On the Wednesday 10 June, alongside a group of Year 11-13 students taking Japanese, we had the opportunity to attend Kakehashi (“bridge between two nations”), a Japanese cultural event held at Auckland University. It was the first time BDSC has participated, which made it a very exciting and memorable experience for us and our fellow students.

All of us were placed into groups that had a mixture of students from different schools across Auckland, and it was both fun and nerve-wracking to make friendships with our team and the international Japanese students who were helping. It was so nice to see students from different schools come together to celebrate the Japanese culture.

One of the best parts was meeting new people and making connections with students from other schools through the games and activities. We competed in a Japanese trivia, which helped us learn new facts about the culture, sports, and language of Japan. We participated in fun Japanese activities such as the opposite game, charades, and exploring a selection of Japanese toys, that helped us strengthen our language and bonds. We also ate Japanese food and tasted traditional green tea from Japan.

Overall, Kakehashi was a fun event that helped us establish new relationships, make new friends, learn more about Japanese culture, and create great memories.

~ Sara Moussa 11B7, Chelsea Denis 11B1, Lucy Yu 11B1, Gladelyn Chua 13J11

All Chinese classes at our school took part in a dumpling-making activity to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, which was on Friday 19 June, and to celebrate the great progress we have made in our Chinese learning this semester. Thanks to our teachers – Mrs Kuang and Doctor Fu, we were able to learn more about Chinese food culture through this hands-on experience.

Dumplings are an important traditional food in Chinese culture. They are often eaten during holidays and family celebrations, and they symbolise happiness, good luck and family unity. This activity gave us the opportunity not only to learn about traditional Chinese food, but also to experience an important part of everyday Chinese culture firsthand.

During the activity, we worked together in groups to make our dumplings. Mrs Kuang and Doctor Fu first demonstrated how to place the filling in the dumpling wrapper, fold the edges and pinch the wrapper tightly. We then had the chance to try making dumplings ourselves. For some students, it was their first time making dumplings, and the shapes we created were wonderfully varied — some looked like small boats, while others looked like crescent moons. This brought lots of laughter and joy to the classroom.

Although the process was not always easy, we supported one another, learned from each other and showed excellent teamwork. When the dumplings were finally cooked and served, we all felt a great sense of achievement and were proud to enjoy the food we had made ourselves.

The dumpling-making activity was a meaningful and enjoyable cultural learning experience. It helped us deepen our understanding of Chinese traditions while also developing practical skills, cooperation and confidence. We look forward to more opportunities to learn and grow through cultural experiences like this in the future.

~ Yinian Lin 13B1 

On Wednesday 24 June, we hosted an Options & Careers Evening for Year 11 students and their whānau. With students soon to make important decisions about their Year 12 programme of study, this was an opportunity to learn more about the option selection process, hear about possible post-school pathways, and talk to Heads of Learning about the courses on offer in 2027.

There was an incredible turnout, and Learning Areas put on engaging displays for students and their whānau – the Technology department even made cookies! It was wonderful to hear students asking important questions to help guide their choices, and to see them really thinking about where they see themselves in the future.

All students in Years 9-12 will be thinking about their option choices over the break. We encourage parents and whānau to talk to their young people about the choices they’re making, and about the careers they’ve been researching as part of their career modules at school.

The option selection portal opens on Monday 20 July and closes on Monday 27 July.

For more, view the Information Evening Powerpoint Presentation.

A Day of Learning Beyond the Classroom

In Term 1, students from the Beginner Language Class BLC, 9ELC, and 10ELC in the EAL Department took part in an engaging and educational trip to the Auckland Museum. The visit aimed to deepen students’ understanding of Māori and Pacific cultures while developing their language, thinking, and observational skills through real world experiences. The day was meaningful, productive, and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Upon arrival, students were welcomed by museum staff and guided to the Education Programme session, He Orokotaenga Mai. During this session, they were introduced to Māori creation pūrākau, or traditional stories, which provided valuable insights into Māori beliefs, values, and worldview. Through storytelling and interactive discussions, students connected this cultural knowledge to themes they have been studying in class.

The session also included pair and group activities where students explored objects and exhibits related to Māori and Pacific cultures. They observed carefully, shared ideas, and learned about the stories behind each artefact. These activities supported collaboration, critical thinking, and communication, all of which are important for both language learning and academic growth.

After the session, students explored the museum in small groups. Using a structured handout, they gathered information and completed tasks to reinforce their learning. Students were actively engaged, reading displays, asking questions, and making thoughtful observations. Many showed curiosity and enthusiasm as they discovered new knowledge.

One highlight of the trip was the Earthquake Simulation experience. Meredith Wong 9D3 shared, “I learned a lot from the trip, but the earthquake simulation was my favourite experience because it helped us feel what an earthquake is like and made us realise the importance of knowing what to do in that situation.” This experience helped students better understand real life situations and the importance of safety awareness in New Zealand.

Students also reflected positively on the trip. Mantej Singh 10J11 commented that “it was a fantastic and unexpected experience. I learned many things while enjoying the trip, and I feel that one day is not enough to explore everything.” His comment highlights the value of learning beyond the classroom.

The trip also supported academic learning. BLC students will write recounts based on their experience, while 9ELC and 10ELC students will connect their learning to storytelling and develop simple persuasive texts. They also completed structured emails, drawing on both the skills developed in Term 1 and their experiences during the trip.

