as a casual shepherd at Mt Nicholas station. I got into training dogs. I loved working with the animals. One day I found myself thinking “I love farming but not the farming part, more the animal health and working with animals part”.
If I wasn’t working, I was kayaking. My brothers always kayaked, so I picked it up from there. The high spots of my time at school were in the 7th form, because I had so many trips away kayaking. I was so busy kayaking and training I didn’t have time to misbehave. My passion for it has developed over the years. It is such an awesome sport, physically and technically challenging and there is a huge adrenaline rush when going down a big white water course. There is nothing more that you could ask from a sport and some of my fondest childhood memories are of spending a day kayaking a river with my brothers.
Some of my kayaking achievements:
My Massey uni experience has been a blur, but an amazing blur. I can’t believe that I have been here for 2.5 years already. It is such a cool experience. You meet so many different people from so many walks of life. The work is so challenging and really opens your mind. I am learning so much I never thought I would understand. The best part about uni life is meeting people. If I go anywhere in New Zealand I will always have a bed.
Massey also has some of the best athlete support services. I am part of the “Massey Academy of Sport” and have full access to these services.
I am now half way through my 5 year degree course and plan to be a large animal vet. I want to work with all animals to start with, but long term, there is no way I am going to be caught working in Auckland fixing someone’s poodle!
When I qualify in 2015 I may get a job straight away, or I may pursue my sport, I’m not sure, but I have options, which is important. If I had just pursued my kayaking and not studied, I wouldn’t have these options. I’m happy just to let it play out, because they are both very exciting. There are currently plenty of job opportunities for young vets in NZ. 100 per cent of last year’s graduates got jobs.
My kayaking has taken me all over the world, but I would also like to work abroad. But in all honesty I can see myself returning to work and settle in this area (especially if global warming heats it up a bit!), Southland is in your blood.
I enjoyed my first few years a lot (maybe more than the teachers appreciated at times). Of the teachers, I will always remember Mr Sutton. He first taught me 5th form maths, then chemistry in 6th and 7th form. I got into a lot of trouble at school. He took no nonsense from me, which I respected (rare for me at the time). He saw past my behaviour and challenged me academically. He only expected the best of me and wouldn’t let me get away with just passing. His straight up and down, no bullshit approach, really pulled me into line and made me work at school.
I spent a lot of the school holidays working. My parents always made us kids work, to teach us those vital basic skills and install discipline from a young age. I remember in the 4th form I was being really naughty at school and my dad sent me to work at a timber mill in the holidays. From that point on I knew I had to get an education, because I could not handle being stuck in a factory, stacking timber.
I had always been good at sciences. My parents both have science backgrounds, so all of us kids were made to do the three sciences, which fortunately were the subjects I needed. Understanding them meant that I enjoyed them, but I didn’t know what I was going to do at university until 6th form and then I never had the confidence to tell anyone in case they laughed. I was never really an academic at school. Telling someone that I was going to try and get into such an academic course may have seemed very far fetched.
I decided on training as a vet because in the holidays I had worked as a casual shepherd at Mt Nicholas station. I got into training dogs. I loved working with the animals. One day I found myself thinking “I love farming but not the farming part, more the animal health and working with animals part”.
If I wasn’t working, I was kayaking. My brothers always kayaked, so I picked it up from there. The high spots of my time at school were in the 7th form, because I had so many trips away kayaking. I was so busy kayaking and training I didn’t have time to misbehave. My passion for it has developed over the years. It is such an awesome sport, physically and technically challenging and there is a huge adrenaline rush when going down a big white water course. There is nothing more that you could ask from a sport and some of my fondest childhood memories are of spending a day kayaking a river with my brothers.
Some of my kayaking achievements:
- 2008 selected into the Southland Sports Academy programme
- 2009 Southland Secondary School Sports Awards “Future Champion”
- 2010 Gold medals in New Zealand World Series Race, Southland Island Championships and Otago Paddles Up
- 2010 5 Silvers in the Australian Secondary School and Open Nationals
- 2011 Selection into the New Zealand under 23 team
- Open Nationals - 2nd in the under 23 men
- 2012 Open Nationals – 1st Open men 1st under 23 men
- Selection into the New Zealand under 23 team and Senior National Champion
- 2013 Oceana Championships – 1st under 23
- Selection into the New Zealand under 23 team
My Massey uni experience has been a blur, but an amazing blur. I can’t believe that I have been here for 2.5 years already. It is such a cool experience. You meet so many different people from so many walks of life. The work is so challenging and really opens your mind. I am learning so much I never thought I would understand. The best part about uni life is meeting people. If I go anywhere in New Zealand I will always have a bed.
