Special Academic Opportunities
Nelson College offers a range of efforts designed to support the special needs of students with abnormally advanced aptitudes. Many elements of this support also provide enrichment opportunities for highly motivated students. Students with abnormally advanced aptitudes can have exceptional ability in a range of areas: in the arts/music/theatre; in sports and physical abilities; in the cultural sphere; in crafts and trades; in leadership;, and other areas of human endeavor; and, the school’s GaTMo (Gifted and Talented, Highly Motivated) programme supports advanced and motivated students in all these areas.
A specific area of Nelson College’s GaTMo support is aimed at abnormally advanced academic students. This page is a resource for parents and students to better understand how the GaTMo programme works for those students; and it provides information about upcoming academic activities and opportunities directed at those students.
Activities
Expanding your son’s world, opening his mind, challenging his thinking and building his social network of other students who value ideas and the life of the mind is what we try to do in Nelson College’s GaTMo programme. Highly motivated and high aptitude students want new horizons and appreciate novel experiences. Throughout the year there will be opportunities, events, competitions and experiences designed to do just that. All students may apply to participate (age/year level dependent for some trips), so feel free to share this information with other parents. Some upcoming experiences you may want to be aware of, and may want to encourage your son to participate in (some with close-in deadlines for participation):
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Nelson-Tasman Model United Nations – 4th April
DATE: 4th April All Day
DESCRIPTION: Attempting to solve the world,s problems while participating in a mock session of the UN General Assembly
PUT ON BY: UN Youth NZ and the University of Canterbury
LOCATION: Nayland College
COST: $30 (includes morning/afternoon tea and lunch) a very small number of scholarships available for financial assistance
DEPOSIT: No deposit required, full payment straight away (pay Student Finance Office)
ELIGIBLE: Y9-Y13
AVAILABILITY: 32 students – this opportunity is usually over-subscribed, with a waiting list
DEADLINE: Signed permission slip and payment due by 20th March – separate registration through UN Youth website
DRESS: Formal (Number One Uniform or suit/blazer and tie, or jersey and tie (clothing items can be rented at NC reception – Mrs Newport)
CONTACT: Mr Brudvik in A8/A11 or at bk@nelsoncollege.school.nz for permission slip or questions
ADVISORY: Parents must arrange transportation to/from Nayland College -
Top of the South High School Academic Quiz – 6th April
DATE: 6th April Evening
DESCRIPTION: Join with 5 friends to form a quiz team and compete against kids from area colleges
PUT ON BY: Minstry of Inspiration
LOCATION: Nelson College for Girls
COST: $5 per person
DEPOSIT: No deposit required, full payment to Ministry of Inspiration
ELIGIBLE: Y9-Y13
AVAILABILITY: Room for only 22 teams – this event almost always is booked to capacity
DEADLINE: No permission slip as after school hours and not official school event – separate registration through Ministry of Inspiration website
DRESS: Crazy and costumed – always a themed event – so dress to the theme
CONTACT: Mr Brudvik in A8/A11 or at bk@nelsoncollege.school.nz for questions
ADVISORY: Parents must arrange transportation to/from Nayland. -
Ideas Festival Youth Day at NMIT – 13th April
DATE: 13th April – all day and into the evening
DESCRIPTION: A day designed especially for mature teens and young adults — challenging discussions, provocative ideas, conversations with leading thinkers from around the nation and across the globe, good food and live performance. The IF offers insights into developments, changes and opportunities for the next 10 years. It is a catalyst for youth to challenge their own perspectives and to think creatively and dynamically about their future. The concept behind the NMIT IDEAS Festival is: people who do amazing things can inspire others to do amazing things too.
PUT ON BY: NMIT & Ingenious Educational Experiences
LOCATION: NMIT
COST: $120 (includes brunch, lunch and dinner) a very small number of scholarships possibly available for financial assistance
DEPOSIT: Full payment to Ideas Festival https://www.facebook.com/theIDEASFestival/
ELIGIBLE: Y11-Y13 (16-24 year olds only at this event)
AVAILABILITY: This is a new festival, but due to the small scale discussions with experts that the event provides, there are a very limited number of slots available.
