2025 Leaders

Ko Ngātokimatawhauroa tōku waka
Ko Wairoa te awa
Ko Pouerua tōku maunga
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Rahiri tōku hapu
Ko Poutawera tōku whanau
Ko Maia tōku ingoa

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Ever since year 9, Tauranga Girls College has brought me countless laughs, connections, challenges, and opportunities which have helped shape me into the person and leader that I am today. My name is Maia Poutawera, and I have the absolute privilege of serving as the Head Prefect for 2025. Our school has welcomed me with open arms and introduced me to so many amazing people who continue to inspire and impress me every day, so to be tasked with leading a school of such inspiring, talented, and hardworking students is truly an honour.

This year, I hope to foster a school environment that we’re all proud to be a part of - a place where we feel free to be unapologetically ourselves, to share ideas, and come together as a community to make this school truly feel like our place of belonging.

The varied opportunities and events that TGC has to offer have enabled me to immerse myself in school life and connect with others, so for our ākonga to thrive and find their own place here, I want to deeply encourage them to embrace our value of mahi tahi and get involved, because there’s nothing quite like dressing up and making a fool of yourself for a school event.

I also have the pleasure of working alongside both the amazing senior leadership team and the beautiful wāhine who make up the 2025 Kaitiakiāwhina: Senu Guruge, Onnah Baxter, Anjali Pillay, Manawa McLeod, Eden Tapsell, Elea Hargreaves, and Honey Marinas. Together, we will empower and uplift the incredible students of TGC, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and feel pride in who they are, where they are, and all that they will achieve.

Kia ora koutou
Ko Mauao te maunga,
Ko Mahamodara te awa,
No Sri Lanka ahau,
Ko Guruge toku whānau,
Ko Senu toku ingoa.

I’m Senu Guruge, and I’m absolutely delighted to serve as your Deputy Head Prefect of Learning for 2025.

Tauranga Girls’ College is a kura where students can thrive academically, whilst participating in activities that surround their different interests, talents, and hobbies, excelling to their potential through various outlets—and as your DHP of Learning, I hope to facilitate this environment. Through my role, I’d be continuing to make our school a place of discovery where learners find their people, their place of belonging, and feel empowered to put their hand up for whatever opportunity crosses their path.
To achieve this, I’ll be working with the rest of the Kaitiakiāwhina, while also having the honour of working amongst a team of six passionate and visionary prefects: Pippa Montgomerie, Amelia Ellis, Olivia White, Pippa Cronin, Sophie Denham, and Neisha Hitchcock.

Since joining this inspiring and engaging community in year 10, I’ve been able to connect with people who hold diverse ways of thinking, broadening my own perspectives and ideas, allowing me to grow as a leader. I now hope to do the same for the ākonga of our school, working with my team to hold events, build relationships, and facilitate an uplifting environment.
Being at TGC has also shaped the values I hold myself to, nurturing what was when I first arrived. Allow me to narrate to you a poem—tree of my values, as they have grown throughout the years.

Resilience holds strength in my roots,
while honesty flows through my leaves.
Humility holds true in my branches,
through the heart of my trunk compassion is achieved.
And flowers of equality, authenticity, loyalty and ambition,
blossom perennially.

I hope to use these values to work with a team of incredible wāhine to achieve our common goals, encouraging an environment where stepping out of one’s comfort zone is something that is continuously supported.

Kia Ora,
Ko Mauao te maunga,
Ko Tauranga te moana,
Ko Waimapu te awa,
No Tauranga ahau.
Ko Baxter toku whānau
Ko Onnah toku ingoa.

Tēnā koutou katoa
My name is Onnah Baxter. I am beyond excited to be serving as Deputy Head Prefect of Sports for 2025. It's an honour to be working alongside the fabulous Kaitiakiawhina as well as my incredible prefects: Amelia Grason, Alivia Jenkins (Social engagement), Trelise Chote, and Amelia Gemming (Athlete development). Together, we aim to see and promote inclusiveness + involvement while individuals embrace happiness at Tauranga Girls College.