Massey also has some of the best athlete support services. I am part of the “Massey Academy of Sport” and have full access to these services.
I am now half way through my 5 year degree course and plan to be a large animal vet. I want to work with all animals to start with, but long term, there is no way I am going to be caught working in Auckland fixing someone’s poodle!
When I qualify in 2015 I may get a job straight away, or I may pursue my sport, I’m not sure, but I have options, which is important. If I had just pursued my kayaking and not studied, I wouldn’t have these options. I’m happy just to let it play out, because they are both very exciting. There are currently plenty of job opportunities for young vets in NZ. 100 per cent of last year’s graduates got jobs.
My kayaking has taken me all over the world, but I would also like to work abroad. But in all honesty I can see myself returning to work and settle in this area (especially if global warming heats it up a bit!), Southland is in your blood.
rebecca gibson
Rebecca joined the third form at St Peter’s College in 2003 from Riversdale School and in the next five years made many good friends at school. Always keen on athletics, she went on to represent the school in field sports. In the classroom she was particularly interested in geography and biology and gained great encouragement from Mrs Sally Robertson, her geography teacher. These early interests lead on to her career choice of working in the environment field.
Having gained a sports scholarship to Lincoln University, Rebecca studied environmental management and planning and now works for BTW South, a private consultancy company based in Cromwell. Here she is getting broad experience of project management dealing with environmental issues i.e. dairy conversions, mine compliance and community water schemes.
She has kept up her interest in track events, running the 400 metres for Southland and is a member of Gore Athletics Club.
She hasn’t followed in her brothers’ footsteps, working abroad yet, but has taken part in running events in Australia.
Having gained a sports scholarship to Lincoln University, Rebecca studied environmental management and planning and now works for BTW South, a private consultancy company based in Cromwell. Here she is getting broad experience of project management dealing with environmental issues i.e. dairy conversions, mine compliance and community water schemes.
She has kept up her interest in track events, running the 400 metres for Southland and is a member of Gore Athletics Club.
She hasn’t followed in her brothers’ footsteps, working abroad yet, but has taken part in running events in Australia.
sam carran
When broadcast and journalism post-graduate student, Sam Carran, returned to St Peter’s College to do a story recently, he found he was the subject of a story himself.
Sam, who was Head Boy at SPC in 2009, went on to do a degree in media and communications at the University of Canterbury. Now his one year post-graduate studies in broadcasting and journalism involve him in printed media, radio and TV. It’s not all theory though, there’s been practical working experience with the Ashburton Guardian, the Marlborough Express and RDU Radio and soon he hopes to do some work behind the scenes on TV show, “The Crowd Goes Wild”.
Sam reflected on what led him to choose a career in sports journalism. He described himself as a Gore lad, who was happy at school and whose goal was always to be Head Boy and a role model for younger children.
He loved sports and had a black belt in karate by the time he left school. He represented Southland in athletics, tennis and basketball and was an enthusiastic school rugby player too.
On the academic side he wasn’t strong on the sciences, so concentrated on English based subjects, as well as his PE. It was this interest in English and sport that formed the basis of his future career choice. As a good all-rounder he took part in Eisteddfods and his singing led to parts in Gore Operatic Shows as well as St Peter’s productions including “Grease” and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
Strong essay writing skills from English studies at school, meant that Sam was well equipped for the first year of his university course, where assignments were all essay based. During his second year he did a work placement at the Ensign in Gore and found plenty of excitement to report on, when a truck crashed through a building during his time there.
Sam feels that job prospects in journalism are good if you are prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up. As a junior in sports journalism, you have to be looking for new angles, as the big matches are already covered by seasoned reporters. Good contacts are vital and Sam coaches a rugby team with the All Blacks’ ex media manager, which led him to be present at one of their closed practices for an international game. A good opportunity for networking.
