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 Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Mount Albert Grammar School.
Last Sunday, MAGS' Centennial Choir returned triumphant from The Big Sing National Finale in Wellington.
Over 8000 students initially took part in the regional choral competitions from which a select 24 choirs were chosen to attend the national finals. Our Centennial Choir was one of only eight finalists that gained a Gold Award.
This is the second year in a row where our boys’ choir has achieved Gold on the national stage. The growth and success of our choral programme, including the Centennial, Gloriana (girls’) and Melodica (mixed voice) choirs has been a real success story for MAGS.
Most, if not all, of our choristers have had no formal voice training before joining the programme. The expertise of Directors Terence Maskell (Centennial) and Catherine Oxenham (Gloriana) has created a quality experience for all involved. The addition of Claire Caldwell to our team has also added much value.
You can see the Centennial Choir performing Ubi Caritas here
As a model of teaching and learning, there can be no better example. Knowledge and skill being imparted by expert teachers to a group of focussed and motivated students. Add in the hours and hours of repetition and refinement and the result is something exceptional!
Teaching and learning in the classroom (and the rehearsal room) requires hard work – but in the end, the results can be transformational for all involved.
Congratulations to our Centennial Choir and all who are involved in our choral programme. We are very proud of you!
News just through this afternoon has confirmed our Football Girls 1st XI as National Champions for the first time since 2016! Well done to our players and coaching staff.
Have a good weekend.
Patrick Drumm
Headmaster
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Click here for the Calendar
Thursday, September 12
Senior Pre-Requisite Exams Begin
Friday, September 20
Senior Pre-Requisite Exams End
Thursday, September 26
Last day of classes for Term 3
Friday, September 27
Staff Only Day
End of Term 3
Photo Essays  Football Boys 1st XI v Scots College
Click here  Netball Premiers v Howick College
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Trials and Registrations
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Fixtures and Results
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Our Lion Fund programme aims to provide financial support to allow every MAGS student to access the breadth of opportunities we offer at our school.
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Football Girls Crowned National Champions |
Massive congratulations to our Football Girls 1st XI, who completed the perfect season today when they were crowned national secondary school champions at the NZSS Premier Tournament in Nelson.
Well-taken goals in each half were enough for MAGS to defeat Baradene 2-1 in the final.
The Girls, coached by Ms Inwood, went to the national tournament as unbeaten Auckland Champions and winners of the APC Cup. They also won the Grammar Cup earlier in the year, meaning they won every competition they entered this season and did not lose a game throughout.
In other Winter Tournament news, our Netball Premiers finished fourth in their UNISS competition at West Auckland's Te Pai Arena after suffering losses to Avondale College and St Kentigern College today.
There will be a full wrap-up of Winter Tournament results in next Friday's newsletter, and you can see up-to-date fixtures and results here |
Centennial Choir Strikes Gold Again |
 The Centennial Choir, under the direction of Terence Maskell and accompanied by Claire Caldwell, achieved gold for the second year straight in the Finale of The NCF Big Sing competition.
The Finale was held in Wellington at the Michael Fowler Centre, with the Centennial Choir performing last Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Big Sing regionals are held throughout NZ in June with over 200 schools competing nationwide. Only 24 are selected for the Finale, and the Centennial Choir was one of them and one of only six all-male choirs so this is a particularly strong endorsement of their ability and dedication.
The Centennial choir is already looking to get a headstart on next year. Any boys that would like to come and join the choir, please contact Ms Cesan – [email protected] – and she will put you in touch with the Choir Leaders. |
 MAGS students entered eight projects into the Auckland Science Fair and four of them returned with awards, including a first place for Reuben Bruce (10LAX) for his 'Airy Architecture' project (pictured).
TICs Mr Huang and Mrs Nisha have been working with a group of students every Wednesday afternoon from Term 1 to compete at the fair.
Mr Huang says, "The fair is a display of the brightest young scientists in Auckland, with not only innovative ideas but also methodical execution.
"On the presentation day students were tested and questioned by over 40 judges. Our students were confident, enthusiastic and showed excellent knowledge in their field."
The other awards were:
Eva Yarrow 11DUN – Aphid Attack! –(special prize)
Ella Burton, Fiona Le 09JAK – Hue Knew
Matthew Clement 10LAX – Fertilizer Face Off
The final prize giving will happen next Monday, September 9.
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Good luck to Te Puna o Wairaka's Katie Watkinson, who will be competing at the National PPTA Ngā Manu Kōrero competition, which MAGS is also co-hosting, at Spark Arena next week.
Katie will be competing next Wednesday in the Tā Turi Kara – Junior English section after winning that category at the Ngā Manu Kōrero ki te Waitematā regional competition held at Ngā Puna o Waiōrea / Western Springs College earlier in the year.
