The Ashburton College target shooting team of (from left) Emma Smith, Shania Harrison-Lee and Lanelle McArthur are national secondary schools’ champions.Photo supplied.Three Ashburton College girls have combined to take out the New Zealand secondary schools’ shooting championship.

The team of Shania Harrison-Lee, Emma Smith and Lanelle McArthur – all Coronation Target Shooting Club members – took part in the postal shoot, which involved shooting and sending away four rounds of targets, along with other schools and individuals from around the country.

Each result counted towards a team’s final score, but they also went on to an individual leaderboard as well as a graded result.

Harrison-Lee came out on top as the top overall individual and won the B grade championship, with Smith third. McArthur was the master grade champion and was also third overall.

Ashburton’s Phoenix Target Shooting Club was also represented in the competition, with Ben Thomas placing ninth in the D grade and Sam Smith 12th.

The Ashburton College trio of Harrison-Lee, Smith and McArthur will now be looking to back that national win up with another win at the schools’ national shoulder-to-shoulder match in Rangiora later this month.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 13 September 2018

What did you do at school today?

Head Girl - Connie Davidson“What did you do at school today?”

“Oh yeah, nothing much.”

“What did you learn?”

“Not a lot.”

That sums up 99 per cent of the conversations parents have with their teenagers when they come from school.

Maybe their child did “nothing much” at school, but we are willing to bet that’s not the case.

A quick visit to Ashburton College proves this, because the truth is, apart from all the fantastic learning that goes on every single day, Ashburton College is festooned with ongoing activities.

Perhaps putting it into numbers will give you another perspective. This year alone,  485 students participated in cultural performance activities, 340 students filled leadership responsibilities, more than 40 students took part in academic competitions and more than 50 senior students were part of either a house executive or the student executive.

The inter-house competition is an integral part of Ashcoll life where every student is welcome to join in.

Students can earn points for their house by participating in the year-round lunchtime sport, in the athletic prelims and finals days and in events such as music evening and lipsync.

Aside from house related events, the sporting culture at Ashburton College is outstanding with so many of our students participating in a range of more than 30 sports from athletics to E-sports and everything in between.

College has an amazing track record of students performing to an extremely high level in sports they are passionate about. With teams all over the South Island during the previous tournament week, there is certainly no shortage of talent.

Our sports teams and individuals never fail to impress us as they are excellent ambassadors of our college.

Head Boy - Caleb LivingstoneThe cultural diversity of our College is also something which makes Ashburton College life always exciting.

Our Polyfest group of 59 students are phenomenal performers who represent the pasifika culture aspect of our school community. In addition, our 47 student strong kapa haka group are also outstanding pupils who represent their culture and our schools Maori population with pride.

But there’s one thing that makes Ashburton College life truly enjoyable. It’s not an activity, its not an event or even an initiative, but it makes every day different.

It’s the community feel. It’s Mr Preece standing at the gate every day saying hello to all the students as they walk into school no matter rain or shine.

It’s the tremendous applause that every student receives when they perform a piece at lip sync or Festival of the Spoken Word. It’s the laughter and enjoyment you hear from the lunchtime game of volleyball on the chessboard and it’s the support every student receives during their time at Ashcoll.

Every student is set up to succeed and flourish at Ashburton College; all it requires is for the student to take the opportunities given to them.

So, when students picture themselves 10 years down the track, they probably won’t remember what they learnt in Year 11 English or Year 9 social studies, but the life out of the classroom will be what remains in their memory.

Ask anyone … your high school years really are the best years of your life. So when you ask your teenager what they did at school and they answer “Not a lot” you know that there is ‘more than a lot’ behind those three words.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 10 September 2018

Marc Juntilla takes the ball up court during his Ashburton College senior boys’ basketball semi-final against Riccarton High School on Saturday. Photo Erin TaskerAshburton College has had a successful end to the annual secondary schools’ tournament week with the school’s senior boys’ basketball side winning the Schick Southern Cup in Ashburton on Saturday.

The inaugural running of the Schick Southern Cup, a tournament for teams that didn’t qualify for the South Island zone premierships, was held at Ashburton’s EA Networks Centre and it wrapped up on Saturday afternoon.

Ashburton College’s senior boys’ side went into the tournament as firm favourites and lived up to their ranking, beating Cashmere High School B in the final 87-54.

Top scoring for College in the final were Marc Juntilla with 25 points and Quinn Ritchie with 15.

Earlier in the day Ashburton College had sealed their spot in their final with a convincing win over Riccarton High School 104-43.

The team they faced in the final was the same team they played in the tournament’s opening game, where Ashburton College set the tone for the days to come with a 76-62 win.

The tournament’s girls’ final was played out between Lincoln High School and St Margaret’s College and it was won by Lincoln 70-64.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 10 September 2018

You can check out the photo gallery on AshburtonOnline

https://www.ashburtononline.co.nz/newgallery/thumbnails.php?album=942