An exchange trip to France while still at school gave Sam a taste of life abroad and he has since been to Australia and America. He’d be happy if covering sport abroad allowed him to travel more.
Where would he like to be in ten years’ time? In TV - covering sports and current affairs. Apparently a southern accent doesn’t count against you if you are lucky enough to be in front of the cameras.
Sam, who was Head Boy at SPC in 2009, went on to do a degree in media and communications at the University of Canterbury. Now his one year post-graduate studies in broadcasting and journalism involve him in printed media, radio and TV. It’s not all theory though, there’s been practical working experience with the Ashburton Guardian, the Marlborough Express and RDU Radio and soon he hopes to do some work behind the scenes on TV show, “The Crowd Goes Wild”.
Sam reflected on what led him to choose a career in sports journalism. He described himself as a Gore lad, who was happy at school and whose goal was always to be Head Boy and a role model for younger children.
He loved sports and had a black belt in karate by the time he left school. He represented Southland in athletics, tennis and basketball and was an enthusiastic school rugby player too.
On the academic side he wasn’t strong on the sciences, so concentrated on English based subjects, as well as his PE. It was this interest in English and sport that formed the basis of his future career choice. As a good all-rounder he took part in Eisteddfods and his singing led to parts in Gore Operatic Shows as well as St Peter’s productions including “Grease” and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
Strong essay writing skills from English studies at school, meant that Sam was well equipped for the first year of his university course, where assignments were all essay based. During his second year he did a work placement at the Ensign in Gore and found plenty of excitement to report on, when a truck crashed through a building during his time there.
Sam feels that job prospects in journalism are good if you are prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up. As a junior in sports journalism, you have to be looking for new angles, as the big matches are already covered by seasoned reporters. Good contacts are vital and Sam coaches a rugby team with the All Blacks’ ex media manager, which led him to be present at one of their closed practices for an international game. A good opportunity for networking.
An exchange trip to France while still at school gave Sam a taste of life abroad and he has since been to Australia and America. He’d be happy if covering sport abroad allowed him to travel more.
Where would he like to be in ten years’ time? In TV - covering sports and current affairs. Apparently a southern accent doesn’t count against you if you are lucky enough to be in front of the cameras.
stacey peters
Stacey Peeters was Head Girl at St Peter’s College in 2010 the Year in which she was also named Southland Young Netballer of the Year.
Stacey is one of four Southern Steel players who have been selected to play for the New Zealand Under 21 team in the World Youth championship in Glasgow in August. Members of the NZ Under 21 team are often selected to play for the Silver Ferns, so it is a great step to getting noticed.
In her impressive career to date, Stacey played in the Lois Muir Challenge Team and the Southland HPC team. She coaches netball and is on the NZ Netball Youth Council. While playing for her country in the NZ Secondary Schools team, she got a gold medal in the final game against Australia.
Stacey is now based in Dunedin and studying nutrition at Otago Polytechnic.
Stacey is one of four Southern Steel players who have been selected to play for the New Zealand Under 21 team in the World Youth championship in Glasgow in August. Members of the NZ Under 21 team are often selected to play for the Silver Ferns, so it is a great step to getting noticed.
In her impressive career to date, Stacey played in the Lois Muir Challenge Team and the Southland HPC team. She coaches netball and is on the NZ Netball Youth Council. While playing for her country in the NZ Secondary Schools team, she got a gold medal in the final game against Australia.
Stacey is now based in Dunedin and studying nutrition at Otago Polytechnic.
franky maslin
When Franky Maslin had the opportunity to spend time abroad with the Australia and New Zealand student exchange, she chose Italy. It meant that she was able to follow in the footsteps of her great grandfather who fought there with the Maori Battalion in World War II. Franky is Māori, from her mother’s side, and Pākehā, from her father’s side. Franky’s Māori heritage plays an important part in her life and she hopes to do future post graduate study on the interplay between Māori and Pākehā cultures.
Franky is a Gore girl. She was a pupil at St Mary’s and then made an easy transition with her friends to St Peter’s College, where she found a welcoming environment. Keen on sport, she loved PE lessons and played for netball and basketball teams. Her father and grandfather were involved with the Eastern Basketball Association, so there was plenty of support at home along with her mother on the sidelines at netball. In school, teachers Kate Leebody and Lindy Cavanagh provided inspiration and encouraged her netball talent.
