Mana College has celebrated an outstanding year of student achievement, with sporting championships, national representation and cultural performances among the successes recognised at its Green and Gold Awards.
The Porirua school’s awards evening on Thursday 22 October celebrated students excelling in sport, culture and the arts, following a year in which several Mana College teams achieved major regional and national results.
Among the biggest achievements was the senior girls basketball team’s eighth-place finish at the 2026 national secondary schools championships.
The national result capped a remarkable season in which Mana won both the Wellington Premier Girls championship and the Lower North Island Zone 3 title.
The team defeated Wellington East Girls’ College 72-58 to claim the Wellington Sharp Cup, before completing an unbeaten regional qualifying tournament with an 82-67 victory over Queen Margaret College in the final.
Eden Metekingi, Nevaeh Scirkovich and Gia Bishop were among the team’s leading performers during the regional campaign.
The awards also recognised success in rugby and football, two codes that have benefited from strong community support.
Mana College’s Year 11 football team won its College Sport Wellington grade after the school returned to league competition following several years away.
The college also fielded seven rugby teams during the winter season, including two girls teams and a First XV competing in the Premiership grade.
There were further achievements across other sports. Mana’s Senior A netball team won the Kāpiti Mana Premier 2 championship with a thrilling 42-41 victory over Whitby Collegiate, while the Premier Girls hockey team reached its Premier 2 final.
The school’s futsal programme also enjoyed success, with two teams reaching finals and one winning its championship.
Cultural achievement was another important part of the Green and Gold celebrations.
Mana College fielded six cultural groups at Te Kiwa Nui in August, joining other Porirua schools at Te Rauparaha Arena for performances celebrating Pacific and Māori cultures.
The event represented months of preparation by students, tutors, teachers and whānau, with the college’s cultural groups sharing their traditions through music and dance.
One of the students involved was Jahlia Laumua, who helped lead Mana College’s Samoan cultural group and received the Supreme Award at the Green and Gold ceremony.
Laumua has also achieved success in handball, having been selected for New Zealand’s under-17 women’s team for the 2025 IHF Trophy Oceania Championship in Rarotonga.
Two fellow Mana College students, Brooke Chadwick and Ella Waihi, were selected for the New Zealand under-19 team.
The college’s cultural activities have extended beyond Te Kiwa Nui. September’s Asian Cultural Week brought students together through language activities, traditional games, cultural performances and a shared lunch celebrating the school’s diverse communities.
The Green and Gold Awards recognised contributions across the arts as well as sporting and cultural achievements, reflecting the range of opportunities available to students beyond the classroom.
Principal Jeff Chapman has previously highlighted the importance of the wider Porirua community in supporting the college’s success.
Speaking about Mana’s winter sporting achievements earlier this year, Chapman acknowledged the contribution of teachers, coaches, families, iwi and volunteers.
“What makes me most proud is seeing people rally around our young people,” he said.
Mana College’s next major celebration of achievement will be its Senior Prize-giving on Thursday 29 October.