During my time here, I have been involved with many sports teams like cricket, netball, volleyball, squash, golf, and more. Through these sports, I discovered 3 key values that intertwine with Mahi tahi, one of our school morals: Teamwork, communication, and resilience - these values are what I can positively empower our ākonga with. Working in teams and including one another is a great way to kick off your engagement with sports at TGC. Whether you are on the field or the court, you could meet someone with the same passion as you or make lifelong friendships like I did. The social engagement committee is willing and able to get you going with a sport you might enjoy. If you are already an athlete, you probably have experience with the highs and lows of sports. It's hard to get up over and over again, but it's what makes you stronger. We want to enhance your athleticism and eagerness to chase after your goals. That is where our athlete development committee steps in.

Make 2025 your year to try something new or lace up and lock in to reach your potential! Make an effort to empower those around you by being inclusive and happy! “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger” - Kelly Clarkson. You got this.

Ko Drakensberg te Maunga
Ko Umgeni te Awa
No Tauranga Moana ahau
Ko Pillay tōku whanau
Ko Anjali tōku ingoa

Tēnā koutou katoa
My name is Anjali Dineo Pillay, and I have the absolute and utter privilege of serving as your Deputy Head Prefect of Arts for 2025!
I could not be more grateful for the amazing Kaitiakiāwhina team. As well these wonderful wāhine I get to work alongside throughout the year in Performing Arts- Skylar Sargisson and Tanisha Bhikha, and Visual Arts- Lexie Lochhead and Yanni Corsame

Tauranga Girls’ College has been my home for the last four years, and walking into the school on the first day was terrifying to me. I then realised I’d be doing this for about the next 975 days. As I struggled to find myself in a sea of teenagers, I learnt that we all share a critical experience, trying to stay afloat. Initially, I threw myself into every activity I could—from sports, arts, clubs, committees, and community service—not just to keep busy, but in an attempt to make meaningful connections and discover where I belonged.

Through my experiences at TGC, I’ve found that Manaakitanga isn’t just something we talk about; it’s something we live every day. Simply saying “Hi” to someone around the school can be a little gesture to help make them feel like they belong. Mahi Tahi is at the heart of everything we do, and ultimately, we’re stronger together. And Mana Motuhake has been a driving as well as a guiding force in my journey.

I believe leadership isn’t about one person shining brighter than the rest; it’s about igniting the potential within others. My vision as part of our leadership team is to motivate every student to make the most of our kura, fostering a deep sense of belonging within our TGC whānau while helping them understand that they're a part of something bigger

We have the power to create change, embody kindness, and be a positive impact. So, whether it's your last year or your first at TGC, get involved and make the most of the time you have. And I promise that you'll find that you are right where you're meant to be.

Kia whaikorōria hareruia kia ihoa o ngamano.
Matau, tama, wairua tapu me nga anahera pono
kia tatu mai ki te kahui ariki wairua
Arepa, Omeka, Piriwiritua, Hamuera
Ko te mangai hei tautoko mai
Aianei, ake nei, ai

Ko Ōtawa tōku maunga
Ko Waitāo, kaitemako me Waimapu nga awa, karere tōtika ki roto i te tahuna ō Rangataua.
Ko Te Arawa, takitimu me Mataatua nga waka
Ko Te Waimanawa McLeod tōku ingoa

Tena Koutou katoa,
I’m Manawa and I am so honoured to be your Deputy Head Prefect of Te Ao Māori for 2025.

Māori culture is a significant part of what makes our kura, and I am so blessed to be able to share those special moments with you all. Getting to know everyone and helping them to learn something different about Maori culture that they may not have known before, will always be a highlight for me. Never be shy to get involved in this beautiful culture!

This year, alongside my amazing prefects Aria Hatakeyama, Journey Kuka, Te Manawa Apanui, and Isla-Mia Tukukino, we aim to support all akonga with whatever they may need to discover where they belong.

My prefects and I strive to look out for ways to better Te Ao Māori within and around our kura, feeding into the positive environment already built. We look to do this by improving our one percenters- the little things. The one percenters are the things we aim to do for better success within ourselves and the people around us. Because everyone can get pleasure out of doing a little one percenter for someone else.

“If someone is there to believe in you, to care about you, to support you, amazing things can happen.” - Tim Tebow

So, whether you know me or not, I am always around to encourage, believe, and will always have your back too.

Ko Hikurangi me Pirongia ngā maunga
Ko Waiapu me Waipa ngā awa
Ko Horouta me Tainui ngā waka
Ko Taharoa me Te Papaorotu ngā marae
Ko Te Whānau a Rakairoa me Ngāti Maahanga ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Porou me Waikato ngā iwi
Ko Eden Tapsell ahau

Kia ora, my name is Eden and I am your Deputy Head Prefect of Cultural Diversity for 2025!