Franky liked maths but felt she wasn’t too good at English, so she worked hard on that to improve it – a good move as things turned out.
While at school, as Chair of the Youth Council, Franky represented Māori interests from the Hokonui Marae, where her family have close ties. She did dance in school Eisteddfods, and took part in the Bishop’s Shield competition. In 2010 the International year of Youth, as a Unicef Youth Ambassador she was able to organize an event at the St James Theatre in Gore to highlight Children’s Rights. Having been brought up in a household where you had to be able to debate with conviction, Franky belives that she had a balanced upbringing which gave her a sense of self assurance and led to her gift of advocacy.
Intending to take a year out when she left school, the awarding of a Maori Entrants’ scholarship meant that she was able to change her mind and go straight to Otago University to study politics and then on day one to sign up for a law degree as well. Her time in Italy came during her first year at university and she had to sit her university exams overseas. She funded her following years at university, by working part time and taking on the role of pastoral care assistant in her residence. Despite the years of study, she still managed to fit in both social and competitive sports.
Having decided on a career in the law, she found that the extra study in English as well as debate and advocacy practice on the Youth Council had produced skills well suited to her new life.
After graduating, she stayed on in Dunedin and took a research assistant’s job and was part of a long term project on young people in New Zealand – a transitional study for Massey University.
By 2017, Franky now works as a judge’s clerk at the District Court in Wellington, having been admitted to the Bar at a ceremony in Invercargill with her proud family in attendance. In the future she wants to build on her earlier role as a Youth Ambassador and represent children’s interests within the law.
Franky returns to her much loved home town of Gore whenever she can, but admits that her work means that she must live elsewhere. She recalls a thrilling moment during her time near Turin, in Italy, when her hosts took her to see an ancient church. Inside was a map of schools around the world set up by the Rosminian Order and there on the map was her own school, St Peter’s College in Gore.
Franky is a Gore girl. She was a pupil at St Mary’s and then made an easy transition with her friends to St Peter’s College, where she found a welcoming environment. Keen on sport, she loved PE lessons and played for netball and basketball teams. Her father and grandfather were involved with the Eastern Basketball Association, so there was plenty of support at home along with her mother on the sidelines at netball. In school, teachers Kate Leebody and Lindy Cavanagh provided inspiration and encouraged her netball talent.
Franky liked maths but felt she wasn’t too good at English, so she worked hard on that to improve it – a good move as things turned out.
While at school, as Chair of the Youth Council, Franky represented Māori interests from the Hokonui Marae, where her family have close ties. She did dance in school Eisteddfods, and took part in the Bishop’s Shield competition. In 2010 the International year of Youth, as a Unicef Youth Ambassador she was able to organize an event at the St James Theatre in Gore to highlight Children’s Rights. Having been brought up in a household where you had to be able to debate with conviction, Franky belives that she had a balanced upbringing which gave her a sense of self assurance and led to her gift of advocacy.
Intending to take a year out when she left school, the awarding of a Maori Entrants’ scholarship meant that she was able to change her mind and go straight to Otago University to study politics and then on day one to sign up for a law degree as well. Her time in Italy came during her first year at university and she had to sit her university exams overseas. She funded her following years at university, by working part time and taking on the role of pastoral care assistant in her residence. Despite the years of study, she still managed to fit in both social and competitive sports.
Having decided on a career in the law, she found that the extra study in English as well as debate and advocacy practice on the Youth Council had produced skills well suited to her new life.
After graduating, she stayed on in Dunedin and took a research assistant’s job and was part of a long term project on young people in New Zealand – a transitional study for Massey University.
By 2017, Franky now works as a judge’s clerk at the District Court in Wellington, having been admitted to the Bar at a ceremony in Invercargill with her proud family in attendance. In the future she wants to build on her earlier role as a Youth Ambassador and represent children’s interests within the law.
Franky returns to her much loved home town of Gore whenever she can, but admits that her work means that she must live elsewhere. She recalls a thrilling moment during her time near Turin, in Italy, when her hosts took her to see an ancient church. Inside was a map of schools around the world set up by the Rosminian Order and there on the map was her own school, St Peter’s College in Gore.
