HE KŌRERŌ MAI I O MĀTOU RANGATIRA - A WORD FROM OUR PREFECT LEADERS

2026 Head Prefects - Anya Slykerman | Charli McDonnell | Emilia Cartwright-Reesby

Kia Ora,

I'm Anya Slykerman, one of TKHS's 2026 head prefects. I am an avid artist, flute player, and runner though you would never guess this by looking at my classes. I take Physics, Calculus, English, Enterprise Management, and Photography.

I am the third generation of my family to attend Te Kamo High School and I am very excited to help our school be the best that it can be. My favorite whakatauki is "Kia uru kahikatea ki tū," which means "stand like a grove of Kahikatea." The Kahikatea is the tallest native tree in NZ. They grow in groves so that their roots can entwine for stability, allowing them to grow much taller than they could if they were growing alone. Likewise, Emilia, Charli, and I will strive to uplift the students of Te Kamo High so that they can have opportunities to excel at whatever floats their boat, whether that be sports, academics, the arts, leadership, or anything else.

Thank you for this opportunity to be one of your head prefects. We look forward to doing our utmost to make 2026 as awesome as it can be for everyone.

- Anya.

Kia Ora, my name is Charli McDonnell and I am beyond grateful to spend 2026 as a head prefect at Te Kura Tuarua o Te Kamo! Whilst being in this role, I am taking Social Psychology, Media studies, English, History and Geography. With these subjects I hope to be accepted into university where I will study law in 2027. Before my time at Te Kamo High ends, I am thrilled to work alongside my fellow head prefects, Anya and Emilia, to hopefully continue to improve the hauora of the tauira within our school. Being the first in my family to make it to year 13, let alone head prefect, I want to set the bar high for my siblings and cousins who will filter through our kura in the years to come. I hope to inspire not only them, but all of our current students, to take every opportunity presented to them and strive to be the best possible version of themselves. On top of this, as I was a Tuakiri prefect in 2025, I will continue to support the cultural heritage of those within our school community by making them feel seen, celebrated, and welcomed. I am so excited to see the positive changes we as a head prefect team can make in 2026!

“Mā mua ka kite a muri. Mā muri ka ora a mua” -To those who lead, give sight to those who follow.

To those who follow, give life to those who lead.

Ngā mihi nunui,

Charli McDonnell

Emilia Cartwright-Reesby

Hi, my name is Emilia Cartwright-Reesby and I am thrilled to be one of your Head Prefects for 2026 alongside Anya and Charli. You may recognize me from the ShowQuest team and as one of the 2025 Arts Prefects. This year I am taking Drama, Calculus, Social Psychology, English and Media Studies. After Year 13, these subjects will help me as I study film to become a director/script writer/author. Going into Te Kamo High I was welcomed into a vibrant school community where I found my people through the school's ShowQuest team. I felt at home because my opinions were valued and I had the space to express myself through my love of drama. Over my time at Te Kamo High I have made it a personal goal to pass that same feeling of belonging to newcomers through organizing events, this is something I will focus on as your Head Prefect. I’m always looking to find new ways people can express and/or learn their passions. If you have any ideas for events or ways to improve the school, feel free to say hi or to send me an email. See you around,

Emilia Cartwright-Reesby

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