You can watch the livestream of the speeches on Māori TV here
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Musical Theatre Showcase a Huge Success |
  The Musical Theatre Group, which has been run this year by Year 13 student Isla Ross and Year 12 student Paige Barnes- Kilgour, presented a showcase of items they have been working on this year to the delight of an audience of their parents and peers.
Held in PA02, the show consisted of a variety of ensemble, solo and duo musical numbers, opening with a very slick performance of When You're an Adams by the whole cast.
Director of Arts Co-Curricular Ms Cesan said, "The love that the students displayed for Musical Theatre, and some great performances, made for a very enjoyable night for all, and bodes well for the future of this club next year."
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Student Art Selected for Finals |
 Congratulations to Oli Neary and Misaki Nakamura, who were selected in the top 30 finalists in the Arts House Trust Annual Secondary School Art Awards, which had over 300 entries this year.
Oli's and Misaki's work, picture above left and right respectively, is part of an exhibition that runs at Pah Homestead, Hillsborough until October 13 and is well worth checking out.
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Congratulations to Sophie Chandler, who has been awarded a Pukemiro Station Cadetship for 2025/26.
Pukemiro Station, in Dannevirke, is a 930ha sheep and beef farm that established a cadetship in 2018, training two groups of three cadets across two years.
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Get Your Tickets for Teams of the Century
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Our Teams of the Century event takes place on Friday, September 27.
Get ready for an unforgettable event! Don't miss this incredible opportunity to reconnect with classmates and reminisce.
Join us for the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Albertians Association when our Teams of the Century will be announced.
Date: Friday, September 27
Time: 6.30pm
Location: F.W. Gamble Hall
Use this link to register and secure your spot today! Payment options available online or come in and pay at the school main reception.
We are thrilled to have renowned sports commentator and Albertian Mark Watson as our MC for the evening.
*All general enquiries to MAGS Reception – [email protected]
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 Twenty students competed to become the 2024 MAGS Fencing Champion, with Elijah Yarr, above left, winning the boys' section, and Emi Mason, above right, the girls'.
Fencing coach Kyle Macdonald said, "It was a day full of surprises and upsets as well as dogged resistance as fencers new and experienced battled it out. For the new students, this was their first event and threw up many new features of competition protocol they had not been through before."
A couple of upsets early in the day for last year's winner, Lawrence Zhao, put him into the knockout stages early against one of the Commonwealth representatives, Nico Meyer.
Nico, despite losing just the one fight, found himself unexpectedly down in fifth place, eventually coming out on top in that hard-fought quarter-final before losing his semi-final match to Commonwealth team-mate and eventual winner Elijah Yarr in front of a very appreciative crowd with some excellent skills displayed by both fencers.
The other half of the boys draw had Year 13 newcomer Max Shallard reach the final, where he initially put up tough resistance against his much more experienced opponent, before finishing second as Elijah settled down at the end of the fight to compose his actions and dispatch his less experienced opponent.
In the girls section, the two Commonwealth bronze medalists fought out the final. It started off as a very slow and hesitant final as both girls knew each other's style and technique well. Emi Mason managed to edge into the lead midway through and then quickly capitalised on a couple of opportunities to establish a solid lead against Shubhi Roy, which proved too hard to break down. Emi took the title for the third year in a row.
In the Beginners section, it was no surprise to see Max Shallard maintain the form that saw him reach the main final to come out on top for the Boys Beginners title.
And in the girls section Kavya Wad took home the Girls Beginners title.
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Boys Curling NISS Runners-Up |
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 At tournament week, MAGS had three Curling teams in the much-expanded North Island Secondary Schools Curling Championship.
'Sweeping Beauties' – Abby Whittle, Georgia Nansett, Imogen Bowman and Sophia Bourne – were competing in the Girls Division.
'Clean Sweep' – Maiah Radu, Finlay Ross, Sean Cavanagh and Thomas Runnells – were in the Open Division and
'Premier' – Samuel Reeves, Felix McElwee, Max Shallard, Riley Hobbs and Jacob Miller – were in the Boys Division.
TIC Ms Hobbs said, "There were some early starts, some hard games and some lucky, and unlucky, ricochets!
"Going into the Thursday night finals our teams were still in the running.
"Ultimately, whilst two of our teams got podium finishes, the shields eluded us once again."
Sweeping Beauties finished 6th in the Girls Division and 16th in the combined tournament.
Clean Sweep – all novices – finished 11th in the combined tournament and took bronze in the Open Division.
And Premier, 7th in the combined tournament, were, for the third year in a row, runners-up in the Boys Division. These lads are now looking forward to the last round of Auckland Champs next week and, in a few weeks' time, a trip to the New Zealand Curling Centre in Naseby to compete in the Nationals. |
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