Inaugural Annual DinnerA year on from the reunion, we decided it was time to meet up again, we are delighted to invite past students of Massey High School to join us for dinner on Friday 6 August. The Past Students Association has organised this dinner at The Brigham Restaurant in Hobsonville and we hope to make it an annual event. Click here to view and print the invite. May 2010 NewsletterIt is a just over a year since we celebrated Massey High School’s 40th anniversary at our wonderful reunion event last Easter. Since then we have formed the Massey High School Past Students Association committee and a group of past students also met recently to establish the Massey High School Foundation. The Foundation will provide independent, long term support particularly in the area of funding to ensure the school can continue to deliver the highest possible standards in education and offer a wide range of extracurricular activities. The founding trustees are Craig Walker, Linda Cooper, Professor Paul Moon, Mark Markovina and the Principal Bruce Ritchie. We have received valuable pro bono assistance from local solicitor and supporter Bernie Allen in the preparing of the trust deed. We have also had a number of the school laureates and other notable past students attend assemblies to talk on their areas of expertise.
Councillor Linda Cooper
Professor Paul Moon The school was delighted to have Paul as the guest speaker at the special assembly to recognise 2009 scholarship recipients. The school was proud to announce the 32 scholarships which included the top scholar in accounting for New Zealand. Paul started with some very practical advice for life after school and followed on to emphasise that it is vital to reach out for every opportunity to ensure life does not pass by while sitting on the couch!
Inspector Gary Davey The Area Commander for Waitakere Police, Inspector Gary Davey, left Massey High School in Year 11 and completed a mechanics apprenticeship before joining the NZ Police. To achieve his goals Gary completed a double degree in management and law while working long Police hours. His message to the students was to stay in school. He said that it could be done the hard way, as he did it, but the easier way was to plan for tertiary studies before launching into the workforce without qualifications.
Brigadier Tim Keating Tim Keating has been the commanding officer of the SAS and is currently second in charge of the NZ Army. It was fitting for the Brigadier to visit the school in ANZAC week. He spoke to the Piha Assembly and afterwards met with students planning an army career. He described his various roles in the New Zealand Army including his personal experiences in Afghanistan which were very sobering. Tim also emphasised that the success of the modern day army is built on courage, commitment and compassion. The programme will continue as it has the content has been motivational and well received by students.
Annual General Meeting The second annual general meeting of the the Massey High School Past Students Association will be held in the school library Tuesday 15 June at 7pm. We are keen to hear from past pupils who may be interested in becoming committee members. We are also keen to hear of the successes of our past pupils and we would encourage you to send this newsletter on to your old friends and encourage them to them to stay in touch by registering on our web page at www.masseyhigh.school.nz. We are planning to hold some events later in the year to give those of you who missed the reunion a chance to catch up with old class mates and staff. If you have any preferences please let me know. We have copies of Seek The Heights by Jack Adam available for purchase from the school’s website www.masseyhigh.school.nz at $25 a copy and the reunion photos are still available from our photographer Mike Hassett Photography (email mike@mhphoto.co.nz.)
In brief: Wayne Miles left Massey High School in 1998 and after completing a Bachelor of Science degree (1st Class) in Genetics at Massey University, headed for the University of Manchester where he completed his PhD in Developmental Biology 2003-2007. He stayed on to become a Wellcome Trust Post-Doctoral Research Scientist before heading to Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Centre and Harvard Medical School (USA) where he is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. Vaimoana Tapeleao, a reporter for the New Zealand herald was recognised by the Human Rights Commission for the compassionate feature she wrote on the sinking of the Tongan ferry Princess Ashika. Vaimoana was also the Herald reporter who covered the Pacific tsunami in September. School News – The school is in the final stages of planning for a new performing arts centre which will be built on the front boundary to give easy access to both students and community groups. The centre will include a 500 seat theatre, cafe and lobby and is due to open in March 2011. The school production this year is Cabaret which will in the school hall from 28 June. Tickets available at the school office from 1 June. Contact details: We want to stay in touch. If either your email or postal address has changed since we last contacted you, please send through the changes by return email to Colleen Cameron our school liaison. I look forward to meeting as many as possible at the AGM. Best Wishes
Linda Cooper Seek the Heights", The First Forty YearsJack Adam, our founding Principal, has compiled a book to acknowledge the school’s history and achievements. "Seek the Heights", The First Forty Years is a wonderful memento. "In compiling this history of the first forty years of Massey High School, I have become acutely aware of the appropriateness of the school's motto "Seek the Heights". Not only has it been understood by everyone associated with the school but it has been pursued with vigour over the forty years since 1969." - Jack Adam To purchase a copy of this book, click here.
Reunion Photos Click Here |
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