DEADLINE: Signed permission slip due by 9th April – separate registration through Ideas Festival https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/the-if-ideas-festival-for-youth-tickets-37746908018?aff=eac2
DRESS: Casual/mufti
CONTACT: Mr Brudvik in A8/A11 or at bk@nelsoncollege.school.nz for permission slip or questions
ADVISORY: Parents must arrange transportation to/from NMIT — event hours are 10am to 8pm. Mature subject matter/discussion. Mature/offensive language possible. Students will have freedom of movement and might choose to leave NMIT campus for periods of time during the day. -
Big Ideas Oxford Philosophy Conference & Victoria University Colloquiums – 14-16 May
DATE: 14-16 May
DESCRIPTION: A range of sessions such as: Logic and Alternative Facts; Examining Ideas of Afterlife; Rock in 11 Dimensions: Where Physics and Guitars Collide; OXBRIDGE DEBATE: This House Believes that Everyone should
Always tell the Truth; Gold Medal Mindset; joined by a series of lectures and colloquiums from Victoria University professors (possibly such as: Linguistics – perhaps on the Voynich manuscript; Physics – perhaps on why the movie The Martian violated so many laws of Physics; Film/Media Studies – perhaps on why the non-fiction film/documentary has been resuscitated in the last 20 years)
PUT ON BY: Oxford University, Academy Conferences, Victoria University
LOCATION: Wellington – Scots College and Victoria University campus
COST: Estimated cost around $300 (includes programme, some food, transportation, adult supervision, accommodation)
DEPOSIT: Non-refundable $150 deposit required by 23 March (pay Student Finance Office)
ELIGIBLE: Y11-Y13 (mature Y10 may be considered if circumstances merit)
AVAILABILITY: 18-26 students – this is our most popular GaTMo event of the year, always over-subscribed, with a waiting list
DEADLINE: Signed permission slip and deposit payment due by 23rd March
DRESS: Formal (Number One Uniform [strongly preferred] or jersey and tie (clothing items can be rented at NC reception – Mrs Newport)
CONTACT: Mr Clifton in Art Office [primary contact] and at cl@nelsoncollege.school.nz or Mr Brudvik in A8/A11 [secondary contact] for permission slip or questions
ADVISORY: Students not accompanied at all times, some subject matter may be mature. Other area colleges will participate. -
Auckland Writers Festival & University of Auckland Colloquiums – 17-19 May
DATE: 17-19 May
DESCRIPTION: A range of sessions (including writer’s workshops) with published writers from around the world, plus a series of University of Auckland lectures and colloquiums (possibly such as: Engineering, Battery Technology and Wireless Power; Chemistry, Crime, Forensic Science and the Detective Novel; Creative Writing and Creative Writing Workshop;)
PUT ON BY: Arts Council of NZ; University of Auckland
LOCATION: Wellington – Aotea Centre and University of Auckland campus
COST: Estimated cost around $450 (includes programme, some food, transportation, adult supervision, accommodation)
DEPOSIT: Non-refundable $150 deposit required by 23 March (pay Student Finance Office)
ELIGIBLE: Y11-Y13 (mature Y10 may be considered if circumstances merit)
AVAILABILITY: 20-26 students – last year this event was over-subscribed, with a waiting list
DEADLINE: Signed permission slip and deposit payment due by 23rd March
DRESS: Formal (Number One Uniform [strongly preferred] or jersey and tie (clothing items can be rented at NC reception – Mrs Newport)
CONTACT: Ms Zeeman in English Office [primary contact] and at ZN@nelsoncollege.school.nz or Mr Brudvik in A8/A11 [secondary contact] for permission slip or questions
ADVISORY: Students not accompanied at all times, some subject matter may be mature. Other area colleges may participate.
Y9 GaTMo & Enrichment Wellington Trip
Year 9 GaTMo and enrichment students made a week-long civics and society trip to Wellington sites of historical, cultural, and societal significance.
On the first day of our travels the seas from Picton to Wellington were heavy, and it had been a long day by the time we arrived, but it was off to the supermarket so the boys could buy food for the various breakfasts, lunches and a dinner they would make that week.
