Message from our Head Prefects

Head Girl: Emma Borrie

Being a student at Waitaki Girls’ since Year 9 has enabled me to grow into a strong, confident, driven and independent woman, thanks to the strong support in all aspects of life at Waitaki. Over those four years I have been able to gain new life experiences and lessons through the wide variety of opportunities that our school has to offer, from sporting to cultural to academic. I have been able to grow into myself and be unique while still fitting in with the supportive, family feeling environment. Because Waitaki is a single sex school, it allows me to be more open and comfortable with myself and my peers, gives me more opportunities and insight because everything is catered explicitly to young women. I have been able to make friends that will last a lifetime, gained knowledge and passion that will enable me to go out into the world and make a difference by doing what I want to do, all thanks to the supportive and nurturing environment Waitaki strives for.

Waitaki Girls’ has a strong foundation with community support within and out of school. The communities we belong to are essential for our growth as strong women, and our school makes it easy to connect people together through commonalities and differences.

Our connections are what make us who we are, which is why it is so important to establish them early and continue to grow them. This strong sense of community has been a massive and enriching part of Girls’ High and my own experience at this school.

While at Waitaki, I have pushed myself outside of my comfort zone countless times and have been heavily involved in numerous school events, clubs and committees, allowing me to understand and become a part of the culture here at WGHS, giving me different perspectives from all the unique and diverse voices we have, while becoming more organised and effectively managing my time. Waitaki Girls’ gives the opportunity to be involved in such a wide range of activities, ensuring that pupils are balanced and well rounded, I’ve been a part of a raft of activities and clubs such as Amnesty and Enviro, as well as debating, drama, multisport and netball as well as many more. Our school gives the opportunity for girls to have a taste of so many different things, opening up the possibility of new passions, hobbies and skills.

There is no better time to give new things “a go” and make mistakes than at high school, and Waitaki Girls’ has a safe environment and community for girls to unashamedly do so, by providing support and encouragement. This has enabled me and so many others to step out of my shy comfort zone and become well rounded and excited by new experiences, with important life lessons helping me to understand that failure is part of the process. The ‘Waitaki Way’ of respectful, responsible and resilient is apparent in and out of our classrooms and helps teach values that we all need.

I couldn’t be more proud to represent this strong school for girls and I will forever be grateful for everything Waitaki Girls’ has provided for me, from knowledge, to memories, to friendships, to experience and everything in between.

Deputy Head Girl: Laura Dunshea

It’s crazy how fast the past 4 years have gone. I have truly made the most of my school years by taking on the many opportunities offered to me culturally, academically and through sports. The extra support and encouragement from staff and fellow students, has helped me exceed in many areas, making me the confident and independent person I am today. I’ve been involved in a vast majority of activities from numerous committees , sporting events, tournaments, inter-schools, school camps, Waka Ama and Mana Wāhine, allowing me to explore who I am and connect with other girls and with the wider community.

Strong relationships are created with senior students from the very first day of high school, which gives you that extra support and help throughout high school years. Now it’ll be my turn to provide support for the younger students, helping them begin to grow. The staff constantly put in extra work, giving up their own time to make endless opportunities possible, allowing students to excel in order to achieve to the highest standard possible. The support we receive from the wider community is also invaluable, whether it is through sponsorships, fundraising, event organising and understanding when balancing casual employment and school commitments.

The culture throughout the school allows us to comfortably give things a go as we are in a comfortable, positive and accepting environment. The Waitaki Way consists of 3 values; respectful, responsible and resilient. These values have had the power to stick with me and will continue to do so as they have shaped the way I handle situations.

I am proud to be a part of the Waitaki Girls’ community and represent the girls as Deputy Head Girl for 2020 working alongside a new leadership team and the other awesome student leaders. I am excited to say the least, and look forward to the year ahead.