Latest news with #CromwellCollege
Otago Daily Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Young entrepreneurs pitch their products
Tote bags, T-shirts and skincare creams were among the products pitched by aspiring entrepreneurs from across Central Otago at a Dragons' Den -inspired event at Cromwell College on Friday. Student teams from Cromwell, Alexandra, Queenstown and Wānaka taking part in the Young Enterprise Scheme (Yes) fronted up to judging panels of local business specialists with three minutes to showcase their goods. Regan Powell, who looks after Yes in the South Island, said participating pupils used the school year to set up and run a real business. The aim of Friday's quick-fire business pitching sessions was for students to be given feedback they could use to further grow and execute their ideas, Mr Powell said. First up was Scrub and Glow chief executive Anika Croy, of Cromwell College, who kicked off her business pitch with: ''In a market saturated with synthetic skincare, we stand out''. The team had done early market research that suggested a gap in the market for natural skin creams at a price point younger people could afford. Scrub and Glow are collaborating with Central Lakes Family Services, committing to donating 5% of company profits to the social service provider. It was important for them to ''give back'', they said. They were not the only business showing a social conscience. Conscious Carry sells canvas tote bags, complete with practical pockets and printed with a choice of two original designs drawn by creative team member Lizzie Engstrom. Each design supports one of two charities — the Cancer Society or Our Seas Our Future — with the students opting to donate $3 per bag sale to the organisations. Conscious Carry chief executive Lani Jones said each of the people behind the business had a personal story to tell of a loved one impacted by cancer, so it felt good for their business to be able to give back. Lani said standing in front of the judges had been ''nerve-racking'', but knowing their product had given them confidence. The team had worked out they needed to sell 100 bags to make $900 profit, with their break-even point reached at 18 bags sold. They had also already made it over their first gnarly business hurdle — problem solving a printing defect in their prototype stage that ultimately saw them ditch ink printing in favour of vinyl transfers. All the young business owners had been partnered with mentors from within the local business community to offer support on developing, financing, marketing and distributing their products and services. Mr Powell said the success of the scheme came down to three things: strong support from the business community, teachers willing to back it in schools and keen young people. The business school at the University of Otago had also stepped up, covering entry fees for all Otago school pupils taking part in the programme, he said.
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Young musicians perform with idols
Logan Hunt plays the drums with Barnaby Weir, the frontman for Kiwi band Fly My Pretties at the YAMI summit in Wānaka. PHOTOS: YAMI/DEANNA GERLACH A Cromwell teen is buzzing after a last-minute opportunity to play the drums on stage with a famous New Zealand frontman. Logan Hunt performed with Barnaby Weir, of Fly My Pretties and The Black Seeds, on a school trip in April. The year 11 pupil was one of nine young performers to represent Cromwell College at YAMI (youth and adults in the music industry), held this year in Wānaka. Logan said he learned the songs on the day, after being asked to fill the spot on stage in someone else's absence. Cromwell college year 10 pupil Mischa Thomlinson, belts out an original at this year's YAMI summit. "It was an awesome opportunity to get to play with such a big musician," Logan said. He described Weir as "kind and really good to work with". The YAMI summit brings together aspiring musicians and industry heavyweights for a series of workshops on songwriting, performing, DJing, handling royalties, distribution and marketing. For bass guitarist Indiana Cameron and singer-songwriters Mischa Thomlinson and Tynielle Engelbrecht — all pupils at Cromwell College — working on their own songs with Gin Wigmore and Evie Bamford was a pinch-me experience. "Gin was really good at knowing what you wanted the song to sound like and getting you to that point," Indiana said. "But it [YAMI] was not just about how to write and perform but how to record it [your music] too, so you could put it out to the world." With the help of Weir, Mischa was able to record, over the course of the weekend, an original song called Running back to me, which she planned to release on Spotify tomorrow. She said the experience offered a behind the scenes look at "how everything comes together"in a recording studio. Catherine Forsyth, who heads the college's music department, said the summit gave her students access to "experts in their fields" and that was something special. "They get to see those who are going before them making great music, and they're seeing that music is a real option [career-wise]." Each day of the summit culminated in gig-like performances by both the teens and their music idols.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Home sought for horse programme
