Enviro Group Waste Audit...

Check out the Enviro blog for information on the annual waste audit that the Enviro Group carried out here at Tamaki College.
Click this link to get straight to the Enviro Blog...

Young scientist's chance to realise a dream.

This article was in Eastern Bay's Courier....
Click here to see the original article.

He hasn't yet finished high school but is already undertaking honours level research – and being recognised for it.

Leon Forbes is one of 20 students selected by the Royal Society of New Zealand to attend Realise the Dream.

The 18-year-old is excited to be part of the event that will see the young scientists and inventors travel from Auckland to Wellington next month stopping at top science and technology organisations along the way. It ends with a prizegiving in the capital on December 11.

Leon's selection was based on his work with the Liggins Institute over the past two years.

While he has as good a chance as any at being awarded one of the prizes he is modest about his work.

"It depends on the calibre of everyone else's work," he says.

The Tamaki College head boy has been part of the institute's Student Scientist Mentor programme for the past four years.

He's spent much of the past two years studying the effects of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) on placental cytokine production.

In other words he is looking at how the chemical, which is found in many plastics, affects a group of molecules in the human placenta that regulate inflammation, infection and labour.

Present in most drink bottles, plastic baby bottles and the lining of tin cans, BPA is released when heated and becomes mixed in with the food.

Leon's mentor Dr Anna Ponnampalam is part of the institute's reproductive and developmental biology group and says BPA is a concern because its structure is very similar to estrogen.

"More of it could be bad. It's basically steroids. The body might not be able to differentiate."

Leon combined the chemical with samples from five placentas to see if there was any change in the gene expression.

The small scale of his experiment means there is not enough data to draw conclusive results but his research will become part of the preliminary study into the issue.

"There's enough there to say something could be happening. It warrants more investigation," Leon says.

The Panmure resident says the project has been a massive learning curve.

"Just learning all the techniques of pulling apart the placenta. It's heaps of fun. But it's crazy the amount of sterility you have to preserve."

Liggins Institute senior educator Helen Mora nominated Leon for Realise the Dream.

written by Fiona Goodal

Prizegiving 2010 - Year 13 Graduation Song

Tamaki College has a tradition that the Year 13 class from that year will put together and perform a song at each Prizegiving.
Here is the Graduation Song from the Year 13 class 2010.

Prizegiving 2010 - Head Boy's Speech

The Tamamki College Head Boy for 2010 was Leon. Here is his speech.

Prizegiving 2010 - Head Girl's Speech

Our Head Girl for 2010 was Christine. Here is her speech.

Prizegiving 2010 - Guest Speaker

The guest speaker at the Tamaki College prizegiving this year was Brian Tunui. He is a Tamaki College former head boy.

Part one...



Part two...

Prizegiving 2010 - Senior Chorus

Here are the Tamaki College Senior Chorus singing "Somebody to Love".

Prizegiving 2010 - Helena - Best Music Performance

Here are Helena and Annie, performing Lithium, the Best Music Performance 2010.

Prizegiving 2010 - Jamillah - Best Original Composition

The first musical item for the prizegiving was from Jamillah, who won the Best Original Music Prize.

Prizegiving 2010 - The Principal's Speech

Here is the Principal of Tamaki College, Mrs Soana Pamaka, delivering the Principal's speech.

Prizegiving 2010 - The Chairwoman's Speech

Unfortunately, our chairwoman of the board of governors could not attend the prizegiving, so her speech was delivered by Mr. Alfred Ngaro.

Prizegiving 2010 - The Powhiri

On Monday night this week, Tamaki College held it's annual Senior Prizegiving. It was a fabulous night, with the auditorium packed with family and friends of our senior students who were receiving prizes.

Here is the Powhiri for the guests at the beginning of the night.

Film Festival 2010 - Feeling Good Feeling Great.

Here is the fabulous entry for this year's Manaiakalani Film Festival from Tamaki College.
Feeling Good Feeling Great by the PE Kyds.



Check out all the other awesome movies from the festival at the Manaiakalani website on this link.

Here are some photographs from the day...

Prefects Assembly...

We had a great assembly this week at Tamaki College. The prefects for next year were announced and the auditorium was full of excitement as this year's prefects each read out one name. Family and friends were there to help celebrate with our new prefects and then they all went to the library for a lovely lunch.

Here they are :-

Rachel Ahomee, Rhyce Jackson, Gerri Lee-Kum, James Matavao, Sara Messine, Helena Napier, Shalom Ngaro, Alvina Pau'uvale, Paul Pupou, Stephanie Tafea, Keio Tupou, Ashleigh Vilione-Palangilangi, Roy Vucago.

The head boy and girl will be announced at the senior prize giving next Monday.

Here are the photos from the day.

A Fabulous Night at the Media Studies Film Presentations...

On Monday night this week, TCTV was honored to be invited to the Media Studies end of year screening night. The event has got so big this year that it was held in the Auditorium. Friends and family were there to support the Level 2 and Level 3 Media Studies classes as they showcased their end of course movies. We had popcorn, pizza, home made cakes and drinks to make the night complete.
Click the link here to go straight to the Media Studies blog to view all of the great movies.
Be sure to read the project explanations by Miss Emery down the side of the blog page when you get there.