Our Commonwealth Games star

Valerie Adams

Full name: Valerie Kasanita Adams

Date of Birth: 6^th October 1984 (Age 29)

Height: 1.93m

Weight: 120kg

Birth place: Rotorua, New Zealand

Valerie Adams is the daughter of Sydney Adams and Lilika Ngauamo, she has 17 siblings one being Steven Adams the New Zealand basketball player.  Her ethnicity is Tongan/pakeha. Valerie attended many South Auckland schools for her education.

Valerie first started training in shot put at the age of 17, because she is from a poor background she started off with no training gear; she didn't even have shoes.

She is the world champion in shot put currently; she has had that title four times.  Valerie has participated at the Olympics and the Commonwealth games many times.

Valerie was once married to Bertrand Vili, he is also a professional shot putter; however they divorced in early 2010.

Valerie has inspired us because even if you come from a poor background, it doesn’t matter because there are riches at the end, to get to those riches you must show the world your talents and work hard to achieve them.

By Benn, Milika and Lose

The Avengers writing group

Recently we have been looking at rhyming poems, here are our attempts. Enjoy!!!

Chocolate cake

I love to eat chocolate cakes

Especially when they have heaps of chocolate flakes

If I eat too many, I get really silly

The sugar goes right to my head and I turn bright red

Lose

Rugby league

Rugby league is my thing it makes me want to shout and sing.

The team I go for are the Sydney Roosters, because they are never losers.

In league you only get five chances, so you better make those side glances.

Andre

School

I love school it is really cool

The thing I enjoy doing the most is writing especially when I get to do typing.

Although there are many of us on the roll, we are all supported to reach our goals.

Rhea

Family

My family share everything to show that they care.

We help each other everywhere.

There are 14 of us in our house, and it is never as quiet as a mouse.

Elizabeth  

Why and how do cats purr?

Cats purr when they get stroked, so when they are happy and also when they are frightened or feeling threatened; especially when visiting the vet.

A cat’s purr begins in their brain and the sends messages to the laryngeal muscles causing them to twitch at a rate of 25 to 150 vibrations per second; it causes the cats vocals to separate when it inhales.

Cats purr when they are co-operating with one another and sometimes purr when they are self-healing.

Not all cats purr though. Some of the big wild cats like lions don’t.

So when your family cat starts purring, think about what is causing it… is it because it is happy??

By: Teuhiva, Benn, Lose, Ayden, Rhea & Losana

The Avengers writing group

Going for a walk

I hear the chirping sound of a cricket as I walk through the forest.

 I feel the breeze pinching at my cheeks.

 I taste the lemon from the leaves; it leaves a bitter feeling in my mouth.

I smell autumn coming from the moisture escaping from the dead leaves.

I see the sun rising up, flashing through the forest.

By Lose

Autumn Leaves

I can hear the leaves crunching and screaming as I stomp on them.

My body is covered in goose bumps until the sun glares down on me.

I can taste the smell of fresh moss that’s growing on the trees.

I can see the ground covered in old brown leaves, it reminds me of my warm fuzzy blanket I just want to pull it over me.

By Losana

5 senses

The suns blanket of heat covers the forest and all that’s in it.

I hear the sweet sounds of the colourful birds in the slightly damp tree.

I taste the fresh water from the stream as the breeze brushes against my face.

I look to my left and I see a person, I get a fright as I think I am alone… it was just a shadow of a tree. Phewww!!!!

By Rhea

Autumn had just arrived

I see the leaves falling like raindrops on a stormy day.

I smell the most beautiful scent that no one could ever describe fresh plants…fresh everything.

I taste the mud as if it is in my mouth running down my throat.

I hear the wind rushing past my ear, it sounds like a tornado ripping past me.

I feel the sun as it beams down on me, breaking through the trees.

It makes me think that its summer again.

By Dorothy

This is one of the pictures we used for inspiration.

I remember…

I remember punching my brother in the face because I was jealous of him being the baby.

I remember cutting my foot while walking on long grass trying to follow my brother.

I remember getting thrown up in the air by an enormous bore hog.

I remember when my favourite cousin died and I cried forever, and losing my breathe.

I remember falling asleep by a big giant tree in the forest with my horse and waking up in my bedroom.

I remember coming up to Auckland and seeing the sky tower for the first time.

I remember seeing everyone in my family crying, and me not knowing why.

I remember going to my koro’s burial and all the men doing the haka.

I remember my dad going to a meeting in Taupo and me having rheumatic fever at that time.