Overall, the Auckland Museum visit was an enriching and memorable experience that strengthened students’ understanding, confidence, and curiosity.

~ Mrs B Bekker, EAL Teacher

A tremendous shout-out and heartfelt congratulations to the students who have earned scholarships! The NZQA Scholarship exams coincide with the NCEA external exams, yet our students have excelled, securing a total of 39 Scholarships: four Outstanding (O) Scholarships and 35 Scholarships (S). Their accomplishments are truly remarkable, reflecting their dedication and hard work alongside their NCEA studies.

Outstanding Achievements

We would like to give special recognition to the following students who were awarded Outstanding Scholarships (O):

• Lana Lee (Biology)
• Amanda Yu (Design and Visual Communication)
• George (Yiwei) Zhao (Calculus, Chemistry)

Additionally, a special congratulations to George (Yiwei) Zhao (12J5) for receiving an Outstanding Scholar Award.

2025 Scholarship Recipients:

Our Year 10 Business Pathways students recently completed an exciting Dragons’ Den challenge that transformed them into real entrepreneurs. Throughout the term, teams of students developed original business ideas from scratch—conducting genuine market research, creating comprehensive business plans, and delivering five-minute pitches before teacher “dragons” and their peers. Each team member took on a key business role, from Managing Director to Finance and Marketing Directors, gaining hands-on experience in everything from financial planning to product development.

This wasn’t just a classroom exercise; students learned to identify real problems, validate their ideas through research, and present with confidence—skills that will serve them well beyond school. The winning teams from each class earned certificates, gift vouchers, and a valuable achievement for their CVs, but the true prize was the entrepreneurial mindset and practical business acumen they developed. We were thoroughly impressed by the creativity, professionalism, and innovation displayed by these young entrepreneurs, and we congratulate all participants on their outstanding efforts and the class winners on their well-deserved success.

~ Shraddha Sharma, HOD Commerce

In Weeks 8 and 9 this term, our Year 9 students completed the ETA Program—a one-and-a-half-week, cross-curricular project where they identified and solved real Auckland community problems using skills from Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, and Health.

Why This Mattered

The ETA Program connected classroom learning to real-world impact. Students developed essential Āheitanga skills—communication, collaboration, cultural responsiveness, and adaptive thinking—while discovering that their ideas can create positive change. Through empathy, research, and evidence-based problem-solving, students prepared for both academic success and active citizenship.

The Student Experience

Working in teams, students explored UN Global Goals and Auckland census data to identify local issues. They conducted community interviews, analyzed data, and used empathy diagrams and root cause analysis to understand their chosen problems deeply. The program culminated in a Golden Hour Exhibition on 2 December, where teams presented their solutions, demonstrating the critical thinking and creativity developed throughout their journey. The experience showed our young people the satisfaction of applying their learning to make a tangible difference in their community.

Congratulations to all participating students and staff on a successful program!

~ Shraddha Sharma, on behalf of the ETA team

In Week 4, the BDSC Art Exhibition was held upstairs in Koru, showcasing the artwork created by the Year 10s all the way to the Year 13s. From digital art to visual art, photography to painting, there was such a variety of different themes being put up for display and ideas that were just absolutely wonderous and creativity-inducing. Just by examining all the different kinds of artwork would give anyone rushes of wanting to create. There were so much originality and innovation that went into every single board and art piece that you could definitely tell that the creators put a lot of care and effort into them. It was such a wonderful experience that had a piece for everyone and left many jaws dropped. It’s certainly an event anyone could go to and be absolutely mesmerized. I definitely was.

~ Vera Pham 11D3

On Tuesday 28 October, the Art Department hosted our annual school Art Exhibition, showcasing a wide range of creative works across Visual Art, Photography, Design, and Digital Art.

The exhibition celebrated the creativity and dedication of our art students, presenting a diverse collection of pieces that reflected both technical skill and individual expression. Some parents and teachers attended the event to appreciate the artistic talent within our school community.

Overall, the exhibition was a wonderful success, highlighting the passion, effort and creativity that continue to grow within the Art Department.

~ Frishta Mosavi 12K12

The Level 1 Digital Art students had the exciting opportunity to visit Howick Historical Village, where they explored the unique architecture, artifacts, and heritage of early settler life. The trip provided inspiration for their creative projects, giving students a chance to gather photographs, and ideas to incorporate into their digital artworks by taking a step into the past. They got the chance to participate in two activities to get a hands on feel of life back then; butter churning and rag rugging, as well as a self-guided tour to explore the grounds and find inspiration for their upcoming external.

~ Maeve Simpson 11S4

On Tuesday 29 July, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Auckland Art Gallery to see the traditional and modern artworks as well as the new ‘A Century of Modern Art’ exhibition. It was quite interesting to see the difference between the traditional artworks, which heavily relies on oil paints and realism, and modern artworks which had more variety of painting mediums used and focused more on the artists’ emotions.

I personally found the ‘A Century of Modern Art’ exhibition very unique because many of the artists within the exhibition had created these fantastic artworks which look amazing from afar but at a closer look, the artwork themself have used limited detail but the colors have been cleverly placed in order to give the illusion of more detail.

As a student currently taking 3ART, this trip has inspired me to look at my own artworks at a different angle, and rather than trying to reach perfection in each brush stroke, to embrace the uniqueness of my own work.

~ Kate-Lynn De Klerk 13E2