Message from our Head Prefects

Head Girl: Rebecca Dorsey

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.

Waitaki Girls’ High School has certainly helped me flourish as a student. If it wasn’t for the supportive teachers, extracurricular activities, and the atmosphere of an all-girls school, I do not believe I would have grown into who I am today.

A key part of the school programme is goal setting, and our Whanau teachers play a key role in encouraging us to do this. By setting goals I work harder and consistently apply myself throughout the year.

Waitaki Girls High School encourages us to be involved in many groups and activities. Even the smallest opportunity may allow you to meet new friends, develop new strengths, and improve your confidence.

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 Student: Renee Stenning

From the moment I first began at Waitaki Girls’ High School, I have felt a large sense of belonging and have been comfortable being myself. I value how caring the teachers are, and how each brings their own wealth of knowledge.

At Waitaki Girls’ High School, I have been taught the importance of respect, responsibility, and resilience. For me, this mantra is valuable both in and outside of school.  I have taken every opportunity that comes my way, as you never know what you are capable of until you try. A quote that relates to my journey through high school from Nelson Mandela is “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it”. Whatever your goals are this year, in school or out of school, strive for your own success. Push your own limits, but most importantly be yourself.

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.