Foundation students Ross Douglas and Ron Dixon at yesterday's 61st reunion. Photo / Michael Cunningham.
It was back to school for about 80 original students from the class of '60 at Kamo High School.
The foundation students attended the 61st reunion on Friday
after last year's 60th celebrations were cancelled because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
Now approaching their 75th year, the group was welcomed back onto the school by the current school kapa haka roopu and Year 13 students for a special assembly of waiata and speeches.
In attendance was the original teacher Chic Vercoe (nee Cullen) and ex pupil Ron Dixon – professional racing driver Scott Dixon's father. Allan MacLean, son of the original principal Bruce, also made the journey up from the South Island to deliver a speech.
After leaving Kamo High, Allan became an esteemed, internationally-renowned professor of medicine specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Staff member and organising committee member Darryl Davies described it as a humbling experience.
"It's a humbling experience for the current staff and students of Kamo High School to honour our foundation pupils. It's quite emotional. It's interesting that, a year ago today, we went into level 4 lockdown and hence our 60th jubilee plans from a year ago have come about.
"The foundation students set the platform for those to follow and we're really proud of our students to be able to share this opening ceremony with them."
In 1960, the school was brand new, with an intake of 183 third form (Year 9) students, remaining seniors throughout their five-year journey at the school.
Following the assembly, there was a barbecue on Friday night and a bus trip on Saturday morning that travelled around the school catchment area, with lunch at Tutukaka and a formal dinner with a planned Australian function that comprised of 12 foundation students held via Skype.
'Losing my son has broken me, I died with him,' Northland teen's mum.