Waipapa Taumata Rau: University of Auckland Visit
On Thursday 28 May we had the privilege of welcoming the University of Auckland to Lynfield College to speak to our Year 12 and Year 13 students. The visitors gave a presentation on the courses they offer, what campus life looks like, how to enrol, how to apply for scholarships, accommodation, and a timeline of when to get applications in by.
Most impressively, they stayed for as long as it took to answers every student’s individual questions, and made sure everyone had some time with them before they left.
We have had similar visits from AUT, Otago, Massey and Waikato in the last few weeks as well. It has been great to see so many students exploring their options and future career plans.
All of New Zealand’s Universities will be back in Term 3 to help students with enrolment, so students should check the notices daily about this and for other upcoming special guest visits.
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Students develop functional and funky personal alarms
Lisa Owen from Radio New Zealand interviewed Year 13 Business students Nabeeha Kamran, Amisha Kalyan, Ella Harrington and Tehillah Hubert for RNZ checkpoint which aired on Monday night: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/596291/students-sell-personal-alarms-in-tiny-crocheted-animals
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| A 'Safe and Sound' crochet animal key chain. |
Four students' own experiences with unwanted attention has lead them to develop functional - but funky - personal alarms as part of a school business project.
The 17-year-olds from Lynfield College in Auckland have launched Safe and Sound - personal safety alarms concealed in tiny crocheted animals that have wrist straps or can be attached to a bag.
Nabeeha Kamran - one of the Year 13 students behind the project - told Checkpoint the idea came from their own personal experiences.
"All four of our founding members have gone through something in public where someone has approached them or harassed them, and they obviously did not want that to happen, and they didn't know what they should do in that situation because no-one was coming to help.
"So we developed the idea of a product to create something that would catch passers-by's attention."
The students say market research confirmed there was demand for the palm-sized products. Their research found that 82 percent of people in Auckland have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces, and 75 percent of women in Auckland have been followed by a stranger in public. She said the student built each "quite loud" alarm from scratch, with some of the students having to learn new skills as they went.
"We crochet everything, we solder everything, we sew everything together. It's all hand-made and made by us."
Kamran said the alarms were discrete and aesthetically pleasing. And it's got a bracelet and a coin pouch, so it's like multi-purpose as well."
She said with a target market of people aged 16-24, it was important to make the alarms as attractive as possible. "There are other self-defence alarms on the market, but none of them come in an adorable crochet key chain. So that's our advantage in the market."
The alarms are being mostly sold through their Instagram page, as well as at school markets.
Meredith Connell Inspires Future Lawyers
Students interested in a career in law recently had the opportunity to hear from two lawyers from Meredith Connell, Renee Zhang and Taniela-Afu Veikune, who visited Lynfield College to share their experiences and insights into the legal profession.
During the session, Renee and Taniela-Afu spoke about the pathway into law, what studying law at university is really like, and the best ways students can prepare themselves while still at school. They also provided an engaging overview of the New Zealand legal system and the day-to-day realities of working as a lawyer.
One of the key messages shared was that no two days are ever the same. They explained you don’t need to be good at any particular subject at school, but that successful lawyers are excellent problem solvers who enjoy working with and helping people from all walks of life.
Students were particularly interested to learn about the Te Kūhunga Scholarship, an initiative designed to support future law students and encourage greater diversity within the legal profession. The scholarship has strong Lynfield College connections, having been established by distinguished alumna Dame Helen Winkelmann.
There is an exciting opportunity for students in Term 3, with a planned visit to the Meredith Connell offices where they will be able to gain an even greater understanding of the legal profession in action.
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A Visit from the Ugly Shakespeare Company
On Monday 18th May, the Year 9 students had a special assembly in the morning. The Ugly Shakespeare Company had come to perform ‘The Complete Works of Shakespeare’, yes, all 37, in one hour! Performed by only three actors, the plays were all made as concise as possible, whilst keeping the original storyline (somewhat) intact.
The plays were mostly spoken in modern English, with some key lines and quotes staying in Shakespearean English. This mix of languages, combined with the actors’ hilarious and engaging manner, made that performance one to remember. Some of the most memorable moments were when one actor came into the audience and pretended to barf on some of the audience, and when the same actor spat out water over the front few rows during their quick recount of ‘Hamlet’.
Through showing us something so comical and witty, and connecting it to our learning in class, they brought the world of Shakespeare closer to us and showed us how exciting something from 400 years ago could be.
Saanvi Malarao, Year 9
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Mai FM: Hero of the ClassroomMai FM radio network have partnered with the Ministry of Education to spotlight the most inspiring teachers across Aotearoa (the Mai Hero of the Classroom): "From the legends who taught us our first lessons to the superstars guiding our tamariki today, we want to know who made the biggest impact on your journey. The mahi that happens in our kura is the backbone of our community. It’s about more than just lesson plans; it’s about empowering the next generation to lead. We’re looking for the teachers who put in the extra miles to see their students win. Nominate your Hero of the Classroom with Mai FM, More FM or Breeze here. If they’ve made a difference, we want to hear about it. We will show up and give them a special surprise." And they did!At morning briefing on Monday 11 May Mai FM surprised and delighted us all with a Hero of the Classroom Award for HOD of Music Greg McLarin for giving so much time to his students and helping them grow! |
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Lynfield Girls 'Tap In' to Careers in Water Infrastructure
On Monday 11 May, Lynfield College students had the opportunity to explore an exciting and often overlooked career pathway when they attended the Tap In – Explore Careers in Water Infrastructure day in Māngere.
