Rotorua Girls' High School

Our Rautāwhiri students Mahina Dreyer, Maddison Koopu and Pareamio Pukepuke-Taurua, along with former Rotorua Girls' High School student Jade Fairley, who was Team Assistant, represented the Rotorua U18 Girls team at the Foot Locker U18 Basketball Nationals in Auckland.

The team had an outstanding tournament, finishing third overall after an exciting 72–65 win over Canterbury A in the bronze medal playoff.

Congratulations, girls, on this fantastic achievement! 🏀

Congratulations to Year 13 student Kaiarihi Puku, who was selected to represent the North Island in the New Zealand U18 Girls' Pathways North v South match held in Cambridge. Kaiarihi was named in the squad following selection to New Zealand Rugby's U18 Girls' Pathways programme.

The North Island went down 36–26 to the South Island in a hard-fought match, but Kaiarihi made a huge impact with an outstanding performance.

Ka Rawe, Kaiarihi!

We love celebrating the achievements of our alumni!

Congratulations to former Rotorua Girls' High School student Jane Searle on her appointment as New Zealand's Children's Commissioner. Jane will begin her five-year term on 1 August, bringing with her extensive experience in child protection, law and advocacy for tamariki and rangatahi.

Jane's appointment is a wonderful achievement and an inspiring example of the positive impact our former students continue to make in communities across Aotearoa.

Congratulations, Jane. We wish you every success in this important role.

Former Rotorua woman named next Children’s Commissioner Searle has a 'deep understanding of issues faced by children today'.

Congratulations to Year 10 student Olivia Holder on an outstanding performance at the recent Hamilton Dance Competition!

Olivia achieved some incredible results across a range of dance genres, including:

🥇 Jazz Scholarship Winner (14 Years & Over)
Ⓜ️ Most Promising Jazz Championship (14 & Under 16 Years)
🥇 Adjudicator's Choice (14 & Under 16 Years)
🥈 Musical Theatre (14 Years)
🥈 Student Self-Choreography (14 & Under 16 Years)
🥈 Jazz Duo (14 & Under 16 Years)
🥉= Impromptu Jazz (14 & Under 16 Years)
🏅 Very Highly Commended – Contemporary (14 Years)
🏅 Very Highly Commended – Jazz (14 Years)
🏅 Very Highly Commended – Lyrical (14 Years)

What an incredible achievement, Olivia. Congratulations on your outstanding results and all the hard work that has gone into achieving them. We're incredibly proud of you!

Congratulations to former Rotorua Girls' High School student Manaia Morrison on an outstanding year in the ring, winning three boxing titles and continuing to make her mark in the sport.

It's always great to see our past students achieving success in their chosen fields, and we're proud to follow Manaia's journey.

We're also pleased to celebrate this achievement with her whānau, including Board of Trustees member Tania Morrison.

Read more about Manaia's success in the NZ Herald article below.

Waikato’s rising boxing stars eye next titles after golden run Putāruru’s Manaia Morrison, 18, has claimed three national titles this year.

A Special Cross-Cultural Exchange

We were honoured to welcome the Gondwana Indigenous Children's Choir from Gimuy (Cairns), Far North Queensland, Australia, for a special day of music, culture and connection.

As part of their Aotearoa tour, the choir joined our students in celebrating the shared traditions of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori cultures through song, storytelling and performance. It was a wonderful opportunity to build friendships, strengthen connections across the Tasman and recognise the important role music plays in preserving language, identity and culture.

A huge thank you to our Marautanga Faculty – Whaea Jaylene Tamati, Whaea Makea Iti-White, Whaea Rikirae Hohepa and Matua Tipene Haira-Raimona – for their outstanding leadership in creating such a meaningful experience for everyone involved.

To the Gondwana Indigenous Children's Choir, thank you for sharing your voices, stories and culture with us. We wish you all the very best for the rest of your tour and a safe journey home. Ka kite anō!

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of Liliana Wills, our 2025 Sports Captain, who was recently presented with the He Kākano Award at the Northern Mystics Awards.

Liliana is a member of the Northern Marvels, the Northern Mystics' elite development team, competing in the National Netball League (NNL). The Marvels travel throughout New Zealand, playing as the curtain raiser to the Mystics' ANZ Premiership matches and providing a pathway for the country's next generation of elite netballers.

The He Kākano Award recognises an emerging player who embodies growth, potential, dedication and a commitment to excellence both on and off the court. It is a fitting recognition of Liliana's hard work, character and leadership.

Congratulations, Liliana, on this well-deserved honour. We can't wait to see what the future holds as you continue to excel both on and off the netball court. We are incredibly proud of you! 💙🏐

CACTUS 2026 – What a Journey!

On 4 May, 25 of our rangatahi embarked on their CACTUS 2026 journey. This marked the second year of having the CACTUS programme back at Rotorua Girls' High School.

For eight weeks throughout Term 2, participants arrived at school at 5.45am, ready to parade at 6.00am under the guidance of the Rotorua Police staff, with support from our amazing Rautāwhiri kaiako. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning they were challenged physically and mentally through a range of activities designed to build leadership, confidence, resilience, grit and determination.

Like any worthwhile challenge, the journey wasn't easy. Along the way, some students found the programme too demanding, leaving a final squad of 21. Those who continued grew closer with every session, forming a strong sisterhood and creating friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

The programme culminated in the Longest Day on Friday 26 June. Beginning at 6.00am and finishing at 3.00pm, our students ran 18 kilometres, completed a series of team challenges, responded to an unexpected emergency when one of the Police staff injured her calf, and even pulled a fire truck 800 metres. It was a true test of teamwork, perseverance and character.

That evening, the group celebrated their incredible achievement with a graduation ceremony attended by whānau and supporters. Receiving their CACTUS hoodie and certificate was a proud moment and a well-deserved reward for nine weeks of commitment, resilience and hard work.

Congratulations to all of our CACTUS 2026 graduates. You have challenged yourselves, supported one another and proven that you are capable of far more than you ever imagined. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you.

A huge thank you also goes to the Rotorua Police staff, our Rautāwhiri kaiako, and the whānau who supported our students throughout this incredible journey. Your encouragement and commitment helped make this experience one our students will never forget.

Congratulations to Year 12 student Lexi Brierley!

We are thrilled to congratulate Lexie Brierly on her selection for the New Zealand Junior Roller Derby Team.

After attending two days of national trials in Wellington a few weeks ago, Lexie earned her place in the team and will represent New Zealand at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland, next July. The World Cup is held every two years and brings together the world's best junior roller derby athletes.

Competing under her derby name "Plot Twist," Lexie has shown incredible dedication and determination to reach this milestone.

We are incredibly proud of Lexie and wish her all the best as she prepares to represent New Zealand on the world stage. What an amazing achievement!