Ngata College Blog- Wiremu Reedy

Wow... time has certainly flown past fast and Ngata Memorial College is about to celebrate its 50th year in existence on the 23rd of October 2009. To all my fellow students and cuzzies who were educated and trimmed for the wider world at that time, I can only say, we all have come a long long way from pimpled immature Maori students to well groomed adults and who have taken the 'É tipu e rea'(our motto) and have faced the challenges of the outside world with both hands and have lived to now... where we can reflect, cherish and celebrate our upbringing as one of our greatest achievements that Ngata Memorial College provided and prepared us all... life in the real world.

I can remember my first day at Ngata. This skinny kid from Mangahanea way... walking to Ngata with twelve other cuzzies... all brand new to the higher education expectations that lay in store. When I arrived at the top gate, there were so many students... and the Colberts buses... pulling in and dropping off students from Te Puia, Waipiro and Jeru.. wow this is really happenning... I am at college. The bell rang. Assembly for all new students.. line up. Where? Who with? A daunting task for a 12 year old.

Class lists were being called out... all you had to do was wait for your name to be called and they will direct you to where you are suppose to be. Students and teachers all over the place... such organised chaos.

William Reedy 3P. What was that... 3P? Was that me... or someone else with the same? Nah its you bei! Over here bei... I followed the voice and there they were... familiar faces... all the walkers together (as we were called) because we all walked to school. Ah familiar faces...there were the Keefes, the Smiths, the Nepes, the Kaiwais, the Harrisons, the Taukamos, the Browns, the Reedys... wicked...friendly faces. All 3P students in this line... thats me way I go... line up. Right follow me... and away we go to our classroom. I did not know who the rest of my fellow class mates were until later.. but our introduction to higher educational bliss had just begun... churrr.

That was a torrid start to my secondary school career.. but it was all good.


Thank you Ngata Memorial College for grounding me in what the world was offering at that time... and you have always been a huge part and enfluence in my life and will continue to do so. What I know now, I wish I had the maturity and understanding then. The memories, the challenges, the music and the expectations are the fondest recollections from us all... I will always have of Ngata Memorial College... and of course Mr Hugh Jennings... our Principal. A man I absolutely respected.

Well... we will see you there... I hope... heres to the next fifty.