AshHutt Combined 1st XVTonight the talents of Mid Canterbury up-and-coming sporting stars will be recognised at the Aoraki Secondary Schools’ Sports Awards.

Thirty-five students have been nominated for awards, as well as three staff and community contributors.

Basketball, croquet and rowing lead the way with the largest numbers of nominations, while many are nominated for multiple categories.

Mount Hutt College’s Aimee Elliot covers four categories, including multisport, swimming, outstanding referee/umpire and is nominated for the all-round award.

Mount Hutt College’s dominance in the croquet world has been recognised, with the pairs that faced off in the final of the national championships nominated.

Winners Christopher Spittal and Kaleb Small were nominated, as well as Edmund Fordyce and Jakob Smith.

Veronica Wall and Mollie Gibson were nominated for their success at the Maadi Cup, while New Zealand representative basketballers Ashlee Strawbridge and Sophie Adams have been nominated for their efforts.

Adams was also nominated in the all-round category, alongside multisport athlete Matthew Clough, runner Taonga Mbambo and Natasha Waddell.

Hugh and George Donaldson are both nominated for their efforts in water skiing, while Ashburton College’s Ben Thomas was nominated for his air pistol shooting achievements.

The Ashburton College under 18 double sculls pair of Veronica Wall and Grace Wilson were nominated for the team of the year, along with the under 18 girls’ coxed quadruple sculls.

Two other teams from Mid Canterbury were nominated, with the Ashburton College Smallbore Rifle Shooting team being nominated after their success at the national championships, and the AshMount Hutt College Combined Girls’ 1st XV for their dominance of the Aoraki Competition.

Mark Bishop was nominated for the community contribution award for his work with Ashburton College Rugby, while the Ashburton College Girls’ Basketball side coach Andrew Shepherd is nominated for the staff contribution award.

– By Jaime Pitt-MacKay

Award nominations:

Taylah Burrows – Ashburton College, Karate

Kyle Cabangan – Ashburton College, Karate

Aimee Elliot – Mount Hutt College, Multisport, Swimming, Outstanding Ref/Umpire, All Rounder

Brea Roderick – Mount Hutt College, Multisport, Cross Country

Courtney Elliot – Mount Hutt College, Multisport

Matthew Clough – Ashburton College, Multisport, All Round

Georgina Kelly – Ashburton College, Netball

Veronica Wall – Ashburton College, Rowing

Mollie Gibson – Ashburton College, Rowing

Erana Te Moananui – Mount Hutt College, Rugby

Chloe Keijzer – Mount Hutt College, Skiing

Ellie Boekholt – Mount Hutt College, Skiing

Mason Westwood – Ashburton College, Skiing

Lanelle Millar-McArthur – Ashburton College, Smallbore Rifle Shooting

Kate Flanagan – Ashburton College, Softball

Ben Thomas – Ashburton College, Air Pistol Shooting

Taonga Mbambo – Ashburton College, Athletics, Road Racing, Cross Country, All Rounder

Ashlee Strawbridge – Ashburton College, Basketball

Sophie Adams – Ashburton College, Basketball, All Round

Fletcher Arnold – Ashburton College, Basketball

Christopher Spittal – Mount Hutt College, Croquet

Edmund Fordyce – Mount Hutt College, Croquet

Jakob Smith – Mount Hutt College, Croquet

Kaleb Small – Mount Hutt College, Croquet

Isabella Roulston – Ashburton College, Cycling

Jessie Banks – Ashburton College, Cycling

Britney Fowler – Ashburton College, Equestrian

Jaimee Bird – Ashburton College, Equestrian

Bree Middleton – Mount Hutt College, Swimming

Hugh Donaldson – Ashburton College, Water Skiing

George Donaldson – Ashburton College, Water Skiing

Zoe Diedricks – Ashburton College, Outstanding Ref/Umpire

Anthony Van Asperen – Ashburton College, Athlete with a disability.

