Campion College Newsletter

Loving God,

We pray for our rangatahi,
for their hopes, dreams, and futures.
Guide them as they grow in wisdom, confidence, and faith.
Help them to know their worth, to walk with courage,
and to use their gifts to serve others with kindness and compassion.

Strengthen them when life feels challenging,
surround them with people who encourage and uplift them,
and remind them that they are deeply loved by You.

May our rangatahi continue to grow as leaders,
grounded in faith, culture, and community,
with hearts open to learning, service, and hope.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, walk alongside them and protect them always.

Amen.

Tēnā koutou parents, students, staff, and whānau,

At the time of writing this piece, I have just returned home from an evening of remarkable talent at the Tairāwhiti Smokefreerockquest Regional Competition, where five acts proudly represented Campion College. There will be more on this later in the newsletter, but I wanted to acknowledge our performers and congratulate them on the courage and commitment it takes to step onto a stage and share their talents with others. Equally special was the incredible support shown by the large number of Campion College students who turned out to cheer on their peers. Sitting amongst our students and witnessing not only the talent on stage, but also the encouragement, pride, and sense of community in the audience, was a wonderful reminder of what makes Campion College such a special place.

It has been another full and positive week at Campion College, with many examples of our students and staff continuing to say “yes” to opportunities, service, learning, and supporting one another. The month of May holds special significance for us as the Month of Mary. Mary’s ultimate “yes” to God was an act of courage, faith, and selflessness, and her example continues to inspire us today. Throughout the week, I see this same spirit reflected in our kura when students and staff step forward to help others, contribute to school life, support important causes, and give generously of themselves for the good of our community.

Today was a wonderful example of this, with our school awash in pink as we supported Pink Shirt Day. It was fantastic to see students and staff embracing this important kaupapa and standing together to promote kindness, inclusion, and respect for all. Your willingness to support these events so wholeheartedly is deeply appreciated and helps make Campion College the caring and inclusive place that it is.

Next week also marks an important milestone for many of our Year 10 students as they begin their Common Assessment Activities (CAAs) in literacy and numeracy. These assessments are an important part of the NCEA co-requisite requirements, and our students have been preparing well. We wish all students the very best and encourage them to approach the assessments with confidence and belief in their abilities. As always, we thank our staff and whānau for the support and encouragement they continue to provide.

At the end of Term Two, we will farewell several valued staff members from our community. Susan Vorster and JP Vorster will be leaving Gisborne to relocate to Palmerston North to be closer to family. We congratulate Susan on her appointment as Head of Visual Arts at Cornerstone Christian School and thank both Susan and JP for the many contributions they have made to Campion College during their time with us. We will also farewell Janine Bava, who has accepted a position as Deputy Principal at St Mary's School. We thank her sincerely for her dedication and service. While these farewells are bittersweet, we are excited for these staff members as they begin new chapters and opportunities. We are also working hard to secure excellent staff to join our College.

We also keep Father Mark in our prayers as he continues his overseas travels after departing last week. We wish him many blessings and safe travels as he walks part of the Camino pilgrimage journey. We look forward to welcoming him back to our community in the future.

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of Campion College and for the many ways you contribute to the strength of our special character and community.

Yours in Christ

Karyn Sadler

Principal

Our students proudly represented Campion College at tonight’s Tairāwhiti Smokefreerockquest Regional Competition, and what a fantastic evening it was. Competing in the Solo/Duo section, Rosie Sutherland and Summa Feterika did a wonderful job of opening the evening and warming up the crowd for the band performances that followed.

Tombstones of Tomorrow absolutely rocked the audience and were undoubtedly one of the crowd favourites of the night. Their performance brought huge energy and a sound that certainly caught the audience by surprise in the best possible way. Congratulations to Lukas Padilha, Hunter Toon, Vin Barry, Christ Tester, and Nehoa Katoa on an epic performance.

Next on stage was High on Life, featuring Campion College student Cillian McGuinness on drums. Cillian’s stage presence and infectious energy helped create another real crowd-pleasing performance and kept the atmosphere buzzing throughout their set.

Closing out the evening for Campion College was Radio Silence, featuring Ciara McGuinness, Ella Aperahama, and Milah Blaker-Kilpatrick. The MC commented on the incredible level of support these talented young women had from the audience, and they certainly did not disappoint. Their performance was polished, engaging, and a wonderful way to finish the night.

We are incredibly proud of all of our performers, not only for their talent, but also for the courage, commitment, and passion they showed by stepping onto the stage and representing our College so proudly.

Rosie Sutherland

Summa Feterika-Clarke

Lukas Padilha, Hunter Toon, Christ Tester, Vin Barry and Nehoa Katoa

Cillian McGuinness

Ciara McGuinness, Ella Aperahama and Milah Blaker-Kilpatrick

Congratulations to the following students who represented the College at the Autumn Badminton Tournament held in Gisborne a few weeks ago.

A special acknowledgement to:

Amanda Macmac, who won Gold
Daphne Dela Torre, who won Silver
Hans Dela Torre and Joash John, who won a Bronze Medal in the doubles competition

Well done to all students involved. We are proud of your effort, sportsmanship, and achievements.

Our Shakespeare in Schools fundraising event, Mayhem and Music, held in Wawatai, was a fantastic success and a wonderful afternoon of entertainment, creativity, and community spirit.

A huge thank you to everyone who performed and contributed to making the event such a memorable occasion. We are incredibly proud of the talent, courage, and enthusiasm shown by our students.

We would also like to sincerely thank all those who came along to support the evening. Your encouragement and generosity are greatly appreciated and will help support our Shakespeare in Schools group moving forward. Keep your eyes peeled for our next Shakespeare Fundraiser below!

The Shakespeare in Schools fundraising continues with our upcoming Movie Night on Friday 22 May in Wawatai.

Join us for a screening of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet — a modern and energetic take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy.

For $10, your ticket includes popcorn and a can of drink. Students are encouraged to bring along a cushion, pillow, beanbag, or something comfortable to sit on as we transform Wawatā into a cosy movie space for the evening.

The movie will begin at 6.00pm. We look forward to seeing plenty of support for our talented Shakespeare in Schools group. TICKETS can be purchased here.

We were fortunate to receive a new set of emergency radios from Tairāwhiti Emergency Management the day before our recent trial tsunami evacuation. Ben Green visited the school personally to deliver the radios and explain their purpose and use.

The radios proved extremely useful and highlighted the value of clear communication during an emergency response. The initiative is part of a wider programme supporting schools across the region to strengthen emergency preparedness, particularly those located within tsunami and flood zones.

It was wonderful to see so many staff and students embracing the important kaupapa of Pink Shirt Day today. Our kura was awash with pink as we came together to celebrate diversity, promote kindness, and stand united against bullying.

This year’s theme, Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!, provided an important reminder of the role we all play in creating safe, inclusive, and supportive environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and supported this meaningful initiative, with proceeds going towards the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.