Ashburton College pupils (from left) Paulina Cuadrado, 13, Chrissea Cheesman, 13, Janelle Galos, 14, Mao Nishioka, 13, and Laura Cameron, 13, took their protest inside the Ashburton District Council building yesterday. Photo Susan SandysAshburton youth despairing of an uncertain future in the face of climate change joined thousands of their fellow students in strike action nationwide yesterday.

Shortly after protesters poured into Parliament grounds at midday, about 35 Ashburton College students marched with placards from their school grounds, through the Ashburton Domain.

They met with about 20 pupils from Ashburton Borough School, lining the footpath along State Highway One at Baring Square West, getting supportive toots from passing motorists, before taking their protest to outside the Ashburton District Council building.

“You will die of old age, we will die of climate change,” they chanted.

College pupils Paulina Cuadrado, 13, Chrissea Cheesman, 13, Janelle Galos, 14, Mao Nishioka, 13, and Laura Cameron, 13, took their protest inside the building.

They were received politely by reception staff as they asked to talk to councillors.

They were told none were in the building, so they left to re-join the other protesters outside.

The five were among those leading the protest, which had its origins in a Year 9 innovation class project, taught by Shelly Robson who also marched.

They were joined not only by classmates, but other students from the college up to Year 13.

Students participating had the support of the college, but had to get permission slips from their parents, and they missed about 20 minutes of classes.

“Our world is down on its knees for help because we are just ruining it,” Paulina said, referring to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.

“It’s something we can’t figure out later, we need to fix this now,” Janelle said.

She added it was not fair to put pressure on the likes of farmers, and government needed to help agricultural and other groups in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

“What we do now is going to affect every single child’s future,” Mao said.

Maddie Page from Borough said students from her school at the protest, who were accompanied by teachers and the principal, felt the same way.

“Climate change is really affecting us, people aren’t noticing it yet, but soon, if nothing happens, there’s going to be really big changes,” Maddie said.

These included melting of the ice caps, rising sea levels and mass extinction of animal species.

In Wellington, the group of about 5000 protesters was one of the biggest to mobilise in front of Parliament since foreshore and seabed protests in 2004.

Council chief executive Jane Donaldson said late yesterday that while councillors were not present and available at headquarters, the chair of the council’s internal Climate Change Working Group did go out to meet and acknowledge the protesters in exercising their right to be heard.

And council had recognised the need to address climate change earlier this year by adopting a Climate Change Policy in May this year.

By Susan Sandys © The Ashburton Guardian - 28 September 2019

Brooke Cornish-Madden is at the C grade national event in Invercargill this week, followed by the junior nationals in Auckland next week. Photo Erin TaskerBrooke Cornish-Madden has loved playing squash for as long as she can remember, but this year she’s taken that love for the game to the next level.

She’s given up her other sporting love, netball, in order to focus her attention fully on squash, and it’s paying dividends for the Ashburton 15-year-old.

This week she’s in Invercargill for the national C grade SuperChamps competition as part of the Midlands team, and next week she’s off to Auckland for her first tilt at the junior nationals, in both the team and individual event.

And she can’t wait to test herself against some tough opposition, because she knows she’s come a long way in the past year or two.

Cornish-Madden moved to Ashburton two years ago, from Invercargill, with her mum – fellow squash player Karlie McQueen – and her siblings, and joined the Ashburton Squash Club.

“Moving up here has really benefited me, because I don’t think I would be anywhere near as good at this age if I was still living down there, there’s just so many more opportunities here,” she said.

So she has been looking forward to getting back to Invercargill this week to take on some players who she used to be scared to play, who she’s now ranked higher than.

The C grade event is open to all ages and although Cornish-Madden has recently become a B grade player, she was C grade at the time of the year grades were taken for the tournament.

She doesn’t really know what the next couple of weeks have in store for her, she’s just aiming to do her best and keep building, with plans already forming in her mind to really hit the ground running next season.

“I’m not seeded very high, so I just want to finish above where I’m seeded and just try and win a couple of games,” Cornish-Madden said.

Right now she’s ranked about 13th in New Zealand for under-17 squash players and, ultimately, she’d like to crack the top three.

So even though the squash season is nearing its end, there’s spring and summer leagues coming up and Cornish-Madden said there won’t really be such a thing as an off-season for her.

She’s determined and has goals she really wants to tick off.

There’s the goals of winning titles and moving up the rankings, but there’s also plenty to aim for much closer to home.

If Cornish-Madden wants a good hit-out on the court, she doesn’t need to look much further than her own family.

As well as her mum, Cornish-Madden’s dad and brother are pretty handy squash players, with both ranked just outside the top 10 for their age groups in New Zealand.

Her grandparents on both sides also played squash, and her other older brother – although he doesn’t play squash competitively – is more than capable with racket in hand.

With such a strong family involvement, it’s no surprise that Cornish-Madden picked up a squash racket as a preschooler and never looked back.

The squash court is like her second home.

She’s at the club most days trying to become the best she can be and ticking off little milestones as she goes.

This season she finished third in the women’s open club championships at Ashburton, behind McQueen and Katrina Palmer, well exceeding her own expectations.

And she hopes that’s just the beginning.

Cornish-Madden will be joined at next week’s junior nationals by a fellow Ashburton Squash Club member, Isaac Bazley, who is competing in the individual event.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 24 September 2019

Ashburton College’s Junior Boys Basketball side are off to Wellington this week to test themselves against the best schools in the area. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayAshburton College’s junior boys’ basketball side will get the chance to test themselves against the best talent Wellington has to offer this weekend.

The team is making the trip north to the capital to play the top four basketball schools in Wellington, and will get the chance to learn a few tips and tricks from Kenny McFadden, who is most famously known for his close association with NBA star Steven Adams.

The team fly out early Friday morning and will play Wellington College, Tawa College and two St Patricks College sides.

“On Monday morning we will be going to the New Zealand Basketball Academy, which is run by Kenny McFadden,” coach Mark Douglas said.

“They have been invited for a session so it will be a skills session and a chance for them to learn from a different coach.”

The junior boys’ side took out the mid-grade title for their age grade in Canterbury this year and Douglas said they will all get the opportunity to do it again next year as the same group which is good for stability among the playing group.

“They are still eligible for under-17s next year which is good as they will get some continuity,” he said.

“Some of them will move in to the senior grades as well, Riley (Sa) is already playing in the senior grade and a few more of them could do next season.”

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 20 September 2019