Natasha Waddell – Ashburton College, All Round

Sports Team of the Year

Ashburton College U18 Double Sculls

Ashburton College U18 Girls’ Coxed Quad Sculls

Ashburton College/Mount Hutt College Combined 1st XV girls

Ashburton College Smallbore Rifle Shooting Team (Smallbore Rifle Shooting)

Mark Bishop – Ashburton College, Community Contribution

Justin Wall – Ashburton College, Outstanding Sports Coach

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 3 November 2017

Sam Dudley in work mode at a University of Canterbury laboratory. Former Ashburton College student. Photo suppliedNearly 3000 New Zealand women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year but former Ashburton College student, Sam Dudley, is among scientists out to lower the rate.

Sam, 25, is finishing her PhD in biochemistry at the University of Canterbury and her research project is understanding the role of estrogen-mimicking compounds in the development of breast cancer.

Breast cancer needs estrogen to grow; some foods we eat and some cosmetics we use mimic the hormone, so knowing more about them is important.

Breast cancer has affected Sam’s family and she lost a great-aunt to the disease in 2010, her final year at Ashburton College.

She was studying all three sciences at the time.

“I always knew that I wanted to do something ‘sciencey’, but never decided on biochemistry until halfway through Year 13.

“Interestingly physics was always my best science subject.”

She says family form teacher and chemistry teacher Keith Gunn was a big inspiration.

Outside the classroom, Sam played netball for the college and cricket in the summer.

She was also part of lip sync, Festival of the Spoken Word and music evenings.

Moving to Christchurch to study at the University of Canterbury has led to research trips to Amsterdam and the United Kingdom.

Her focus is on prevention rather than treatment or detection.

“My hope is that we can get some funding which would allow me to continue my research, particularly as the results are proving extremely fascinating.

“My dream job would be to set up a charity or foundation for cancer prevention.”

She says people are exposed to estrogen-mimicking compounds in their day-to-day lives through things like food and personal care products.

“By understanding the contribution of these compounds to breast cancer risk, I hope to be able to help women reduce their risk of developing it by making simple lifestyle changes.

“If women are provided with this information, I hope it may lead to a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer around New Zealand.”

Sam says people are keen to know more about her research.

“Everyone knows someone who either has or has had breast cancer.

“It’s definitely something people are very aware of and there is more of a base knowledge compared to other scientific fields.”

While Christchurch is now home, Sam says having family – parents Sue and Richard, and brothers Jack and Tom – close by is important.

By Linda Clarke © Ashburton College Alumni - 1 November 2017

Ashburton College’s red house staked their claim on the house trophy for the third consecutive year. From left: Red house staff head Sarah Lassen, red house co-leaders Annalise Reilly and Will Graham. Photo Katie ToddIt may have been Ashburton College’s Winter Blues assembly, but it was red house who stole the spotlight.

Students and teachers amassed under the sunshine  to celebrate cultural and sporting successes, hear a final address from their head boy and girl and pitches from next year’s candidates, and discover the winner of the coveted house trophy.

It is the third year in a row red have taken home the trophy, after 16 years without winning.

Principal Ross Preece also stepped up to hand out 11 prestigious colours awards for national sporting and cultural success, and reflect on his first year at the helm of the college.

“I’ve been impressed by both the variety of sporting and cultural activities and the number of students that have stepped up,” he said.

He said the conduct of the students beyond the college gates had also impressed him.

Head boy Nic Thomassen and Samantha McArthur gave their final address to students, handing over to next year’s candidates.

Thomassen said 2017 had been “the best year of high school, without a doubt”.

“The end of the year brings a big ball of emotions,” McArthur said.

“I’ve been so happy with what I’ve learnt and achieved.”

Senior students have one week of classes left before study leave, and begin sitting their NCEA exams on November 9.

Year 9 and 10 students wrap up school on December 7 and 8 respectively.

By Katie Todd © The Ashburton Guardian - 27 October 2017