Student Leadership

Head Girl
Tietie Kaninteang

Kam na Mauri !

I have the absolute honor and privilege of being Head Girl this year.

My cultural identity plays a big part of my life. I come from a small Island, Kiribati which is the only Island to be within the 4 hemispheres. For those people who don’t know where Kiribati is, Kiribati is located in the Pacific Ocean along the edges of the Equator, which includes the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line island groups. So basically, Kiribati is in the middle of nowhere. Both my parents were born and raised in Kiribati but came to New Zealand in 1997 to seek growth and opportunity not only for themselves but for their children. I believe the way you are raised will shape how you put yourself out there. Growing up in a household of cultural and faithful morals and beliefs, I am taught to love everyone and view life in a positive way. This is who I am. What I give out, I want to receive as well. I encourage not only students but teachers to have a mindset of ‘anything is possible’ which also happens to fit with our theme of Hope and Contemplation this year.

My goal is to keep the togetherness strong within our College. Here within the school grounds, I feel the aroha from many girls which creates an environment of belonging, and the warm feeling of whaanau and positivity. I know this is particularly important for our juniors. I see girls helping and encouraging each other to go outside their comfort zones and being together as one. As Head Girl, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing this. Jesus teaches us through various scriptures that working together and being faithful will bring us blessings throughout our lives. My favourite quote from the Bible, Mark 5:36 “Do not fear, only believe”, has always stuck with me since I was a little girl and this significant quote has helped me to overcome obstacles and has taught me to believe in myself. My hope for 2019 Sacred Heart students is that they uphold the Sacred Heart values and treat others with kindness.

My final words for everyone is to spread positivity, give love and share the greatest gifts you each possess. Through this we are sure to have a blast this year and be the person God wanted us each to be.

Kam bati n raba ao tekeraoi n ami reirei.

Deputy Head Girl Learning
Jennifer Kim

I have the privilege of serving Sacred Heart as the Deputy Head Girl of Learning for 2019. I was briefly a student at Berkley Normal Middle School in Hamilton. Before this, I attended Carmel College in Auckland and many more before this. I think that it is safe to say that moving to various schools throughout my childhood has well equipped me to be the resourceful, outspoken and zealous person I am today. I am a firm believer that education is the key to change; whether it be mental, personal, social, institutional or even political. All the while I am a huge advocate for social justice, feminism and social activism.

Thanks to the constant support of my peers and teachers, I have grown to cherish all aspects of learning. I particularly enjoy painting, English and Chemistry. I aspire to enter a pathway along the lines of foreign affairs and trade, politics or STEM.

As it is the year of the contemplative heart, I hope that students take it as an opportunity to reflect on themselves as learners. In my role, I want to remould the perception of learning in our community as that learning is merely parallel to academic achievement – they may travel in the same direction but never touch. I believe learning should focus on the improvement of not only grades but learning skills. Learning is by nature lifelong and life-wide, disputing misconceptions of learning being a-stream is crucial to our community’s overall quality and future of learning.

Deputy Head Girl
Special Character
Alyssa Bautista

I am honoured and very blessed to be the Deputy Head Girl of Special Character this year. Before I came to Sacred Heart, I attended Marian Catholic School just across the road.

This year, I aim to build a stronger community by helping our young women feel comfortable and at home here to support them through their journey at Sacred Heart. I also want to help them build their character, confidence in themselves and their connections with each other as this helps us all to be stronger people.

My faith in God is very important in my life and the path that God has given me helped me to be the person I am today. At Sacred Heart I have learnt the importance of having a good support system, a good sense of self-love, and of having good relationships with my peers and teachers. Because of this, I am able to achieve things I didn’t believe I ever could. I have grown to love learning and thoroughly enjoy all the subjects I take. I plan to use what I learn to strive to be a Nurse after I leave school. I’m very excited for what this year will bring and I will try my very best to make this year the best one yet.