Students take centre stage with awards

CENTRE STAGE: Kuranui College Year 13 student Civic Cruz takes the spotlight during the school's performance Lest We Forget at the Wellington ASB 2014 Stage Challenge Night 1.

Students from Kuranui and Makoura colleges have captured a haul of awards at the first night of the 2014 Stage Challenge contest in Wellington.

Teams from each of the Wairarapa schools took home awards from the Wellington ASB 2014 Stage Challenge Night 1 contest held at the TSB Bank Arena on Monday evening.

Kuranui College placed third in the open division with their performance called Lest We Forget.

Onslow College took out first place with a performance titled Behind the Screens and second place in the open division went to Wellington East Girls' College with their performance called Gender Equality.

Stage Challenge spokeswoman Hazel Reid said the theme for Kuranui College read:

"As the years go by, and the going down of the sun, we no longer remember them, their pain, their sacrifice, and the time they spent away from their loved ones to fight for our country. Through this performance we pay respect and tribute to the soldiers who fought for our country, so we can live in freedom and peace."

The title for the Makoura College performance was Make Art not War, Ms Reid said, and its description asked:

"Is the elusive guerilla artist Banksy's work graffiti vandalism or graffiti art? Through this exploration, the messages Banksy conveys through his work of anti-war, peace and hope are discovered and his message is realised - the answer to finding world peace will not be found through the devastating cycle of war, but instead can be expressed and found through art."

Ms Reid said Kuranui College also had won the Thomas George McCarthy Trust Award of Excellence for Choreography, the Wellington City Council Award of Excellence for Stage Use, the Southern Trust Award of Excellence for Drama, the Edge Award of Excellence for Soundtrack, the Canon Award of Excellence for Visual Enhancement, the Ministry of Youth Development Student Lead Award, the Wellington City Council Award of Excellence for Stage Crew, and along with Makoura College also took the Girlfriend Award of Excellence for Performance Skill.

Makoura College also won the Spirit of Stage Challenge Award, the 5 + A Day Award of Excellence for School Initiative, the Pelorus Trust Award of Excellence for Environmental or Social Awareness, and the Lion Foundation Award of Excellence for Set, Design and Function.

Event manager Sarah-Jane Phillips said the winning performance had been "breathtaking" and was a dynamic and original performance distinguished by "very impressive" choreography, which also was evident across all performances on the night.

"Wellington put on a fantastic show tonight and I was blown away by all the students' talent and hard work."