Lawrence Area School: 150th Celebration of Education in Lawrence and Districts January 9th, 10th, 11th 2015

Dear Parents and Friends of the School
LAWRENCE AREA SCHOOL

Community Newsletter

22 May 2014
No 6
Many of our senior students had a very busy, and
interesting holiday break: Yr 13 students took part in
the New Zealand Area Schools Leadership Course at
Wainui. This had a strong physical, cultural and social
focus based around new experiences. Meeting new
people, bonding and engaging in team activities was
a daily expectation. Our students thrived in these
circumstance, forming lasting friendship with peers
from throughout New Zealand. Ropes courses, on
the water challenges, Maori culture and team
challenges were enjoyed by all. Our students would especially like to thank Kate for her
support throughout the week.
We had four students Eloise, Olivia Autumn and Hannah
attend the SADD Conference in Christchurch during the
holiday break. SADD has rebranded itself as Students
Against Dangerous Driving, giving it a broader base for
initiatives, programmes and focus. Throughout the conference our students were challenged
to advocate against peer pressure, to think of safe-driving, strategies and knowledge to
promote good sense decision making as a teenager.
Pleasingly our students took on some of the conference leadership roles and contributed very
positively.
Leaha Dickey enjoyed a very interesting defence force taster camp. 5 days of being
introduced first hand to many aspects of military life whet Leahas appitite and she is now
ambitious to follow up as a vocational choice.
What a great start to the term for our Yr 7/8 class. Camping in Queenstown in Week 1 rates as
a brilliant way to begin a school term. A group of thirty plus campers based themselves at
Lakeland Park and made the most of the week. Poor weather did not dampen the spirit. The
children displayed an absolutely wonderful attitude and gave 100% effort to all activities.
New skills were learned: mountain biking, kayaking, air rifle, archery, frisbee golf and luging.
Tramping high above Arrowtown in the mist proved an interesting exercise, safely completed
by all. A visit to the legendary teacher Miss Grey at the Lakes District Museum proved to be
a highlight as was travelling to Skippers, certainly an eyes-wide-open road, a white knuckle
jet boat ride proved to be an adrenalin rush as did the climbing wall at the events centre.
Equally important aspects of camp are living and working together positively, enjoying each
others company for the week, contributing to team work, helping others and self managing.
Student attitude was excellent, individually and collectively this group proved itself
throughout.
A brilliant set of camp dads and mums guided students, ensured that they were well fed and
entertained them throughout.
Teachers Pauline Taylor and Sally Benington planned and ran a great camp, leading by
example, enjoying the camp and conveying this positively to the students.

LAS Students with guest
speaker Juliette Haigh
Rowing New Zealand
Kind Regards John Auld
150th celebration of education in Lawrence and Districts
January 9th, 10th, 11th 2015
Lisa - My favourite thing on camp was
the Skippers Canyon Jet-Boat Ride. My
least favourite on camp was the
Frisbee Golf. The most challenging thing
on camp was the hike because it was
really steep. If I could change one thing
about camp it would be to get my
technique in archery right early.
Kyle - My favourite thing on camp was
the Jetboat ride. My least favourite
thing on camp was diary time. The
most challenging thing on camp was
the hike. If I could change one thing
about camp it would be to go gold
panning in Arrowtown.
Jessica - My favourite things on camp
were the kayaking, gondola, luge rides
and jetboating. My least favourite
things on camp were the hike around
Arrowtown, frisbee golfing and the
constant postponements thanks to
rain. If I could change one thing on camp
it would be the Frankton events centre
visit. I really would have liked to swim
there but the check up for the pools
was on so that made the swim
impossible.
Elliot - My favourite things on camp
were the gondola and luge, jet boat and
rock climbing. My least favourite thing
on camp was the walk because it was
hard. The most challenging thing on
camp was walking-running to the
showers because it was so cold. If I
could change one thing about camp it
would be .... I would make it sunny all
week.
Adam - My favourite thing on camp was
when we went Kayaking through the
waves down at Lake Wakatipu. My least
favourite thing on camp was some of
the night activities in the main room.
The most challenging thing on camp
was trying to hit the ball over the
volleyball net at the gym. If I could
change one thing about camp it would
be that I would try climbing up the
climbing wall.
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DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO
WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT
WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!!
Senior School
Whats happening in
Senior School.
Defence Careers Experience

