In today’s ANI Guild we have the following:
William Pike Challenge - Snorkelling
On the 8th of April, the William Pike Challenge participants were buzzing with excitement as the early morning air drifted away. It was the day, the day that they would head to Goat Island and snorkel. As the bell shrilled, our group of people were well on their way down the motorway.
First of all, what is the William Pike Challenge? The William Pike Challenge is a year-long programme designed to help develop essential life skills and to step out of their comfort zone. In order to do this, students need to complete at least 5 out of 6 outdoor activities (including snorkelling). Also required is 20 hours of community service and another 20 hours of a passion project (learning something new). At ANI, we are very lucky to have this empowering opportunity. For more information, click here.
It was a long car ride to Leigh, and after a thousand “Are we there yet?”s, we finally arrived at Goat Island Snorkel and Dive.
The sun poked through the clouds as we piled out of the vans. After a short briefing on the equipment and struggling into our extremely tight wetsuits (it was a challenge in itself), we were back on the road to Mathesons Bay. Due to the heavy rain, visibility at Goat Island had dropped down deep, meaning that snorkelling there was implausible. Spirits were still high, and even more so as we entered the relatively warm water. Masks on! It was time to let the great adventures begin!
First impressions of the sea life were grim – the sand just off the beach was stark and bare. However, as we moved further out and deeper into the bay, snapper, leatherjacket, and sea slugs were roaming throughout the pristine waters – a contrast so great that it seemed unreal. Some of us were lucky enough to view the multiple immense stingrays that glide along the seafloor. We went as deep as six meters, and it was amazing to see everyone stepping out of their comfort zone. After a very swift hour of snorkelling, we finally trudged our way back, saying a last goodbye to all the fish. With impeccable timing, the skies opened up and dumped a fresh bucket of rain onto us, hastening our will to get changed!
For many, it was their first time snorkelling – although a great experience for all. Also, a huge thank you to Ms Striebich for all those amazing underwater photos!
Written by Leo S and Kayla Y
Edited by Leo S
Photos by Ms S and the wonderful parent helpers!
A Guide to Great Leadership
The Infamous GRIP Conference
Back in March of this year, our very own student leaders embarked on a journey to Albany to attend the infamous GRIP conference. What is the conference about, you may ask? The GRIP conference is all about honing young leaders’ communication, collaboration, and time management skills. GRIP stands for the 4 main things that they believe all leaders should have. Generosity, responsibility, integrity and people.
The conference kicked off with a miniature trailer of what was going to come for the rest of the day. Under our seat was a booklet with a timetable, a pre-conference word search and activities to do across the entire conference. Our hosts for the day were Andy and Levi, also known as the loud noise boys. Alongside Andy and Levi were Nadae and Dina, who specialised in student-based leadership skills and communication.
Our first activity was a ‘would you rather’ game. It gave us the opportunity to connect and socialise with student leaders from other schools around us who shared the same opinions as us. After our little icebreaker, we got straight into our first topic: Responsibilities of a student leader. Throughout the day, some lucky students were picked out from the sea of colour to participate in a variety of different games. These games ranged from movie moments filled with leadership qualities to small fun skits about leading through friendship.
The day was action-packed with fun activities that would help us develop our leadership abilities and become more confident while leading. It was filled with memorable phrases and quotes that will help us lead more efficiently and effectively. After we finished brainstorming new ideas to help others, the last thing on our schedule was the final loud noises game. Nobody knew what would be coming next, ecstatic students hopped on the stage only to hear the devastating news of having to dance in the spotlight, right in the centre.
As students filtered out of the hall, the student leaders were able to leave with more knowledge about leadership, whilst also being able to carry the joy of some of the games that would soon be taught back to ANI.
Written by: Chloe and Selene
Edited by: Chloe and Selene
Photos by: The one and only Mr G
It's Party Time People!!!
ANI School Social
It’s time!! ANI’s very first school social of 2025! Everyone is pumped and is ready for a night of fun, excitement and pizza. With a $10 entry fee and an end-of-summer theme, everyone’s ready to rock the dance floor!
On Thursday, the 3rd of April, from six in the evening to 8pm, the party got started, and people arrived to have a night of fun and excitement. This year, the Social was somewhere different from the past years of being in the MPS. It was at Greyfriars Church (opposite Dominos, which was VERY convenient). Greyfriars Church was not as big as the MPS, but big enough to stay contained. It has an outside, so anyone who wanted to have some fresh air could.
The weather was between rainy and just wind the night of the social, so most people didn’t wear summer clothes, although there were some very brave people who came in t-shirts and shorts. The venue was beautifully set up with towels, togs and water toys around the walls, and with only $2 lollies and $10 pizzas, there were loads of hyped up kids. As the party blared on, some teachers left, but most stayed to watch over the not trustworthy kids….