I remember seeing my baby brother for the first time; he looked like a pale alien.

I remember having my first operation, I felt petrified because they had to cut out my ovary, and they tried and tried to put me to sleep.

I remember my dad telling me everything about how he was trying to get his land back, and me telling him that he shouldn’t give up achieving your goals.

By Paris

 I remember

·      I remember my fifth birthday where all of my family came together bringing gifts and happiness

·      I remember my papa protecting me

Where ever I went and if someone made me cry then they would get really scared because of my papa

·      I remember when I used to stay with my grandparents when I was little I never wanted to go to my mum and dad house because I was super close to my grandparents.

·      My first day in primary school my first teacher was miss stanway told me to read this big book that I can’t remember and I read it, then she went and got Mr lysaht to come and listen to my marvellous reading.

·      I remember when I was seven I experienced how to play the guitar and my first song I knew how to play and loved so much was ‘more than words’.

·      I remember getting first place four years for Sunday school test’s out of the entire Methodist congregation’s in Auckland

·      I remember the night my papa passed away I never got to see him to say goodbye before he died but I knew that I was his favourite and I miss him so much

·      I remember winning the Tautua Mo Tupulaga award two years in a row and seeing my nana and clapping and cheering for me and I am the only person who holds the record today.

·      I remember getting top student in a Samoan test out of all the student in Manurewa and I got the gift voucher  and a golden certificate

·      I remember me practicing my dance routines just listening to random songs from the TV

·      I remember celebrating with my best friends Collin and Sam after we won CGT in 2012

·      I remember writing down what I remember about my childhood.

By: June

           I Remember…

I remember meeting my family in Tonga and watching them do the umu with the kids  younger than me.

I remember crying in front of my family when leaving them to come back to New Zealand.

I remember the first time I had to perform my Tongan dance, I was 10 years old at my Aunts 21^st birthday.

I remember getting a broken arm at school from falling from the monkey bars.

I remember the first time I ate coconut and I was allergic to it, and going to school with ugly skin.

I remember the first time I had a sleepover at my friend’s house and couldn’t go to sleep at night.

I remember the day that I was a flower girl at my Aunt's wedding and being shy walking in front of people.

I remember the first time I went to Rainbows End and being extremely excited.

 I remember the day I met my best friend Paris and she asked me for a pen.

I remember getting the best present ever from my mum and it was a new phone.

I remember teaching the girls in my class the Tongan dance and it was frustrating.

I remember going to Paknsave with my aunty, and her fighting with a man for park in the disabled parking.

By Teuhiva 

I REMEMBER………

I remember when I came from Tonga in 2005; I missed my family in Tonga so much.

I remember when I was young my grandpa passed away in Tonga I felt so sad and I couldn’t stop crying for 1 day.

I remember I used to go to school in Tonga and I got a lot of hidings for not listening.

I remember the first time we celebrated Christmas in New Zealand it felt very different from Tonga.

I remember the time I nearly got run over in Mangere, I was so scared.

I remember I couldn’t sleep anywhere without my mum.

I remember my aunty teaching me the Tau’lunga before she passed away.

I remember the first time I went to Rainbow End with the road patrol and I had the best time ever.

I remember when I started C.P.S and my first teacher was Miss Jones.

I remember the first time I met my mum’s family at a family reunion I had a good time with them.

I remember the first time I met Louisa at a wedding she was so weird when I met her.

I remember walking with Losana talking and laughing on the way home.

By Lose

…I Remember….

·    I remember the first time I went to school and everyone was staring at me like I was some sort of monster entering the class.

·    I remember the first day I attended Clendon Park School, I was so nervous I hardly ever spoke for the whole day.

·    I remember my first friends at Clendon Park School they were  Teuhiva and Paris they were smart and kind.

·    I remember the first teacher I met at Clendon Park School, it was Miss Jones, she was so pretty and so kind and that took away my shyness towards the others.

·    I remember the first hiding I got I was screaming like I was dieing.

·    I remember seeing my brother at hospital and I would always call him a monster.

·    I remember when I was young I would always give my brother a hiding if he beat me at a game.

·    I remember when I was ten years old I would hide away from the cleaning and my brothers and sisters would come and look for me.

·    I remember in one of my classes I was the oldest and one of the shortest people.

·    I remember when I was a young no matter where my mother was, I was always by my mother side.

·    I remember just last night I was up all night reading my Anne Frank book so I wouldn’t be behind.

by Dorothy

Fiafia night photos of our performance