2010 - Current Students
jessica hardegger & lucy barron
Jessica Hardegger and Lucy Barron are living up to the school motto of “Charity Fulfils the Law”, by volunteering overseas this summer. Lucy, who was the college Leader of Special Character in 2010, is in Africa, working in an aids clinic, while Jessica, who was Rosmini House Leader the same year, is gaining further nursing experience at a medical clinic in India.
Jessica was inspired to volunteer after hearing a talk by Dr. Brahmochary, Head of the Institute for Indian Mother and Child, who recently visited Dunedin. Instead of spending the summer on her family’s farm at Winton, she and a colleague have taken medical supplies and the skills learned in two years of nursing training to help Indian women and children living in extreme poverty. .
Jessica was inspired to volunteer after hearing a talk by Dr. Brahmochary, Head of the Institute for Indian Mother and Child, who recently visited Dunedin. Instead of spending the summer on her family’s farm at Winton, she and a colleague have taken medical supplies and the skills learned in two years of nursing training to help Indian women and children living in extreme poverty. .
josh vosawale
The contrast couldn’t have been more stark when Josh Vosawale left his school at Lautoka in Fiji to come to St Peter’s College. His home village was a boat ride away from where his father worked as a church minister at Nadi, but Gore was far away from any palm fringed seashore and life in New Zealand very different from his traditional and disciplined upbringing back home.
As a pupil at Natabua High School, Josh had excelled at athletics and captained U14 –U17 rugby teams from 2007-2010 and was a member of the NZPTC Academy for Rugby in Nadi. Scholarships to schools in NZ are highly sought after in Fiji, but to qualify requires being a good “all rounder” both academically and on the sports field. Josh applied for a Pacific Islands scholarship and was accepted to study at St Peter’s here in Gore.
Coming to Southland meant his first trip by plane – an exciting prospect. When he arrived he found the weather cold here, but the welcome was warm and although he missed his family back home in Fiji, especially during school holidays, they kept in close contact by phone. Josh was the second Fijian student to stay in the St Peter’s Boarding House, and he soon made friends here. He enjoyed the life and the meals, but missed the abundance of fresh sea food back home on the islands. Staying with local farming families in the school holidays meant that he was able to help out on the farms and he particularly enjoyed anything that involved machinery, which was to become one of his main interests.
By 2012 he was captain of the St Peter’s First XV and coach to the U15 Rugby League team. He was also playing for Southland County Senior Men’s Rugby team, having been in their Under 18 team in 2011. When his school career drew to a close he gained a scholarship to the Southland Institute of Technology to study heavy automotive machinery. This is a one year course, which will be followed by a three year apprenticeship. At the same time Josh is a member of the Excelsior Rugby Club and plays for the Barbarians in the Southland Premier League. Josh has maintained his link with the St Peter’s Boarding House, working with the junior boys whilst studying at SIT and ultimately his goal is to be an All Black and play rugby in the Olympics. Based on his record to date, he might well do just that!
As a pupil at Natabua High School, Josh had excelled at athletics and captained U14 –U17 rugby teams from 2007-2010 and was a member of the NZPTC Academy for Rugby in Nadi. Scholarships to schools in NZ are highly sought after in Fiji, but to qualify requires being a good “all rounder” both academically and on the sports field. Josh applied for a Pacific Islands scholarship and was accepted to study at St Peter’s here in Gore.
Coming to Southland meant his first trip by plane – an exciting prospect. When he arrived he found the weather cold here, but the welcome was warm and although he missed his family back home in Fiji, especially during school holidays, they kept in close contact by phone. Josh was the second Fijian student to stay in the St Peter’s Boarding House, and he soon made friends here. He enjoyed the life and the meals, but missed the abundance of fresh sea food back home on the islands. Staying with local farming families in the school holidays meant that he was able to help out on the farms and he particularly enjoyed anything that involved machinery, which was to become one of his main interests.
By 2012 he was captain of the St Peter’s First XV and coach to the U15 Rugby League team. He was also playing for Southland County Senior Men’s Rugby team, having been in their Under 18 team in 2011. When his school career drew to a close he gained a scholarship to the Southland Institute of Technology to study heavy automotive machinery. This is a one year course, which will be followed by a three year apprenticeship. At the same time Josh is a member of the Excelsior Rugby Club and plays for the Barbarians in the Southland Premier League. Josh has maintained his link with the St Peter’s Boarding House, working with the junior boys whilst studying at SIT and ultimately his goal is to be an All Black and play rugby in the Olympics. Based on his record to date, he might well do just that!
jenny mitchell
On the day in May 2015 that she released a single from her first album and it went straight to Number 1 in the NZ Country Music Chart, Jenny Mitchell took a break in her school day to talk about herself, her music and her school.
