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Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
New to speaking English but singing no issue
Two years ago, Jared Gerida, 15, could barely speak a word of English. Yesterday, the South Otago High School student led his choir at a regional singing competition. The year 11 student owned the stage at the Otago and South Canterbury Big Sing regional competition at the Dunedin Town Hall. He said he migrated to New Zealand from the Philippines two years ago and did not know how to speak English. "I [had] never really grown up with English. "I only picked up on English through listening to people talk." South Otago High School year 11 student Jared Gerida, 15, sings in front of his school choir Korimako (from left) Jayden Gelacio, 15, Rashaun Melvin, 16, Julia Silverado Racho, 18, Erin Turner, 14, Ella McCarthy, 17, Erynne Parlane, 13, and Jessamine Daumann, 15, after their performance at the South Canterbury and Otago Big Sing regional competition yesterday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH He said it was challenging for him to learn the language, but he was getting used to it. It was an amazing experience for him to be on stage and singing. He was nervous before singing in front of hundreds of people but said a prayer and hoped for the best. "I just said 'God, just take care of me and give me the voice of an angel', and I think he did." Jared has an extraordinarily deep voice that stands out among his peers. He said he had found it by trying to do impersonations of older people as a child and by taking part in his school's kapa haka group. His choir, Korimako, had been rehearsing once a week for the past two months and was one of the smallest to perform yesterday with just eight singers. Music director Deborah Ward, who is an English teacher, said the school did not have a music department, but she sang in a choir herself and wanted to share the experience with her students. "I loved singing in choirs when I was at school. "Those were some of my favourite days performing like that in a group." She said Korimako had a "strong underdog energy" and her advice to the students was to not be intimidated by any of their competitors. Big Sing regional co-ordinator Rosemary Tarbotton said 14 schools and 16 choirs from as far north as Timaru took part in the competition. Recordings of the performances will be sent to Wellington, where three adjudicators will select the top 24 choirs from across New Zealand to compete in the finale in Dunedin in August.
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Remembering the days in the old school yard
Joss Miller finds himself looking back to where life's exploration began. There is a commonly used saying that your school days are the happiest days of your life, although not everyone would agree with that. These early experiences, however, are clearly imprinted in our memories and easily recalled. This being an important early step on life's long road. Decades later at reunions, many former pupils gather to reminisce on these distant times being then able to bring a greater maturity and perspective. I was among the first entrants to the newly built Rosebank primary school at Balclutha in 1957. There was a leaden sky overhead as we embarked on a journey that would last seven years. We were quickly absorbed into our classrooms, seated behind small compact desks replete with ink wells and blotting paper. Our lunch boxes were stored in the space under the desktop, a place too where obscure notes and messages were often left. Those of more mischievous inclination would occasionally flick ink from their nib pens on to the shirts of those in front. The three R's were to be our daily diet with frequent and repetitive recitations of the times table. Teachers appeared large and all-knowing through our youthful gaze. Misbehaviour could result in a pupil being struck a number of times with a leather strap on the palm of their hand. Written detentions in the form of "I must not ..." being repeated at least 100 times, normally took place after school. A mid-morning ritual required each pupil to consume a quarter pint of invariably warm government-sponsored milk, aimed at building strong and healthy bodies. When the end of period bells rang, a notable jubilation was evident as classroom doors were flung open and everyone dispersed on to the ample playgrounds and sports fields beyond. Apart from the usual sporting activities, we often engaged in highly competitive games of marbles where there was always considerable noise and controversy. Polio vaccines were administered orally in the school playground, with most of us too young to know how important this was. The dental clinic affectionately known as the murder house, was located on a small mound to which we unwillingly, and in trepidation ventured. The smell from foot-operated drills still lingers in memory. School inspectors came at regular intervals with their arrival always ensuring attentive classrooms. One day octogenarian long-distance walker A H Reed took time to visit on his way south. We knew he was a legend, having walked extraordinarily long distances in New Zealand and Australia. I recall a tall, gaunt and somewhat mystical figure. Seasons came and went. Blossoms gave way to winter chill. Summers seemed to stretch forever. We grew and matured. Then, in a flash, those halcyon days at Rosebank primary school came to an end. A new journey was about to begin over the road at South Otago High School. But that is another story. The words of poet T S Eliot well capture the story of life and its circular nature, in which our early days at school are an important ingredient: "We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." — Joss Miller is a retired Dunedin lawyer.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Exam successes impress
High school attainment rates for NCEA were released last month. PHOTO: NICK BROOK South Otago high schools continue to impress with the release of National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) attainment rates last month. A selection of Clutha district secondary principals were pleased to comment on their schools' performances, as recorded by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. "A 100% [pass rate] in NCEA level 2 is outstanding and a testament to the hard work students and staff put in throughout the year," Tapanui's Blue Mountain College principal Janelle Eason said. "While the level 3 and University Entrance pass rates are not as high, all of our leaversachieved what they needed to follow their intended pathway, and we are very happy with that. "In an education environment where it feels like the only constant is change, our staff and students have shown great resilience [and] we have implemented some more support for literacy and numeracy this year to help our students pass the co-requisites." Balclutha's South Otago High School, recorded a pass rate of 87.4% for a student count of 111. "We are very pleased to have had improved retention of students into Y12 and Y13, and are clear that students' minimum exit qualification is NCEA L2," principal Mike Wright said. "Some of our students do take a couple of years to achieve this and we support them in their learning journey. "For South Otago High School it is about finding the best path for individual students to enable them to find success and move from school to employment, training or further education [and] we have a number of students following vocational programmes which provide great opportunities for students to get into tertiary study and apprenticeships. Lawrence Area School also recorded a 100% pass rate for its 13 level 2, 3, and University Entrance candidates, and new principal Dave Bagwell was quick to praise his predecessor. "I would say it is a fitting legacy for the outgoing principal John Auld and the work he did over many years at the school. "There is a strong focus on individual achievement, mentoring and support [and] the results are testament to what I have seen here over the last term and the way the school operates. "It is also testament to the very strong partnerships between home and school," Mr Bagwell said.
