Ashburton Museum intern, Libby Neumann, inspects some of the many historical items hidden in the department’s collection. Photo Megan GnadAfter completing her study at the University of Otago, Libby Neumann has returned to her hometown to spend her summer holidays immersed in the Ashburton Museum archives.

The 22-year-old former Ashburton College student completed her Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) in Classics last year, and prior to that, a double major in Classics and Theatre Studies.

When it came time to return home and apply for jobs, she noticed an advertisement for volunteers needed at the museum.

“I thought I’d come home for a holiday and reassess what I wanted to do,” she said.

“I was not expecting as many opportunities, but they have been really, really good to me.”

Prior to Christmas, Neumann trawled through the archives to put together a festive-based installation.

“It’s quite interesting to see what we have in our community,” she said.

“A lot has been donated, so it’s a little bit of everyone’s history.”

She has also worked on the ‘exquisite display’, updated the peep holes and is currently co-ordinating an up-coming collection of 20th century cameras.

The internship is expected to last the duration of the summer, and she is already looking at job opportunities in Auckland art galleries and museums.

She was grateful to museum staff, in particular director Tanya Robinson, who has been helping tailor her experience gained at the museum to benefit her CV and future career opportunities.

Neumann completed her dissertation on Children in Roman Art and Archaeology at the University of Otago.

By Megan Gnad © The Ashburton Guardian - 18 January 2017

Layna Hunt is rounding out Ashburton’s team of performers making up this year’s World Championships of Performing Arts group.When New Zealand’s team heads to this year’s World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, Ashburton will be well represented.

Five members of that team, numbering about 26, are from Ashburton and range in age from 14 to the team’s senior at 25, Layna Hunt.

While fellow team members Krishnay Nadan, 15, Ocean Waitokia, 14, Liam Pram, 15 and Tilly Smith, 17 went through the fingernail-biting anxiety of a live audition, Layna auditioned by video.

Other commitments meant she was unable to attend the Ashburton event and rather than miss out on the opportunity to win a slot in the team, Layna sent her video clip to the event organiser and then had the anxious wait to find out whether or not it had been accepted.

“I was really concerned that this wasn’t the right way to do it,” she said.

Not only was it accepted, she won a place in the team and now, like her fellow team-mates, she’s frantically fundraising.

Unlike many of the others, Layna has a large store of experience behind her as a member of the cast of several musicals and from dozens of performance stints.

And unlike the teenage team members, Layna knows just how tough it can be trying to make a living as a singer.

She’s turned a hand to a wide range of jobs, including truck driving and photography simply to earn a living and to allow time free to grab whatever entertainment opportunities come her way.

Grabbing those opportunities also means you need to be in the right place at the right time. And for Layna that means Christchurch rather than Ashburton is her home at the moment.

“It’s really tough making a living in show business, you have to work really hard, but these championships could be a life-changing experience.”

With the championships now in her sights, the need to work has ramped up.

Layna and her fellow team members need to raise $7000 to attend the event and they need to prepare several numbers to perform both as individuals and as part of the teams.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 16 January 2017

Rising rowing star Veronica Wall has been named as a finalist for Canterbury Young Sportswoman of the Year.Ashburton rower, Veronica Wall has been named as a finalist for Canterbury Young Sportswoman of the Year.

The Ashburton College student, who has taken the rowing world by storm, was named as one of four finalists in the category this week joining fellow stars; Jessie Anderson (Hockey), Lily Marshall (Netball) and Kate Smith (Cycling).

The announcement from Sports Canterbury this week is just another in a long list of achievements for the rising rowing star as she continues her whirlwind elevation up the ranks of rowing.

2016 was a big year for Wall.

Her four gold medals at the Maadi Cup on Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel caught the attention of plenty including Canterbury Rowing legend John Wylie.

“She’s a very long, powerful, methodical, maximum-effort rower. She has long strokes and takes it right through to the body,” he said after her Maadi Cup efforts.

“She works every inch of the way and she’s a very powerful young lady.”

Wall’s list of victories at the Maadi Cup came courtesy of capturing the under-16, under-17 and under-18 single sculls titles, to go along with another first placing in the under-18 coxed quadruple sculls with her Ashburton College crew.

Already crowned Aoraki Sportswoman of the Year, Wall will be favoured to go close to claiming the title at the March 3 awards – a night where she will get to mix it with some of the big names of sport. Paralympian Sophie Pascoe will be heavily favoured to win the Supreme Sportswoman of the Year award while All Blacks captain, Kieran Read should claim the Sportsman title.

Former Ashburton swimming coach, Roly Crichton is a finalist for coach of the year, largely through his efforts with multiple Paralympic champion, Pascoe.

By Matt Markham © The Ashburton Guardian - 14 January 2017