With the imminent launch of her debut album “The Old Oak”, Jenny is building on the musical success she has already enjoyed. At just 16 she has already won a string of country music awards and in 2014 competed in the national TV series “NZ’s Got Talent” where she took third place.
Currently a Year 12 student at St Peter’s College, she joined the school in 2010 from St Mary’s. At first, like her peers, she was overwhelmed with the size of the place and the sheer number of people.
Coming from a local farming family, she describes herself as “outdoorsy”. From an early age she loved riding the horses and feeding the pet lambs on the farm and on the sports field was keen on netball, but her first love was always singing. Dad, Ron, was a country singer and that got her interested when she was just 4 and it grew from there.
When she started at senior school, she kept her two lives as separate as possible, fitting in her music where she could around the demands of the school year and only taking time off for big events.
She has always set herself high standards, both in her music and her school work, doing extra study to reach high academic goals to compensate for the demands of her singing career.
Jenny wants to achieve university entrance, so needs to do well in her exams, but feels that she might take a gap year after school, maybe move to Christchurch to concentrate on musical performance for a year.
Taking part in NZ’s Got Talent on TV gave her a taste of what a successful musical career could be like and proved an eye opener into where hard work could take her in this profession.
Of her school years so far, she says the best part has been making so many good friends and the amazing support she has had from the staff, with their positive “you can do it” attitude.
Coupled with the support in school has been that from the local community. Gore may be a small town, but especially after she appeared on TV, they came out in force to encourage her and she has really appreciated all the local backing.
Jenny is already well travelled, having stayed with her extensive family in Ireland and has visited other parts of Europe, America, Hong Kong and Australia and recently taken part in the very successful St Peter’s history trip to Vietnam. She has drawn on her own personal experiences in her song writing, something that can only add an authenticity and honesty to her music.
So what does the future hold for this singing, song writing school girl? In ten years time she is hoping that she will have done some more travelling, gained a degree in “something” and become a full time musician.
With the imminent launch of her debut album “The Old Oak”, Jenny is building on the musical success she has already enjoyed. At just 16 she has already won a string of country music awards and in 2014 competed in the national TV series “NZ’s Got Talent” where she took third place.
Currently a Year 12 student at St Peter’s College, she joined the school in 2010 from St Mary’s. At first, like her peers, she was overwhelmed with the size of the place and the sheer number of people.
Coming from a local farming family, she describes herself as “outdoorsy”. From an early age she loved riding the horses and feeding the pet lambs on the farm and on the sports field was keen on netball, but her first love was always singing. Dad, Ron, was a country singer and that got her interested when she was just 4 and it grew from there.
When she started at senior school, she kept her two lives as separate as possible, fitting in her music where she could around the demands of the school year and only taking time off for big events.
She has always set herself high standards, both in her music and her school work, doing extra study to reach high academic goals to compensate for the demands of her singing career.
Jenny wants to achieve university entrance, so needs to do well in her exams, but feels that she might take a gap year after school, maybe move to Christchurch to concentrate on musical performance for a year.
Taking part in NZ’s Got Talent on TV gave her a taste of what a successful musical career could be like and proved an eye opener into where hard work could take her in this profession.
Of her school years so far, she says the best part has been making so many good friends and the amazing support she has had from the staff, with their positive “you can do it” attitude.
Coupled with the support in school has been that from the local community. Gore may be a small town, but especially after she appeared on TV, they came out in force to encourage her and she has really appreciated all the local backing.
Jenny is already well travelled, having stayed with her extensive family in Ireland and has visited other parts of Europe, America, Hong Kong and Australia and recently taken part in the very successful St Peter’s history trip to Vietnam. She has drawn on her own personal experiences in her song writing, something that can only add an authenticity and honesty to her music.
So what does the future hold for this singing, song writing school girl? In ten years time she is hoping that she will have done some more travelling, gained a degree in “something” and become a full time musician.