Figure 1.--Entering high school is a major step for the Year 9 students coming up from an intermediate school. Many New Zealand schools have special mentoring and peer programs--including a camping experiebce to help them with the transition.

Have a look here at the activities at some representative New Zealand Year 9 classes. Some of the descriptions are in the children's and teachers' own words.

Cashmere High School--From Form Three

is always a big step but it is a step that most of this year's third form have taken with confidence and success. After confusing beginnings (how many didn't get lost at least once?) and convincing fourths and fifths that they were not the only ones who knew it all, they have settled in well. Old friendships have either strengthened or drifted apart and been replaced.

Some effort was put into familiarising students with their new environment. Most visited the school at the end of last year, and at the beginning of this year all were put into peer groups in the charge of a seventh form leader. Later in the term, Form Three Outdoor Education camps were held with two purposes in mind: to give students outdoor experiences, including rock climbing and sea kayaking, and to help the new form classes to get to know each other better.

It has been pleasing to see so many of this year's thirds getting involved in the many activities that the school has to offer--sports, music, West Side Story and so on. Many have received Fair Play awards for their sporting involvement, others have reached Canterbury selection and a number received Excellence awards at the end of the year. Their willingness to get involved in such events as the Science Fair and the mathematics competitions, and the successes they have achieved, have also been noteworthy.

The excellent work of Shannon Pomeroy and Sidney Tauamiti as School Council rep's was much appreciated - the Third Form selected two great people to do this job.

Having built such strong foundations, they can all look forward to brilliant careers as fourth formers--the best the school has ever had.

David Ayers, Lymphad, Cashmere High School, 1993

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