Whanganui High School offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities for students to participate in.
Chess is an age-old game of strategy, tactics, and logical thinking. If you have never played before, we would be more than happy to teach you the rules and help you learn some strategy. If you already know the game, come along for a challenge or even just fun.
Who can join: All students
When: Meetings are Fridays after school in the library from 2pm onwards. Chess boards will be set up and ready to play, and students are welcome to come and go as they please.
Event: We attend various chess competitions throughout the year, including individual and team tournaments. These are both regional and national.
Cost: There is no cost to come along on Fridays. Competitions are often $12.50 per person.
Students are welcome our Chinese Club, where students will prepare for the Wellington Chinese Bridge Speech Competition which is organised by the Confucius Institute of Victoria University of Wellington. Students will also prepare for the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) test, which is an international examination that assesses proficiency in Chinese language and culture.
Who can join: All students
When: Friday – Period 5 2.15pm – 3.00pm
Event: Speech Competition and HSK test
Cost: Nil
This is an opportunity for students to cook and compete in a commercial kitchen environment, designing and refining recipes and presenting them to quality restaurant standard.
Who can join: Any Senior student with a passion for cooking.
When: Practices are usually Friday Period 5 but are variable depending on the nature of the competition.
Event: Local, regional and national competitions. Dishes are usually entrees based upon a particular vegetable, omelettes, cupcakes and cheesecakes.
Cost: Usually no charge.
Senior debating teams. Debating enables students to learn the art of persuasion, research skills and public speaking skills. Our school teams prepare to compete in local, regional, and national tournaments.
Who can join: All Students (students may also be interested in adjudicating)
When: Meet fortnightly during interval. Closer to Junior regional competitions (which take place once a term) we meet most breaks.
Event: Local, Regional and National competitions. The Central North Island Regional Competition is for Senior students and is run over a weekend in March or April.
Cost: Minimal – contribution to entry and transport costs.
Teachers-in-charge:
Senior - Ms S Hughes & Mr S Miller
Junior - Mrs V Kasner & Mr J Berkhout
Whanganui High School provides the opportunity for students to gain the Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. Students work on four sections at each level; Skills, Service, Physical Recreation and an Adventurous Project. The first three sections are completed by students independently out of school time and the Adventurous Project section is organised by staff as a group activity.
Who can join: Students from the ages of 14yrs to 25yrs.
When: Registrations for any section can occur throughout the year (dependent on a student’s age). Meetings are advertised in the Daily Notices.
Events:
Bronze (14yrs+)
Silver (15yrs+)
Gold (16yrs+)
Cost: Students will need to cover registration and trip costs.
The Exploration and Discovery Club provides opportunities for students to explore remote and unique places around the North Island. The point is to enjoy new sites, make new friends, laugh, practice your car karaoke and learn a little along the way. Students need to be travel hardened and be able to withstand long van trips on very windy roads.
Who can join: Year 10 to Year 13
When: Usually one trip per Term. Meetings are only held prior to our trips. Membership is open to Year 10 to 13. Trip information will be posted in the Daily Notices. Come and speak to Mr Hunter at any time for further details.
Cost: Costs range from $100 (one night) up to $300 (3 nights), depending on destination.
Students can join other language students from schools in the North Island to concentrate on improving their second language through fun activities. There are two days for each language.
Who can join: Students of Spanish and French
When: Terms 2 and 3
Event: Two day camp in Rotorua
Cost: Approximately $260
Extra tuition is available for students who would like to sit the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination at Massey University. The IELTS examination is globally recognised by more than 10,000 employers, universities, schools and immigration bodies around the world.
Who can join: Students who have English as a second language.
When: Tuesday afternoons
Event: IELTS examination
Cost: Nil
We aim to encourage students to develop leadership skills by being involved in a range of team activities related to current issues in school, locally, nationally and internationally.
Who can join: All students are welcome to apply.
When: Weekly meetings held during form time.
Event: There will be opportunities to be involved in a wide range of events throughout the year.
Cost: Nil
An opportunity for WHS students to become involved in the production of our annual school magazine ‘The Record’, working closely with the academic prefects. This might involve article writing, collation and photography.
Who can join: All Students
When: Term 2/3
Magic: The Gathering Club is a table top card game. The game is challenging, fun and competitive. It is a social game where a high standard of behaviour and sportsmanship is expected.
Who can join: Anyone is welcome to join.
When: We meet every lunchtime in E4.