We began our week by going to Wright’s Hill Fortress to tour the WWII gun emplacements and tunnels (It was not until we entered these spooky tunnels that we appreciated the sheer enormity of this Second World War subterranean network, designed to defend our country from sea-borne invasion.), then to the Pukeahu War Memorial, where we read a poem at the “Tomb of the Unknown Warrior” (a contrast to our study of pacifism and conscientious objectors earlier in the year) and toured other war memorials at the site. We followed this up with afternoon activities: Te Papa, Capital E game design studios where we designed our own games, and bowling.
Day two saw us begin the day with a waterfront scavenger hunt organised by the Wellington Museum, then to the Reserve Bank of NZ museum, followed by morning tea on Parliament lawn (since we were locked out of the building itself by covid), then onto the Wellington Club where we had a formal luncheon (boys seemed to be awed by the place) and met with the MP for Nelson, Rachel Boyack, The ACT list MP from Nelson, Chris Baillie, (James Shaw, Minister from the Green Party, had to cancel at the last minute), and then we had selfies and an extended address by Simon Bridges, who picked on themes from his recent book about what it means to be masculine in NZ when you are a person who loves history, ideas, and are introverted. His message was about the importance of being who you are even when you are different, or not what people expect you to be. From there we walked to the NZ National Library for a talk by Andrew Hampton (Director General of the GCSB, NZ’s digital spy agency). This was followed by historical footage from Nga Taonga’s (the NZ national archives for sound and video) Springboks Protest exhibit. And the day finished with the boys viewing Te Tiriti o Waitangi and other historical documents on display at the He Tohu exhibit in the library, and then the boys made their own dinners – a creative feast for some, a dietary nightmare for others!
Day three began with a somber trip to the Wellington Holocaust Centre (where we had our program in the adjoining synagogue – due to covid social distancing restrictions) as the boys had the rare privilege of extended dialogue with 4 Holocaust survivors, hearing the personal stories of those who had suffered so much. From there we went through high security at the US Embassy where we heard from the Deputy Ambassador and a host of other embassy officials, plus had a presentation from the US Marines who are assigned to the facility. After morning tea in Katherine Mansfield Park we were off to the Wellington Club to hear Paul Foster-Bell (Vice-Chair of Monarchy NZ, former MP, and the person kind enough to gain access for us to the Wellington Club on both this day and the prior day) explain why the monarchy is still relevant today. We then walked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for multiple presentations on NZ’s role in the world, and our relations with other nations. The day ended with a late night at EscapeMate where the boys had to take on special, spy training sessions, and to escape from the Spaceship room and the Temple room.
The next day it was off the the Interislander Ferry terminal for our return after a mind-expanding and world-expanding experience for all.
Other activities will occur throughout the year.
If at any point financial considerations require a payment plan, or if you have a son who is very capable or intensely interested in a subject area related to a trip, but financial considerations may prevent participation, contact Mr Brudvik to see if any financial aid or other arrangements can be made.
More than 40 Y9-Y13 boys from Nelson College joined colleges across the region to participate in the Nelson-Marlborough Model United Nations this year. Each boy acted as the UN ambassador from that country, addressing issues of global significance and grappling with the cultural and policy nuances related to how their country might respond to those global issues.
Charlie Norton of Nelson with Freemasons grand master Mark Winger. Charlie was awarded a $6000 Freemasons university scholarship at Parliament’s Legislative Council Chamber. (NM 13 May 2017)
Nelson College year 12 student Rohan O’Neill-Stevens has been accepted into a scholarship at the United World Colleges. ( NM 4 May 2017)
Student Academic Committee
Committee Description
The Student Academic Committee is composed of students from all facets of school life: International students, Boarding students, Day students, Maori/Pasifika students, and Refugee students, and is composed of students from all year groups. The purpose of the committee is to promote academic life and achievement at the school and to provide a student voice and role model for academics at the school.
Peer Tutoring
The Peer Tutoring programme run by the Student Academic Committee gets underway late in Term 1 and runs through early Term 4 each year. It’s purpose is to have student-to-student support on academic issues or problems. Students may sign up to be either a tutor (to help other students with academics) or a tutee (to ask for help with academics) for either short term or long term duration by seeing a member of the Academic Committee.
Other Programmes & Activities
- Year 9 Academic Quiz – Term 1
- Brain Games – Throughout the year
Social Media