When I first read about the opportunity to volunteer in Fiji through Projects Abroad, I was excited, but also incredibly nervous. It was my first time travelling internationally without my family, and I had no idea what to expect. Looking back now, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and an experience that has changed me in ways I never expected.

During my week in Natalau Village, Sabeto, Nadi.  I volunteered at the local kindergarten, where I helped teach the children the alphabet and different colours. I also assisted with maintenance work at the village church, allowing me to contribute to the community in different ways. Outside of volunteering, I had the opportunity to visit the mud pools and hot springs, as well as the beautiful Garden of the Sleeping Giant, which gave me a chance to experience Fiji’s incredible natural beauty.

One of the most memorable parts of the trip was staying with my host family. Every evening we would sit together on the floor and enjoy delicious home-cooked meals while sharing stories about our cultures. Although we sometimes had cold showers and even experienced periods without running water, those moments taught me to appreciate a different way of life and became some of my favourite memories. The kindness and hospitality shown by everyone in the village made me feel at home from the moment I arrived, and I still keep in touch with my host family today.

Another unexpected highlight was meeting another volunteer from the United Kingdom. We became such close friends during the week that we’re still in contact, and she even planned to visit New Zealand before returning home. She stayed with us for four days before continuing on to tour around the rest of New Zealand. It’s amazing to think that one opportunity created friendships with people from across the world.

This experience taught me so much about independence, confidence, and embracing new cultures. It pushed me well outside my comfort zone and gave me memories that I know I’ll treasure for the rest of my life.

~ Saanvi Bharany 13E2

From Saturday 6 to Sunday 7 June, a group of eager Bronze Duke of Edinburgh students embarked on a two-day, one-night tramp and practice journey located in the Shakespeare Regional Park. This expedition helped us to develop practical skills and confidence needed for the upcoming qualifying journey.

Throughout the two days, we practiced essential skills such as map navigation, route planning, tent pitching, as well as meal preparation. This journey allowed us to work collaboratively, boosting our communication and problem-solving skills while providing a valuable hands-on experience.

Although the journey began in rainy and muddy conditions, the group persevered through the ever-changing weather. As the rain cleared, the beautiful open farmlands, native bush, and coastal scenery of Shakespeare Regional Park was revealed.

Overall, the experience was incredibly memorable, and it is safe to say that new friends were made along the way, and we will be taking what we learned in this journey over to our upcoming qualifying expedition.

~ Zoe He 10J11 

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

From Friday 24 to Sunday 26 April, the second group of Silver Duke of Edinburgh students embarked on our three-day, two-night sea kayaking training and practice expedition around the beautiful Maraetai coast. Serving as essential preparation for our upcoming qualifying journey, we were required to use our skills and knowledge to navigate across the water and camp self-sufficiently.

For a lot of us, managing heavy sea kayaks on the open water was a completely new experience. Luckily, we had incredible weather throughout the trip. The water was glassy and flat for most of the journey, which was a huge help as we got used to the steady rhythm of paddling. The mornings at camp were definitely a little bit cold, but waking up to the beautiful sunrises and watching the sunsets over the water made it so worth it.

This trip really brought us together as a team and showed us how important communication is. Whether we were working together on our map skills to track and plan our routes or just shouting words of encouragement across the water when the paddling got tough, the shared memories and group morale are what really kept us going. We even managed some success with fishing. After a completely empty Day 1 where I think most of us thought we’d catch nothing, someone finally caught a fish while we were paddling along on Day 2, and from then on everything changed. The couple of people who had lines out kept reeling in a few more over the rest of the trip, which became a massive highlight for everyone. By the last day, everyone was feeling a little bit sore and tired, but the constant encouragement within the team kept our energy up all the way back to the boat ramp as we loaded up the gear and packed the kayaks away.

A big thank you to the awesome instructors Leroy and Simon, who came out with us and shared their expertise to keep us safe on the water. It was a really great experience for everyone involved, and our qualifying journey in October can’t come soon enough!

~ Amber Miller 11J11 

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

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

On Thursday 19 June, a group of 35 BDSC students rolled up their sleeves and got their gumboots muddy in Hunua, where we planted over 650 native trees near the Wairua River. This was part of a restorations effort to protect and enhance the environment, reducing erosion, filtering rain runoff, and improving the health of local waterways.

It was a rewarding, hands-on day that combined team spirit, hard work, and the satisfaction of making a real difference. We were fortunate to be hosted by a generous team who guided our efforts and treated us to a delicious lunch, well earned after a morning of meaningful mahi.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this trip possible, and to all who got stuck in on the day. It was a great experience for everyone involved and a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together for a common cause.

~ Kate Sole 13J5 and Georgia Sole 13J11

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I learned how to plant trees on a very steep hill; it was hard work. It was really fun and I had a good time. It is important to plant trees to make the environment better.

~ Brooklyn Luteru 9E2

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It was fun and I’d like to do it again! I learned that trees need to be perfectly planted in the ground. If you plant too high, they may die of thirst and if you plant too low, they may start rotting. The hill was very steep. We put in a lot of hard physical labour. Thank you to the teachers who set this up, took us there, and helped.

~ Rudolph Schoeler 9E2

Being given the opportunity to participate in AUT’s ‘Shadow a Leader Day’ was an incredibly insightful experience that allowed me to go beyond the classroom and into the world of leadership. I had the privilege of spending the day with Clint Cardozo, CEO and co-founder of OneReg, gaining first-hand insight into the responsibilities, challenges, and decision-making involved in leading a successful organisation.

One of the most valuable aspects of this opportunity was the ability to ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations about career pathways, leadership approaches, and real-world experiences. I was especially impressed by how the team demonstrated clear communication and fostered a positive workplace culture while meeting high expectations.

This experience has truly transformed my perspective of leadership and deepened my appreciation for qualities like resilience, adaptability, empathy, and determination, traits I aim to develop further within myself. Shadowing a leader not only gave me valuable insight into a professional setting, it also encouraged me to reflect on my own goals and the kind of leader I aspire to become here at BDSC.

~ Tiffany Le 13K18, 2025 Deputy Head Girl

Eight students (Ayaan Bansal 10D3, Brian Liu 10S4, Benjamin McKay 10S4, Bill Nguyen 10D3, Linda Huynh 10J11, Kate Parker 10B13, Esha Chalasani 10J11, and Lucy Yu 10B1) attended a regional competition called Japan Trivia Night on Friday 13 June. The teams decided to divide themselves into a boy’s team and a girl’s team. We prepared for Japan Trivia night by dressing up in traditional kimono and jackets. The boy’s team (Botany Downs Team 1) advanced to a three-way tiebreaker for second, third, and fourth place. This was followed by a drumroll and Botany Downs Team 1 was called up for second place for the Auckland region.  We took home some awards, and everyone was celebrating. It was a wonderful evening, and we all cheered and sang along to celebrate. With 31 total points, our Botany Downs Team 2 placed sixth. With a total score of 33, the Botany Down Team 1 placed second.

~ Ayaan Bansal 10D3