Hosted in partnership with Pipeline and Civil, the half-day event took place at their training centre and was designed to introduce young women to careers in water and infrastructure. The programme focused on hands-on roles that offer strong career opportunities without necessarily requiring many formal qualifications to get started.
Representing Lynfield College were Temperance Gataulu-Mara, Tehillah Hubert, Chante Luiters, Ana Lusaipau, Madison Markovina, Jolie Moss-Cocker, and Milla Wild. Throughout the morning, the students took part in a range of practical activities that gave them a real taste of the industry. One of the highlights was the chance to operate heavy machinery — including driving diggers — under expert guidance.
Alongside the practical experiences, students also heard from industry professionals who shared their own career journeys in water and civil infrastructure. These talks highlighted the many pathways available and how young people can build successful and meaningful careers in this important sector. It was an inspiring day of learning, confidence-building, and discovering new possibilities with the potential of further opportunities to come.
The event organisers sharied their appreciation of our student afterwards: “We loved having them — what a great bunch of students you have!”
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Mt Maunganui College Sports Exchange
Early yesterday morning, a group of 105 Lynfield College Sports students and staff made the trip down to Mt Maunganui College for our annual Sports Exchange. This is a tradition which has been going back to the 1960s.
It was a great experience for all the students to be involved in this exchange again, which was unfortunately postponed in 2025. Although the results didn’t quite go the way we would have hoped, the day still made for some great memories and was an awesome celebration of the friendship between our schools.
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Auckland Regional Senior Chess Tournament
Ten Lynfield students across all year levels participated in the Auckland Regional Chess Tournament on Friday 8 May at Mt Albert Grammar school. They placed third in the tournament, qualifying Lynfield College to complete in the national finals, which will take place in October.
Congratulations to all team members: Mahant Agrawal, Amy Hawke, Keith Huang, Gia Bao Le, Alan Li, Hetansh Trivedi, Izak Van Niekerk, Ayaan Vasudeva, Ian Zhang and Liam Zhang.
Our top scorers were Ayaan Vasudeva with 5 points out of 7 and Amy Hawke with 4.5 points out of 7. Both of them received a special award for their performance.
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3OED Karangahake Gorge Camp
On Wednesday 6 May, two Year 13 Level 3 Outdoor Education classes went on a 3-day camp to Dickie Flat Campsite in the beautiful Karagahake Gorge within the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park in the Bay of Plenty/Waikato region. The camp gave students the opportunity to challenge themselves, build teamwork skills, and experience the outdoors in a completely new way.
On the camp, students learned about river safety and practised using throw bags for water rescues. Students were taught how to safely respond in emergency situations and how important communication and teamwork are when working around water. All students had the opportunity to construct bivys using natural materials and equipment they had brought with them. After building their shelters, they prepared to spend the night in the bush, which was a completely new experience for many students.
The second day focused on teamwork and problem solving activities around the campsite. Students worked in groups and took part in a range of challenges, including getting group members over a wall, removing a tyre from the top of a pole, and building a bridge using limited resources. These activities encouraged students to communicate clearly, trust one another, and think creatively under pressure.
On the return to Lynfield we stopped in at Wero Whitewater Park in Wiri for some rafting and to experience the power of moving water. It was a great camp with lots of learning.
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Year 12 Students Explore Future Pathways
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On Wednesday 6 May, our entire Year12 cohort headed out to the Careers OutWest Expo held at The Trusts Arena in Henderson. During the expo, our students were able to experience a variety of interactive activities, including virtual reality demonstrations, testing their strength in physical challenges, trying their hand at hammering nails in a trade skills activity, and even stepping into the role of a radio host for a moment. One lucky Lynfield student even walked away with a brand-new set of headphones after winning a prize at one of the stalls. Our students thoroughly enjoyed exploring the wide variety of industries represented at the expo, and we hope the experience helped many begin thinking more confidently about their future plans and the steps they may take in the future. |
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https://www.worldvision.org.nz/connect/events/youth-conference/
Lynfield Students Inspired at World Vision Youth Conference
On Tuesday 5 May, a group of Lynfield College student leaders attended the World Vision Youth Conference, held at The Trusts Arena in Henderson. Accompanied by Mr Christie, the group included the Year 12 Executive along with Ambassador Coordinators Vyom Barot and Arsh Narayan.
The annual conference brings together students from Years 11–13 from across Aotearoa and is designed to inspire young people to become passionate advocates for justice and positive change. Each year, nearly two thousand students take part in the national tour organised by World Vision New Zealand, equipping them with leadership skills and a deeper understanding of global and local issues.
Throughout the day, students explored how they can create meaningful change within their schools and communities. They also learned more about the systemic injustices facing societies today, heard from inspiring guest speakers such as Mike McRoberts, and took part in interactive workshops.
Inspired by the experience, the Lynfield student leaders are now turning their focus to organising the school’s involvement in the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge in June. Lynfield College has proudly supported World Vision for more than 40 years, raising awareness and funds to support vulnerable communities around the world. We wish them all the best for their planning.
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