We began the academic year with 40 international students, warmly welcoming 35 new faces to our school community.

Our international students choose Waitākere College from all the schools available in New Zealand. This is a testament to the care and support they receive while living and studying here. Word of mouth is a powerful tool for international study, and it is the positive experiences our students have here that are shared far and wide.

Not only do our international students benefit from experiencing school life in New Zealand, but they also bring immense cultural value and awareness to our local students. Our domestic students gain the chance to learn about other cultures and countries, broadening their horizons and opening up their world - not to mention the lifelong global friendships made along the way. We appreciate every one of our international students and the value they bring to our staff and peers.

We strongly encourage our students to participate in extracurricular activities and sports to make the most of their time here, whether they are staying for one term or a full year. There is so much on offer, from our variety of subjects to the many clubs available both inside and outside of school.
Our returning student, Ryugo continues to play for the Premier Football team, and Focus is back on the school basketball court, which is awesome to see. We hope they have an amazing season! Sora and Shion, who are new to the school, have already jumped in by joining the tennis team.

Two of our students, Kei and Shion Hara, joined local running clubs to continue the passion for running they developed back in Japan. We were thrilled to support them in finding these local connections. Kei joined the Oratia Running Club and Shion joined the Waitākere City Athletic Club. Both have participated in several competitions, with Kei earning a Bronze medal in the Auckland Champs 1500m (Under 18)—an amazing achievement! Shion also competed and performed very well.

Kei recently participated in the Southern Cross Round the Bays 2026 event, an 8.4km coastal run from Quay Street to St Heliers Bay. He completed the course in just 38 minutes! This is an impressive feat and a classic Auckland experience. I am sure Kei and Shion will have many stories to share when they return to Japan at the end of Term 1.

A special mention must be made to our amazing homestay families. They play a vital role in a student’s overall experience; they truly are a "home away from home." The excursions, shared meals, and daily activities make a student's time overseas so worthwhile. Many of our host families have gone above and beyond, taking students on trips outside of Auckland to see more of New Zealand. One of our long-term students visited Taranaki with his host family, Hakuto’s family took him to Rotorua, and Shion Hara visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Thank you to our families for providing these incredible memories.

Congratulations to Junnie Hwang and Saniya Chittinappilly, who were voted as our two new International Ambassadors! Their role is to act as the bridge between our international students and the wider College. Junnie and Saniya recently attended an International Student Leadership Conference at Takapuna Grammar School. This student-led event focused on global citizenship, cultural collaboration, and youth leadership, grounded in the values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. They had an incredible time meeting other student leaders and returned with many fresh ideas for our school.

As the term ends, we say goodbye to the students returning home. We wish them the very best and hope they had a positive, happy time while studying and living here. We look forward to staying in touch!

Arifah Wright & Tomoko Dinnis
International Department