Tertiary Day
6 senior students went to Dunedin on
Monday 12th May to visit Otago
Polytechnic and University and sit in on
information sessions about possible
subject choices and options for next
year. They also looked round both
places, got lost, found again, and later
visited City College - one of the halls of
Residence.
All students took a very active part in
preparing for their future with great
participation.
From April 28th to May 2nd I was at Burnham
Military Camp for the South Island Defence
Careers Experience (DCE),which was for Year
12 and 13 students to find out what its like to
be in the defence forces and to learn about
what an Officer, a Medic and a member of
Intelligence does. Every day was full of new
challenges which all of us took on and gave
our all - whether it was playing paintball in the
field or trying out the simulator on the
computer. We also got to talk with people in
different office roles in the defence force and
find out about the challenges of the job and
also the perks of being in the defence force.
Highlights for me would be: using night vision
equipment (NVE), playing paintball, talking
with the officers and the amazing meals we
got. It was an amazing experience that made
me want to become an airforce medic even
more. I highly recommend it to anyone
considering a job in the defence forces.
English Department
A big congratulations to Holly Shaw who has
gained a Merit in the 2014 Rodney Walsh
Ireland Essay Competition. There were 100
entries nationwide and Holly was one of 10
students to gain a place. Her prize is a
certificate and $50 book voucher.
Grace OMalley by Holly Shaw
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As little girls, my friends and I often pondered the question: would we prefer to be the
toughest princess or the prettiest pirate?
Little did we know that a figure from history had already achieved the best of both these
worlds, a strong woman, who we could have easily identified with and probably would have
idolized had we known of her.

Grace OMalley was born in the West Coast province of Mayo in Connacht, Ireland.
Born into a sea trading family, Grace persisted in a range of stunts to prove that, even as a girl,
she was good enough to be a sailor. This included the dramatic move of hacking of her long
auburn hair and dressing as a boy, earning her the nickname Grainne Mhaol, Bald Grace.
See, her mother had told her that she couldnt sail, because her hair and skirts would get
caught in the ropes. So Grace simply removed these obstacles.
Her persistence paid off, and Grace was eventually allowed to sail with her father and brother
on trading missions to Spain and further afield. Even at this young age, when Grace wanted
something, nothing could stand in her way.
As a young woman, Grace was commanding her own fleet of trading ships. When her small fleet
was faced with pirates, Grace saw an opportunity, and was soon pirating herself to supplement
her income. She was known to have taken on Turkish, Spanish and English pirates and merchant
vessels as well. If they could do it, Grace saw no reason why she shouldnt, and her crews would
follow her every order, and support her in any venture, so why not?

It is said that Graces authority over her fleet was unwavering even though she was a woman in a
male dominant society. Grace earned her crews respect by treating them fairly and by fighting
alongside her men. But Grace OMalley was also one woman you did not want to cross.
When Graces first husband Donal was defeated and killed at Caislean-an-Circa, an island and
castle belonging to the Joyce clan, the Joyces thought the fight was over, however they did not
count on Graces rage, taking up the fight she reduced the clan to a male less state.
Another story tells of Graces revenge on those who murdered her lover Hugh de Lacy.
According to legend, Hugh was killed by the MacMahons of Ballycroy while out hunting. Grace
tracked the perpetrators to Cahir Island where they had gone on a religious pilgrimage. She
burned their boats, standing them on the island, then picked them off one by one.
Grace OMalley is certainly proof that using wit is just as effective as using force in getting
what you want.
After Donal died, Grace had expanded her empire to control five castles and several islands in
Clew Bay. But in order to be in complete control of the area, she needed Rockfleet Castle as
well. But Rockfleet belonged to Richard Burke.
According to Brehon Law (the ancient Irish law system), after a years marriage, whoever was in
possession of assets when the marriage ended, got to keep them.
So Grace approached Rockfleet Castle and proposed marriage to Richard, telling him their
alliance would help both clans withstand the impending English invasion.
Legend has it that after exactly one year, Grace OMalley locked herself in Rockfleet Castle and
called to Richard, who was outside, I release you, ending their marriage and securing Rockfleet
Castle as her own as she was in possession.
It would seem, though, that the marriage did not end there, as many sources claim that the
couple were married until Richards death seventeen years later. Either way, Grace had still
acquired Rockfleet Castle, and as she wore the pants in the relationship, control of Richards
money and assets.
Grace had four children in her lifetime, who all caused her a fair amount of trouble, as children do.
With Donal, Grace had two sons, Owen and Murough, and a daughter, Margret and with Richard she
had one more son, Tibbot (also known as Theobald).
Some sources claim that Murough was a sexist and arrogant character who had no respect for
his mothers leadership as she was a woman. He was apparently in league with the invading
English and caused the capture and execution of his brother, Owen.
Because Owen was a kindly and trusting man, he was easily fooled by the invaders, something his
brother was counting on.
Little is known about Margret, most probably because she was a woman, and women tended to be
ignored by history unless they did something extraordinary or scandalous, so we can assume
that Margret either died young or was an ordinary woman of the time.
Tibbot was probably the reason his mother is so well know, as he, along with Graces brother,
Dnal na Piopa, was arrested by the English. Grace had been writing letters to Queen Elizabeth
I demanding justice over the English invasion, however having her son and brother thrown into
prison prompted Grace to pay Lizzy a visit.
On the 6
th
September 1593, Grace met with Queen Elizabeth I in Greenwich Castle, having
somehow slipped past the English patrol boats. Why the Queen agreed to meet with a wild Irish
princess and pirate, we do not know, but it would appear that the two fiery and wilful women
quite liked each other.
One interesting story alleges that while in the presence of the Queen, Grace sneezed. A polite
member of court offered Grace a lacy handkerchief, which she accepted and proceeded to blow her
nose loudly with. She then threw the handkerchief in the fire. Shocked at Graces rudeness, the
Queen scolded her, telling her that she should have kept the gift and put it in her pocket, to which
Grace replied that the Irish would never put a soiled garment in their pocket and obviously had a
higher standard of cleanliness.
You might have expected Grace to be arrested for this rude behaviour in front of the Queen, the
members of court present certainly though so, but no, Lizzy laughed. This Queen was amused.
Elizabeth granted the release of Graces brother and son, and also authorizes the return of her
property that the English had taken in return for Graces agreement to use her skilled leadership to
defend the queen against her enemies.
Grace returned to Ireland, and demanded that her rightful property be returned to her by order of
the Queen. However Richard Bingham, who was leading the invasion, released her family but did not
return her property.
Despite this, Grace honoured her agreement with the Queen to defend her Majesty, until she
retired to Rockfleet castle where it is thought she died on the 18
th
of June, 1603, the same year as
her Queen.
Holly Shaw