A horse programme helping Cromwell young people find confidence and calmness is on the hunt for a new home. Zara-lee Macdonald is set to begin another six-week course with pupils from Cromwell College next week at the Cromwell Racecourse. For five years, Ms Macdonald has hosted her "A Horse Of Course" programme every term at the location, floating her horses there for each session. Now, she is hoping to find flat paddock space close to town where up to four horses can be kept for the duration of a course, and the young people can come for two hours once a week from school to visit them. A more permanent space would help ensure she could continue offering the opportunity into the future, she said. The Covid-19 pandemic and a herd of out-of-work trekking horses were the catalyst for Ms Macdonald to start the programme, which works with youth selected by the school. "They may have been bullied, or they may have ADHD. They can be someone who has gone through a trauma at home that needs a boost. It can also be someone struggling to learn at school, or someone new to the community," she said. "I don't actually get told why they come to me." At first, Ms Macdonald found many of the young people were unsure around the horses and uncertain of themselves. "They're huge and [people] can feel intimidated by them — but I want them to understand that's OK," she said. "It's like anything we come across in life, you know, that gives you fear — you've got to learn how to deal with that to move on." Participants do not jump straight on to a horse — they build up to a bareback ride over weeks of grooming, leading and feeding the horses, allowing a connection to begin and trust to take root. Ms Macdonald was hesitant to call her work therapy, but had seen first-hand the positive effect her horses — patient and non-judgemental — could have. She described horses as a "mirror" that allowed the young people in her care to see the impact of their own behaviour and emotions on another being, and respond accordingly. "It's really, really hard to explain. It's something I invite people to come and take part in as it's easier to show them how I do it."
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'Awful': Reality of pokie addiction laid bare
Cromwell resident David George has seen first hand the devastating impact pokie addictions have on Central Otago families. Mr George hoped sharing his story would push the Central Otago District Council to take a tougher line on gaming machines. But he was left disappointed after councillors rejected a proposed sinking-lid policy. Mr George provided the mayor and councillors with a heartbreaking account of how "playing the pokies" had become a serious problem for several people close to him. Speaking to a full council meeting about his submission on the council's class 4 gambling and board venue policy, Mr George described one loved one as having been a "pok-aholic". He graphically detailed the impact he had seen gambling addictions have across households, telling of money lost, the struggle to put food on the table and a marriage destroyed. Mr George, an experienced community worker, said those he knew impacted by problem gambling were not "down-and-outs", but people with successful careers and family support, yet the impacts of their addictions were "awful". "People end up at the bottom of the heap, in such a bad space." However, neither Mr George's story nor the pleas from health workers and researchers for a more restrictive approach to gaming machines managed to sway the council's elected members, who overwhelmingly voted to keep the status quo. In doing so, they went against the recommendation of council staff. CODC senior strategy adviser Alix Crosbie told elected members at the meeting it had been a tough job finding "transparent" information sources to inform the council debate, but by her calculations Central Otago was the "third-lowest receiver of grants in relation to expenditure in gaming machines". She advised elected members there were two choices in front of them. "We either sit at the table [with gaming societies] and negotiate and gamble on increasing the amount of community good [by demanding more grant money in the district], or we walk away and gamble on reducing the amount of community harm". Those around the decision-making table commented the consultation had been dominated by representative bodies and national organisations — other than Mr George's presentation, elected members said they were largely in the dark as to community sentiment on the policy. But what was clear for them was how well received gambling grants were for community groups — and they were hesitant to put that at risk. Councillors were told the Alexandra Blossom Festival, Cromwell College, the Alexandra Cricket Club and Central Otago Health Services were among local recipients of pokie profits. Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive Richard Kinley spoke at the meeting, saying his organisation had long been a recipient of gaming funding and it formed "a critical part" of its ability to deliver community rugby across the region. He said the union was under financial pressure and would have "no choice but to reassess" delivery of community rugby if pokie funding was cut. "We don't want costs to be a barrier for children to participate in sport." Other speakers warned councillors while the benefits of pokie machines funnelling money into community groups were easy to see, the harm caused by them often stayed behind closed doors. Michael Bouchard, of Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, pushed hard for a more restrictive gambling policy and commended council staff on their recommendation that would have moved the district in that direction. "We can't fix health problems by an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff — We can't fix gambling harm by treating individual people." Jarrod True, speaking on behalf of the Gaming Machine Association, called the council's status quo approach "perfectly reasonable" and said he saw no need to ditch it for an "overly restrictive policy" when there was "no documented need" in the district.
