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Jack Hanrahan. Photo supplied.Ashburton College old boy Jack Hanrahan is back in class, but this time he’s up front and leading the way.
The 22-year-old started as a new drama and dance teacher last week.
The former St Joseph’s School pupil spent five years at Ashburton College (2010-2014) before heading off to complete a Bachelor in Performing Arts at the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art (NASDA) in Christchurch.
He completed a teaching qualification last year at the New Zealand Graduate School of Education and the return to his old school is his first teaching job.
“I never thought I’d come back to Ashburton College, if I’m honest.
“Not too much has changed since I left and a number of familiar faces are still there,” he said.
Jack said entering the staff room for the first time had been a “surreal experience”.
His teaching workload involves introducing basic drama techniques to students in Years 9-11 and encouraging them to develop an enthusiasm for the subject.
He will work on more serious aspects of drama, including scripts, with students studying the subject at NCEA level.
Jack said he was enjoying having his own classes, his own students and introducing his own style of teaching.
“I aim to encourage a ‘have-a-go’ attitude with all students and will point out that nothing is ever perfect and that there is always room for change and improvement.
“With drama and dance there are always new ways to do things and different interpretations.”
Jack is no stranger to performing himself.
He sang with the college’s senior choir, the Phoenix Chorus, and has performed with Mid Canterbury Children’s Theatre, Variety Theatre Ashburton and other groups.
“While I was at NASDA I decided that I’d quite liked to get into teaching.
“And while I’d like to make performing my main job one day, for now I am very happy to refine and evolve my own craft by teaching and learning from others.”
By Mick Jensen © The Ashburton Courier - 14 February 2019
Bevan Bain. Photo supplied.Bevan Bain, March 4, 1939 – January 23, 2019
The Ashburton District lost a true supporter of the community with the death last month of Bevan Bain.
He arrived in Ashburton in 1974, taking up a position as Ashburton College’s guidance councillor and quickly became part of the community, through his students, through sport and for many years as a member and later as chairman of the Ashburton Trust.
For Bevan there was no such thing as just taking part.
Whatever he did he did with total commitment.
During his years at Ashburton College Bevan touched the lives of thousands of students, both through his guidance counselling role and through sport.
His interest in those students didn’t stop when they left school, however, as he liked nothing more than watching their progression in their careers, on the sports field and later as parents.
He brought his love of rugby with him to the college and was quickly appointed master of rugby, a role he held until 1996 taking on whatever jobs were needed – administration, coaching and instigating a number of 1st XV trips to Australia.
His involvement in secondary school rugby stretched well beyond the college, and Bevan was appointed to the Southern Regional Schools’ Rugby Council where he served as secretary and then chairman. He was also deputy chair and president of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Rugby Union, travelling with the secondary schools’ team to the United Kingdom.
Bevan’s absolute passion was for secondary school rugby and he was on the NZRFU junior advisory board and in addition to his rugby positions with the college, he was involved with South Island under-16 and New Zealand school teams as well as a number of under-16 and under-18 tournaments.
That love of rugby also extended across the Ashburton District and he was chairman of the Mid Canterbury Rugby Union from 1979 until 1985. During his time with the union Mid Canterbury rugby was at its playing peak.
Where many people will remember Bevan best is through the Ashburton Trust.
He served the community as a trust board member and also did several terms as its chairman over 28 years.
He led the trust during some of its most profitable years and was also at the helm when it was challenged, on three occasions by the community wanting to end its monopoly on alcohol sales in its area.
The third attempt was successful, something that disappointed Bevan who believed in the trust philosophy of giving back to its community.
In addition to his rugby and trust commitments, he was a committee member on the Ashburton Trotting Club board for eight years, was a member of the Ashburton Lions Club, convened the appeal for a new St John Ambulance, raising a significant amount of money, did time as the mayor’s representative on Sport Canterbury/Westland and for many years was master of ceremonies for the Mid Canterbury Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
As a player, Bevan’s chosen sport was golf and he joined the Ashburton Golf Club in 1976
In 2008 Bevan was presented with the prestigious Robilliard Trophy for Outstanding Service to sport for his years of involvement with Mid Canterbury rugby.
Following the death of a grandson to cancer, Bevan threw his support behind the Relay for Life, and with a strong committee behind him helped raise $132,000.
Over 44 years he made huge contributions on many fronts to life in the Ashburton District and maintained an interest in its people and events until his death.
Bevan is survived by his wife Julie and children Mark and Justine and his two grand children.
By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 16 February 2019
John Morrison has time to smile for the camera as he gets Di Caprio over the line in the Hororata Cup at Methven. Photos Heather MackenzieA Mid Canterbury local stole the show on the Hororata Trotting Club’s annual meeting at Methven on Sunday.
Former Ashburton boy, John Morrison, continued his golden run in the sulky this season when he claimed the day’s feature, the Hororata Cup with Di Caprio for legendary trainer Brian O’Meara.
And for good measure, Morrison had already been in the winners’ circle earlier in the day when he made a push for one of the front-running drives of the season on the Methven trained, Stellar Success.
The winning double took Morrison to 31 winners for the season and kept him in the hunt for the national junior drivers’ premiership behind leader, Sheree Tomlinson.
Morrison and Di Caprio had won at last weekend’s Geraldine meeting in Orari, but faced a major rise in grade yesterday, not that it stopped them.
Stuck in behind traffic half way down the straight, Morrison found clear air and the showy pacer burst through to claim the feature win.
While many expected Di Caprio to win, the victory of Stellar Success was a little more of a surprise.
Morrison threw caution to the wind with an all-the-way effort in which he had his rivals off the bit for the entire journey.
When he kicked clear at the top of the straight, Stellar Success had enough of a margin to hold off the late challenge of Rocknpop to claim success.
A seven-year-old mare by Great Success, Stellar Success is raced by the Gorman family by Methven – making for an impressive local victory.
Morrison added placings on both Victor Tango and Cheezel to cap off a good day at the office.
Stellar Success’ victory wasn’t the only Methven success though.
A few races earler Ricky May and his father Terry combined to win with Tabitha Franco for one of New Zealand’s longest standing ownership syndicates, the Strappers Syndicate.
A consistent mare who has been right amongst the action in all her career starts, Tabitha Franco surged to the lead at the top of the straight for May and held too many guns for her rivals, winning impressively.
The Neumann family continued their great start to 2019 when their promising trotter, You Really Got Me won the opening race of the day for Robert and John Dunn.
© The Ashburton Guardian - 10 February 2019