The music was blaring, and the people were dancing. Everyone was so excited to be there with their friends. As Mr Cadelis was the DJ, the music was perfect, making everyone get up and dance. Although there was a big rush of parents at the end and a lot of rubbish to pick up, it was a great night for both students and teachers, a night that we will never forget.
Written by: Scarlett M, Aariya W
Edited by: Tejbir S
Kapa Kahui
ANI’s Kapa Haka group performed at Kapa Kahui.
On the 10th of April at 5:30 pm, ANI’s Kapa Haka group performed for Kapa Kahui. They have been putting in a lot of effort all term for this very special occasion. This year’s Kapa Kahui was held at Cornwall Park.
The amazing Kapa Haka showed their dedication to the Maori roots very well, and very loudly. Each ANI student in Kapa Haka brings a voice of strength into the performance. On stage live for everyone to watch the performance in person, they awaited all the kapa haka groups. The performance was broadcast to the big screens under the assembly point and to every classroom that had a kapa haka group in it, also for adults and teachers.
Every Monday and Thursday, our Kapa Haka group practised diligently to perfect their haka to their highest standard to show everybody what ANI is made of. Performing five haka stirred up the audience, creating deafening applause at the end.
Suddenly, two previous ANI students, Lily-Ann and Te Maika stood up, and everyone was deadly silent as the two ANI students returned the haka, which stunned the audience for their bravery and confidence. Everyone turned their attention to Lily-Ann and Te Maika, awaiting their performance.
A huge paki paki for all the teachers that helped our amazing Kapa Haka. We are proud of you all for giving your full potential at this celebration!
Great job kapa haka!!!
Written by: Tejbir S, Christian C
Edited by: Kayla Y
Photos by: Christian C
ANI Manu Champs
On Friday, the 11th April, ANI held their very own Manu competition.
For those who don’t know, a Manu is a diving event, where participants jump into the water from a height, aiming to make the greatest splash with a bombing technique (specifically called the “Manu Dive”).
How fun is that? With 250 house points up for grabs, everyone who participated put up a massive splash!
Emotions were high as the diving competition began. First up were the Year 7s, who were soon followed by the Year 8s. Peers were cheering, contestants were splashing, and the commentators, Eddie and Jesse, were shouting.
The audience was on their toes, excited and rooting for their friends. Booming music echoed through the venue, people were looking intently at the school pool.
The judges, Mr. Cadelis, Mr. Houston, Mr. Christie, Ms. Okamura and Ms. Wichman watched intently as the competitors dived in. Splash!
“And the winner is… HUNTER!”. People cheered as Hunter jumped out of the pool.
What a way to end the term with a splash!!
Written by: Lucja W, Renee T, Subranitha D and Saanvi M
Term One Round Up
Term 1 has been a wild ride of fun, sports, trials and of course learning, and so much more!
First off, teachers get to know their classes through teaching (the best way to get to know people), clubs for extra learning, responsibilities and life skills.
Second, sports for health, relationship building, and events for social skills. We have much to say about an action-packed term! With this much stuff on already, it’s easy to predict another busy (and fun) year at ANI.
Already, numerous clubs and groups have been formed by teachers and students alike. Such examples include Otago Maths Problem Solving, Film Club, the German and Japanese Clubs and many more.
A surprising number of these groups have been formed already, but more clubs will come later in the year. Groups are essential parts of school life, providing students with extracurricular and other responsibilities. This is made possible by the amazing staff at ANI who run these.
Term 1 has already been successful for sport, with many wins for ANI. Among many have been Central Zones, Dilworths and AIMS Trials. There have been lots of sporting achievements for ANI, mainly in the form of the popular Central Zones competitions – tennis, softball, cricket, swimming, tag and orienteering.
With successes of all kinds from all of these events, it’s easy to predict that ANI will have a good sporting year. The chaos and excitement of AIMS trials have come to a close, with squads and teams formed and ready to go. The next step towards Tauranga, involves hours of training and commitment by students and teachers alike. AIMS sure does require a lot of hard work.
One reason why the year started so well is because of the school events. The Super Bowl is an example. That was a great way to connect with fellow classmates and make new friends. For any of those who don’t know, the Super Bowl was a sporting event at the start of the year, compiling different challenges into one rotation. Think of it sort of like the Olympics for random challenges.
Another incredible event was the school social. Although not everyone’s cup of tea, it is a fun way to bond over food and music. From 6 to 8pm, with Mr Cadelis as DJ, the social was a splendid way to spend Thursday night.
The (German) Handball Tournament is another sporting event that has been going on for a few weeks. It offers an opportunity to play handball with friends and foes, represent your house and year level. These events are great for building social skills and cannot be done without help from the PTA and our staff at ANI.
ANI has started this year with a bang, with many opportunities in all forms already available for all students at ANI.
