The award-winning Top School team, from left, back row: Ricco, Rory, Max, Natalie and Brooke. Middle row: Anna, Felicity, Meg. Front row: Dylan, Luke, Finn and Maddie.
Leamington Primary School has come out on top by a massive margin as the Waikato’s “Top School”.
They earned the title convincingly at the Battle of the Schools event hosted by Te Kowhai School on April 7, completing a series of physical activities and challenges in a similar fashion to the 1980s New Zealand TV classic, “Top Town”.
Collecting points at each station, the team of twelve earned a massive 72-point total, out of a maximum 90 points, to earn the Top School trophy for Year 5 and 6 students. Aberdeen School were second best with 56 points, followed by Knighton Normal School on 28 points.
It was the seventh time the school has won the trophy in the past ten years.
School principal Mike Malcolm said he was very proud of the students. “They went as a determined team to do their best, and they felt they did that,” he said. “They worked really well as a team.”
The students thought their communication and preparation for the competition were big factors towards their success, practicing their strategy and problem solving abilities ahead of the event.
“I liked this year better,” said Ricco, who also won the competition last year with the Leamington School team. “I think most of the other teams were bad because they didn’t look like they had practiced at all,” he said.
Thinking of advice for teams at next year’s event, fellow student Madi said, “Work as a team, don’t work against each other and don’t give up.”
“And don’t let pressure get to you,” Anna added.
