14 December 2010
St Peter’s School in Cambridge has scooped the winners’ pool in Te Awamutu museum’s essay writing competition, winning $450 in cash prizes.
The annual competition invited years seven and eight Waipa school students to write a 750-word essay about an historic location in the district or a champion from Waipa’s past.
The winning entry was awarded to year eight student Patrick Marsh for his essay From Heavenly Waters to Fertile Plains - The Drainage of Roto-o-rangi.
The judges said the overall impression of the winning entry was “a good read with informative content and an obvious love of the area.”
Second prize was awarded to Sam Warwick for “Amaizing” Field of Dreams. Highly commended prizes were awarded to James Young for The Origins of the Cambridge Clock and Sophie Fromont for Ghosts from the Past, a story about Tokanui.
Te Awamutu Historical Society member Joyce Smart presented the students with their prizes at a ceremony at St Peter’s Catholic School in Cambridge last week (Wednesday, December 15).
Competition organiser and Te Awamutu museum education facilitator Alan Reilly said the competition had been running for 15 years since its inception by the Te Awamutu Historical Society. He hoped that it might be integrated into the local curriculum for Waipa schools, becoming an annual event.
“Researching and writing about local history helps students connect with where they live, giving them a sense of identity and belonging. Research suggests that studying successful people and the qualities they demonstrate is a key component for students being successful themselves, especially for gifted and talented students,” Mr Reilly said.
Cambridge and Te Awamutu museum staff helped students with research and information gathering. The four winning essays can be viewed on Te Awamutu Museum’s website www.tamuseum.org.nz
For more information, please contact:
Jacqui Humm. Ph: 07 872 0062 or 027 532 1760.
Email: Jacqui.humm@waipadc.govt.nz