Clubs and groups provide students with extra skills and learning to help them through life.
One such opportunity is sport – a tremendous way to stay fit and healthy, while making friends along the way. Joining in outside of class is also a great way to make the most out of your time at ANI. These opportunities may not be available again for a long time, so it’s time to seize the moment! Even inside of class, ardently answering questions, getting involved, and even just taking part will grow your confidence and build relationships that last a lifetime.
So from now on, take every opportunity that speaks to you. Have an amazing Term 2!
Written by Callum
Edited by Leo
CZ Water Polo
Chlorine Champions!!!
On the 13th of May, our illustrious ANI Water Polo A Team competed at the regional Central Zones Water Polo tournament. With four wins and a nail-biting final match, our team has completed a prodigious achievement.
First, to understand the tournament, we must delve into the game of Water Polo. Here are some key rules:
- There are six players on each team, including the goalkeeper
- Each match is split either into 4-minute quarters or 8-minute halves
- Players must not touch the bottom of the two-metre deep pool
- Players must only use one hand to throw or handle the ball
- And finally, NO splashing!
With these rules at hand, not to mention many more, Water Polo becomes a very complex game. Here’s a description of a typical play of the ball:
Swimming full blast up the right flank of the pool, you watch as the ball streaks through the air, skimming across the surface of the water. You hastily pick up the pace as your defender swings in front of you, water frothing as they ‘eggbeat’ hurriedly, intent on beating you to the ball. You take in the surroundings: Shot clock (ball possession timer) down to 14 seconds, opposing goalkeeper watching, the crowd cheering you on, coach shouting encouragement – all a lot to take in. Grabbing hold of the slick ball, you impulsively feint around your defender and slam the ball into the corner of the goal from six meters. ‘Well done – great shot!’ says a teammate from behind. You acknowledge, proud of the goal.
The team played some very close matches, but all in all, the experience was one enjoyed by all. The schools that they competed against are listed here:
Game 1
ANI 10 – 0 Mount Roskill Intermediate
Game 2
ANI 11 – 2 Pasadena Intermediate
Game 3 (Quarter-final)
ANI 4 – 4 Diocesan School for Girls Intermediate Division
Draw → Golden Goal
Final result
ANI 5 – 4 Diocesan School for Girls Intermediate Division
Game 4 (Semi-final)
ANI 7 – 2 Saint Cuthbert’s School for Girls Intermediate Division
Game 5 (Final)
ANI 3 – 4 Saint Peter’s School for Boys Intermediate Division
Overall, Central Zones Water Polo was a success for ANI and a great experience for all.
Congratulations to the ANI Sharks!
Written by Leo Swash
Handball Champions
Handball is now at ANI in the form of a tournament
Handball, the reputable sport that originated in Germany, is now at ANI in the form of a tournament. This is an opportunity for our houses to compete for the title of handball champions of ANI.
This event has been going on for weeks, run by Miss Striebich, and is in its final stages. The tournament consists of multiple short games that run over the course of some lunchtimes in the past 3 weeks. The games are held both indoors in the MPS and outdoors under the shade sail, and have been intense.
To put it into context, here is an in-depth description of a game.
‘The game begins with the referee throwing the ball high in the air. A player from Ahi and a player from Wai launch themselves upwards to compete for the ball. As it plummets downwards, the Wai player snatches it from the air. Shouts come from both sides as the ball is passed between the Wai players, slowly creeping towards the goal. Then, an Ahi player grabs the ball in the middle of a pass. “Nice intercept”, one of the commentators says. Then, the play reverses, with Ahi inching towards Wai’s goal. When Ahi makes a breakthrough, one of their players darts towards the goal. They jump and hurl the ball at the goalkeeper. The keeper dives left, as the ball flies to the right. “A goal!”, another commentator calls to the cheers of the Ahi players and supporters.’
The players and spectators were extremely respectful, with minimal foul play and no hard feelings. You could tell by the atmosphere and the behaviour that everyone wanted to play this fun sport and have a good time. The players were very skilled, with great plays and good sportsmanship. All teams deserved the win. Many people participated in the event, but take this moment to appreciate the referees, players and teachers who made this tournament possible. Thanks to those amazing people.
Now for the results. All the games were thrilling to watch, and although some houses seemed better than others, no house took a considerable lead in the tournament standings. Despite this, the winners are as such: for Year 7 the winners were…
WHENUA!!
Congratulations to Whenua for winning the Year 7 tournament. And the winners for Year 8 were…
WAI!!
Congratulations to Wai for winning the Year 8 tournament. Both winning houses were awarded 500 house points for their victory.
However, the other houses did not go unnoticed – we must acknowledge their commendable efforts! This tournament helped boost those who want to play this sport and help them gain valuable experience. We can only hope for more events like this in the future.
Written by Callum
Edited by Leo
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