Event: We often run fun events and competitions for a small cost. We have taken the more competitive students to bigger international level events, such as a Mythic Championship in Sydney Australia in 2018, and the Representationals (NZ Nationals) in Auckland in 2019.
Cost: Small cost.
The Mathematics Statistics Competition is held every year and it brings together a large number of teams from Secondary Schools from the Wider Whanganui, Manawatu district. Students are selected and placed into teams based on their Mathematical ability and enthusiasm for challenges. The format of the competition changes every year, but a broad range of Mathematical skills and quick thinking is a huge advantage. Whanganui High School have won the competition in 2015, 2017 and came a close second in 2016.
Who can join: Year 12 students.
Event: M3S: Massey Manawatu Maths and Stats Competition (Massey University) at the end of Term 2.
Mathex is challenging fast-paced Mathematics contest where teams compete against each other to answer questions as quickly as possible. Students have to be able to work as a team and be willing to try different methods to solve problems. The competition is split into two parts; practical and quick fire questions. The practical part requires critical thinking, spatial awareness questions and tangrams. It features high-level brain power as the teams of four use their skills to answer 20 questions in half an hour. Team work and input from all team members is essential for success.
Who can join: All Junior extension class Maths students
When: Meetings are in Term 2 (TBC)
Events: School Mathex competition (Week 1 Term 3) and then the regional Manawatu Mathex Competition held in Week 3 of Term 3
Cost: None
Image from: Whanganui Chronicle 13/08/19
Model United Nations is a conference that simulates the real working of a UN assembly. Students take on a diplomatic persona, and defend the policies of the country that they are representing and they also get to discuss and learn about real international issues. The invaluable experience of learning about the factors that influence the outcome of international political deliberations will help students develop skills such as independent research skills, debating and negotiating skills, and expanding their knowledge base on international relations. So if you have an enquiring mind, enjoy intelligent conversation and like to have fun, Model UN is perfect for you.
Junior and Senior Model United Nations General Assembly Days
Who can join: Juniors = Year 9-10, Senior = Year 11-13
When: Each Model United Nations General Assembly Day is held once a year, but preparation takes about a month ahead of the assembly day. Senior MUNS is in March, and the Junior MUNS is in November.
Cost: $10 per team of 3 people
Regional United Nations Speech Awards
Who can join: All students
When: Meet in F6 in Term One. The Regional Speech Competition in usually in early April so we work on it from early March to end of April.
To encourage acceptance, raise awareness and create a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community in our school.
Who can join: Any member of the school community, as a member of LGBTQ or as an Ally.
When: Break time meeting once a week.
Events: PRIDE month.
Cost: Nil
Robotics is the opportunity for students to learn more about the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation and control of robots.
Who can join: All students
When: Meetings are Tuesdays after school in C6 from 3.10pm to 4.00pm
Cost: Dependent on events entered
Whanganui High School offers opportunities for students to self-select a voyage on the Spirit of Adventure. We can co-ordinate your enrolment and help you contact the Spirit of Adventure office. Scholarship opportunities do exist through school and sometimes through the Spirit of Adventure trust. The 5 day spirit trophy is a competition event that Whanganui High School organises when the Spirit of Adventure offer us a voyage opportunity. Please talk to us about your goals.
Who can join: Students in Year 12 and 13 can choose to take on the challenge of doing a 10 day development voyage. This is a self-funded event.
When: You select a voyage on the Spirit of Adventure website.
Event: 10 Day Development (16-18yrs) / 5 Day Spirit Trophy (Year 10)
Cost: Approx $3500 (10 day) / Approx $1000 (Y10)
The Visual Arts Club announce and encourage entry into National and Regional Art Competitions as they arise. They vary every year.
Who can join: Each competition varies, some include Junior age ranges, some are limited to Senior students.
When: During the school year.
Event/s: Patillo Whanganui Arts Review, Whanganui Walls, New Zealand Secondary School Photography Competition, Wallace Secondary School Art Awards, Earth Guardians Character Design Awards, Waimarino Art Awards, Taranaki Art Awards, National Youth Art Awards, Fine Arts Whanganui Young Artist Scholarship.
Cost: Depending on competition, it can range from free entry to $30
Writers’ Club is a place to work on your writing, meet other writers, share your work, and get help and feedback. It is open to all ability levels and any kind of writing – fiction, non-fiction, short stories, novels, poems, scripts, and everything in between. We have new writing prompts or exercises each week.
Who can join: All students
When: Meetings are on during first break every Tuesday in C4.
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Last Reviewed: September 3, 2019
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