The friends we meet at Leadership
and the lessons we learnt will stick
with us forever
It was a great experience and anyone with the chance to go should defiantly give it a try!
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~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ @~~ ~ ~~ ~ @~+ @~( @~
Josh and I, travelled with Kate to Wainui on Banks Peninsula, Canterbury.
We were joined by nearly forty other student leaders from Area Schools around the
country at the Wainui Park YMCA grounds for a week of fun and learning to enhance
our skills as leaders and citizens.

We were assigned to rooms with people from other schools and to four activity groups,
so we had every opportunity to meet new people and create lasting friendships. In our
activity groups we bonded doing the dishes and working on a unit standard that
accompanied the camp. Our groups were important as we completed activities each day
as a group. The giant swing, a 15 meter monster that your team had to pull you up,
before you pulled the cord and swung out over the trees had a great view of the
harbour. At full height, the speed of the swing was about 50kmph.
Coasteering involved walking and swimming around the rocks in the harbour, kelp
surfing, cliff jumping and mud sliding.
The high ropes course had a giants ladder on which the rungs got further apart each
time, a tight rope with buoys to hold onto, a high log to walk across with nothing to hold
onto and climbing walls. The high ropes also included abseiling, where we climbed up a
large tree to a platform then abseiled down between two trees.
Kayaking was the last activity my group did. We had to kayak in a different spot to the
other groups because of bad weather. We kayaked across the bay, had kayak fights and
stood upon our kayaks and tried to surf on them. That went really well with all of us
falling off. And on Friday we had a game of Wizards and Warlocks, which got quite
competitive and strategic.
3 ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~+ ~ ~
Juliette Drysdale, who let us hold her bronze medal. We had an Action Auction where
we had to bring five random things into the hall each, then in our groups use those
things to make something to fit categories the leaders called out, such as the best
model with a moustache. The presentation evening was a highlight with people
introducing their towns followed by group skits. Table tennis and the game Mafia also
helped to fill our evenings.

One morning we were woken unceremoniously to pots and spoons being bashed by the
leaders. We then had to run three kilometres to the wharf and jump off into the
freezing harbour.

The last night at Wainui was a huge highlight with the formal evening. The boys had to
formally ask the girls to go to dinner with them. We had a nice dinner with interesting
conversation. After eating we had a dance that went until midnight.

The friends we meet at Leadership and the lessons we learnt will stick with us forever.
It was a great experience and anyone with the chance to go should definitely give it a
try.

Lawrence Area School: 150th Celebration of Education in Lawrence and Districts January 9th, 10th, 11th 2015

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Lawrence Area School: 150th Celebration of Education in Lawrence and Districts January 9th, 10th, 11th 2015

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Dear Parents and Friends of the School

LAWRENCE AREA SCHOOL

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