Otago Daily Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Dismay after sinking-lid pokie policy rejected
Cromwell resident David George has seen first hand the devastating impact pokie addictions have on Central Otago George hoped sharing his story would push the Central Otago District Council to take a tougher line on gaming machines. But he was left disappointed after councillors rejected a proposed sinking-lid policy. Mr George provided the mayor and councillors with a heartbreaking account of how "playing the pokies" had become a serious problem for several people close to him. Speaking to a full council meeting about his submission on the council's class 4 gambling and board venue policy, Mr George described one loved one as having been a "pok-aholic". He graphically detailed the impact he had seen gambling addictions have across households, telling of money lost, the struggle to put food on the table and a marriage destroyed. Mr George, an experienced community worker, said those he knew impacted by problem gambling were not "down-and-outs", but people with successful careers and family support, yet the impacts of their addictions were "awful". "People end up at the bottom of the heap, in such a bad space." However, neither Mr George's story nor the pleas from health workers and researchers for a more restrictive approach to gaming machines managed to sway the council's elected members, who overwhelmingly voted to keep the status quo. In doing so, they went against the recommendation of council staff. CODC senior strategy adviser Alix Crosbie told elected members at the meeting it had been a tough job finding "transparent" information sources to inform the council debate, but by her calculations Central Otago was the "third-lowest receiver of grants in relation to expenditure in gaming machines". She advised elected members there were two choices in front of them. "We either sit at the table [with gaming societies] and negotiate and gamble on increasing the amount of community good [by demanding more grant money in the district], or we walk away and gamble on reducing the amount of community harm". Those around the decision-making table commented the consultation had been dominated by representative bodies and national organisations — other than Mr George's presentation, elected members said they were largely in the dark as to community sentiment on the policy. But what was clear for them was how well received gambling grants were for community groups — and they were hesitant to put that at risk. Councillors were told the Alexandra Blossom Festival, Cromwell College, the Alexandra Cricket Club and Central Otago Health Services were among local recipients of pokie profits. Otago Rugby Football Union chief executive Richard Kinley spoke at the meeting, saying his organisation had long been a recipient of gaming funding and it formed "a critical part" of its ability to deliver community rugby across the region. He said the union was under financial pressure and would have "no choice but to reassess" delivery of community rugby if pokie funding was cut. "We don't want costs to be a barrier for children to participate in sport." Other speakers warned councillors while the benefits of pokie machines funnelling money into community groups were easy to see, the harm caused by them often stayed behind closed doors. Michael Bouchard, of Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, pushed hard for a more restrictive gambling policy and commended council staff on their recommendation that would have moved the district in that direction. "We can't fix health problems by an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff — We can't fix gambling harm by treating individual people." Jarrod True, speaking on behalf of the Gaming Machine Association, called the council's status quo approach "perfectly reasonable" and said he saw no need to ditch it for an "overly restrictive policy" when there was "no documented need" in the district.
