EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES

There are many opportunities for students to engage a variety of cultural performances and groups throughout their time at the College.  Being part of Kapa Haka, Polyfest or the Napaka Arts festival as well as taking part in debating or the Bishop Lyons Shield competition are just a few of the activities that students can join.

In addition, as a multicultural Kura we run several evenings, Whānau hui, Fia Fia nights, BBQ's and Filipino evenings where families are invited in to share kai and ideas with the College.

School Production

Every two years there is a school production. In 2021, The Wizard of Oz took to stage!

Bishop Lyons Shield

Every year students from Canterbury's seven Catholic Colleges compete for the Bishop Lyons Shield. This is a public speaking competition that was established by Bishop Lyons in 1947. The schools that take part are Cathcolic Cathedral College, Marian, Villa Maria, St Bede's, St Thomas of Canterbury, John Paul II High School and Roncalli College. They battle it out through several rounds of impromptu speech, prepared speech, debating, scripture reading and religious questions.

Hosting this year was St Thomas of Canterbury College. We had a lovely team of 10 students competing across debating, senior and junior prepared speeches, impromptu speech, Scripture Reading and Religious questions. We placed in many events including winning the Debating Cup!  We congratulate and thank the whole team for all the hard work, time and effort they have put in leading up to this fantastic weekend. We would also like to thank all the coaches and teachers who helped us along the way and encouraged us but also all those who came down to support us. We really appreciate it. Overall we came in second, an outcome we are very proud of. A closely fought battle - congratulations to the 2021 winners Marian College.

First Place Debating: Daniel McNeill, Lucy Munro and Jamie McDermott

Debating Best Speaker: Lucy Munro

Second Place Senior Prepared Speech: Sesilia Faletoi

Second Place Religious Questions: Serenity Fidow, Lydia Palaiologou, Eugene Bonot, Nicole Menezes (Reserve)

Fourth Place Impromptu Speech: Lawrence Calsado​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Kapa Haka

Manu Kōrero

Ngā Manu Kōrero is the Te Reo Māori secondary school speech competition. ​​​​​​​

This kaupapa is intended to encourage and celebrate the  use of Te Reo Māori in our world and to help develop the oratory ability of our Rangatahi.

​​​​​​​This year we had three kaikōrero enter in the Waitaha regional competition:

Anahera Northover in the Korimako Senior English

Rai Ilalio in the Pei Te Hurinui Jones Senior Māori

Te Haeata Noble-Gray in Junior English

While all three of our speakers represented us exceptionally well.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Te Haeata was placed Second in the Sir Turi Carroll Junior English section.  We would like to commend all of these students on their work in preparation and their performance on the day.

Te Haeta Noble-Grey: Second Place Junior Prepared Speech.

Hōmai te piki pakipaki mō Anahera Northover nō Ngāti Porou me Ngāti Kahungunu

Polyfest

very year this splendid event showcases our amazing students. Over 80 students take to the stage to celebrate culture. This could not happen without the continued support of friends and whānau.

Below are some images from Polyfest 2021.

Napaka Arts Festival

A celebration of the Filipino language month and a night to showcase the talents of our students through language, singing, dancing and public speaking.