Secondary Schools Competition Winners Announced

Media Release

21 November 2016

Winners announced for RNZN 75th Anniversary Secondary Schools Competition

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) announced the winners of the Operation Neptune: Secondary Schools Creative Competition, at a special presentation at The Cloud during the International Naval Review, on Sunday 20th November, to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The competition saw students develop creative proposals relating to one of the Navy’s key themes: “Our Navy: courage, commitment, comradeship” or “Our Navy: our roots, our story, our mission”. The students were given license to create in any medium, with the seven finalists’ compositions ranging from videos, and musical compositions, to murals and paintings.

“Throughout the competition we have been impressed by the quality and creativity of the students’ submissions. It has been wonderful seeing the finalists bring their ideas to life and we’ve been impressed by what they have achieved,” says Lieutenant Commander Lissa Jackson of the RNZN.

The winners are:

• Year 12/13 - Neakiry Kivi from Samuel Marsden College, Wellington, for her choral composition – “He Heremana Ahau”, an unaccompanied choral piece of music in four parts, two soprano and two alto, with background narration.

• Year 10/11 - Ysabel Pomare from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Raki Paewhenua, Auckland, for her Waiata – “Te Whānau Kotahi o Te Taua Moana”. The Waiata portrays a historical perspective of the RNZN.

The runners up are:

• Year 12/13- Martin Greshoff from Takapuna Grammar, Auckland, for his composition - “Voyage Suite”, a classical piece of music for the RNZN Concert Band, comprising of three distinct but continuous movements.

• Year 10/11 - Denby Gallagher from Campion College, Gisborne, for her colourful painting on wood in the shape of an Anchor, encompassing the RNZN’s core values and the key themes: “our roots, our history, our mission”.

Winner Neakiry Kivi, who used her school’s 22-strong senior girls’ choir to perform her composition, added, “When I visited Devonport Naval Base as a finalist I was really inspired by seeing first-hand the job they do and all the opportunities available to people and I think that is reflected in my composition.”

“It’s really an honour to win first prize I’m so grateful for everything the Navy have offered me. They supported me through the whole process and gave me the freedom to explore what I wanted. It was very challenging at times to craft my piece to address the given themes, but in the end, I hope I did it justice.”

Year 10/11 winner Ysabel Pomare said: “I created my Waiata because the Navy is a big part of my life. I’m so proud to perform it in front of them and the rest of the Navy. I just can’t believe I won my category.”

The aim of the competition was to allow students to demonstrate their full potential and showcase their abilities, while engaging a new generation with the RNZN.

“The competition captured my student’s imagination and I have been impressed with how she has entered into the spirit of it. Neakiry was able to visit the Devonport Naval Base and was inspired by the words on the walls at the Museum. This was a driving factor in her structure of the composition,” said Marion Campbell, Head of Music at Marsden College.

“Neakiry is an outstanding pianist, choral singer and composer and this competition has enabled her to take her skills to the next level. Thank you for all your support of the college students in New Zealand by opening this competition, added Marion.

Prizes

YEAR 12/13

• Winner: contribution towards tertiary study of $3000

• Runner up: contribution towards tertiary study of $1500

YEAR 10/11

• Winner: Apple MacBook Air

• Runner up: DSLR camera

Winning Schools receive $3000 each

ENDS

Background

On 1 October 1941, His Majesty King George VI approved the designation “Royal New Zealand Navy”, creating the independent maritime force that is the RNZN today. Since then, many thousands have served with the Navy.

This year is the Navy’s opportunity to celebrate our achievements while increasing awareness of the importance of the RNZN in preserving New Zealand’s way of life and showcasing the Service as a worthwhile and fulfilling career.

The year-long nationwide programme of commemorative events and activities reflects the Navy’s strong connection with New Zealand and is collectively named Operation Neptune.

The name ‘Operation Neptune’ has been chosen to highlight the greatest single loss ever sustained by our Navy. HMS Neptune (a sister ship to HMNZS Achilles of River Plate fame) was being prepared for transfer to the Royal New Zealand Navy when she was lost in an enemy minefield in the Mediterranean on 19 December 1941 with the loss of all but one man, including all 150 of the New Zealanders who had already joined the ship.

The year will culminate with a memorial service in December for those lost on HMS Neptune at the National War Memorial in Wellington.

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