At Tauranga Girls’ College, every student contributes to our unique identity as a kura, and I believe it is essential to celebrate this diversity where we all feel a sense of belonging. Through this role, I have the privilege to encourage and foster an environment where all ākonga feel valued, respected and have the opportunity to participate and contribute to our kura and community.

With the help and support of my team, Dhansheel Kaur, Aahana Narang, Sylvie Hammond, (School Wide Diversity Prefects), Ruta Jason, Pauline Nimo (Pasifika Prefects), Stephanie Wong and Yunchae Kim (International Prefects), I believe that we can achieve our goal of promoting and celebrating cultural diversity at TGC. Being a part of a team who come from different ethnic backgrounds, beliefs, and customs gives us the opportunity to share and learn from each other's experiences and ways of life - further growing us as leaders and as a team.

We are all students of TGC, and this is a commonality we share. As your Cultural Diversity Team, we acknowledge and recognise the differences and uniqueness we each bring to this kura, and that each of us come with our own beliefs, strengths, characteristics, and stories. It’s these differences that make us strong and remind us that we can all flourish in our own unique ways.

‘Kotahi te kākano, he nui ngā hua o te rākau.’ ‘A tree comes from one seed but bears many fruit.’

Tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko Le Morne te maunga,
Ko Waipapa te awa,
Nō Mauritius me Aotearoa ōku tūpuna,
Ko Hargreaves tōku whānau,
Ko Elea tōku ingoa.

In my leadership role this year, I want to help create a school environment where dedication is valued over perfection, where every student feels heard, and where school spirit thrives through the power of connection. Just as a butterfly’s wings create movement in the air, communication spreads ideas, strengthens relationships, and keeps our kura connected.

My name is Elea Hargreaves, and I have the privilege of serving as the Deputy Head Prefect of Communications and Publicity at Tauranga Girls’ College for 2025.

I am fortunate to work alongside a passionate team of five Comms prefects—Kyla Chen, Olivia Grimshaw, Shanna Addinal, Sophie Crowther, and Mihi Patea—as well as our two Board of Trustees student representatives, Aiza Mustasam and Brooke Barnett, and the Vertical Communications Committee. Together, we are committed to ensuring that students at our kura stay informed, engaged, and connected. Whether through our fortnightly Student Comms Spotlight, social media updates, or celebrating student achievements, our goal is to make communication accessible, engaging, and empowering for everyone.

Just like a butterfly’s flight can create ripples of change, strong communication allows our voices to be heard, our stories to be shared, and our Kura to grow stronger together. I look forward to embracing this role and making 2025 a year of connection, collaboration, and celebration.

Tena koutou katoa
Ko Mauao te Maunga
Ko Tauranga te Moana
Ke Pukehinahina ahau e noho ana
Ko Marinas toku whanau
Ko Honey toku Ingoa
Ka haere au ki te kura kohine o Tauranga Moana
No reira tena koutou katoa

Kia Ora Koutou, my name is Honey Marinas, and I am delighted to announce that I am your 2025 Deputy Head Prefect of School Spirit.

Tena koutou katoa
Ko Mauao te Maunga
Ko Tauranga te Moana
Ke Pukehinahina ahau e noho ana
Ko Marinas toku whanau
Ko Honey toku Ingoa
Ka haere au ki te kura kohine -o Tauranga Moana
No reira tena koutou katoa

Kia Ora Koutou, my name is Honey Marinas, and I am delighted to announce that I am your 2025 deputy head prefect of school spirit. It is exciting to me that there are lots of fun house events in store for this year. School events are a great way to interact with a variety of students and staff at TGC. There are three E words I will go by this year: Engage, Excite, and Empower. I didn’t know it back then, but I have used this method since the start of my amazing years at TGC. Engage, Excite, and Empower has got me involved with lots of school activities and events throughout my TGC journey.

My core memories I have made at TGC have not always been in the classroom, but participating in house events, cheering people on, and giving everything a go to cure my curiosity. TGC is not just a kura, but a kura where everyone feels they have a place where they belong. I know with the endless amount of opportunities TGC has to offer, you want to try everything. When you do, just remember to engage, excite, and empower not only yourself but everyone around you to maintain the belonging environment of TGC.