Awakeri School Centenary Photos 2013

Awakeri School

Centennial 2013


Friday 25 October 2013. Lots of people arrive at the Awakeri Events Centre to collect their registration packs and meet each other.	Margaret Graham and Kath and Brian Shaw have a chat and a wine. They're wearing their name tags with different coloured dots of show what they can attend.

Meanwhile, at the old Awakeri Hall, there was a disco for all the Awakeri students. Some of them were looking pretty glamorous too... Tara, Linette, Sophie, Emily, Jenae, Maania and in red Felicity and Elana.	The kids had heaps of fun dancing.

There was some stylish dancing. e.g. Cambell....	and Jack.

Back at the Events Centre, Sandi Priest talks to Faith Robison and Viv Barr.	Each registration pack had a letter from a current Awakeri student. Liam Fitzgerald enjoys reading his letter.

Alan Martin is chairman of the jubilee committee. He took over from AJ Barr, who we hope will recover from his serious illness. Alan welcomes the crowd on Friday night.	The photo boards were interesting. Kath Shaw even provided a school strap!

The McLeod and Burgess girls enjoy a catch up.	Now it's Saturday. The school was open for viewing.

Irene Cronin had a chat with dental nurse Kay.	The Boreham de Vos sisters and Christine Tipper have a laugh.

After group photos, it's time for the formalities. There are speeches and the cutting of the cake.	Bill Graham supervises the oldest and youngest attendees: Phyllis Rust and Archie Plews. Alan Martin waits with the flowers.

A closer look at the jubilee cake, made by Katie Davidson. Not only did it look magnificent, but it also tasted great too!	Lots of good memories were shared.

The historical board was uncovered. Here's Margaret Graham and her boys: Maurice, Jon and Joshua.	Now we're into the Events Centre for lunch. The school is about to put on a lunch time concert.

Fifty of the 65 kids in kapa haka were there to perform, even though it was a long weekend.	Then the flautists performed, as you can see several of them had also been in kapa haka. After that there were four songs from the show Windust, including Professor Pecksniff's solo (Georgia Leonard-Cobb).

Meanwhile, there was also a fair running with sideshows, and entertainers. Here is Awakeri ex-student Jessie Jane Rosewarne singing on that stage.	Now it's evening. Here are a number of the jubilee committee all ready to host the evening: Alan Martin, Faith Robison, Natasha Grindrod, Margaret Graham, Jacqui McPherson, Julie Cotter, Karen Yates, Sandra James (secretary), Peter Fitzgerald and Cheryl Brogden. The cabaret was a huge success. Craig Davson and his group Showtime Ltd were brilliant entertainers, and the crowd had a great time. You can check out a couple of videos of the cabaret on Showtime Ltd's facebook page. Fun!

Now it's Sunday, the last event of the jubilee was the church service at the Awakeri War Memorial Hall. Here are Alex Robbie and Caroline Paulsen carrying in the two school banners.	We had a school choir sing the round Babylon. From left Georgia, Shayna, Jenae, Taryn, Emily, Caroline, Rylie, Sam, Courtney, Alex and Monique.

Georgia sang a beautiful soprano solo O Sanctissimo, accompanied by Georgia Hannah on piano.	Emily Julian did the Bible reading.

Marion Newdick organised the service.	Rev Eric King delivers the message, about connections.
	Joe Leota, who is now head of the Anglican Church in Tonga, delivered the blessing. Joe's children used to go to Awakeri School and Joe used to milk cows on McCrackens Road. After a cup of tea, the Awakeri Centennial was all over. Now people are talking about the next jubilee. We'll all be 25 years older!