King University in Bristol, Tennessee, has awarded Anya Gross a $191,000 athletic and academic scholarship.

There, she will play football and study sport and exercise science over a four-year period.

Caitlin McGoldrick will attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles on a $20,000 scholarship.

While the scholarships are for very different pursuits, both students say they won them by setting goals.

Anya Gross says things began to happen when she started to turn her dreams into goals.

She moved to New Zealand from South Africa when she was 5 and joined a football club after watching kids at Kensington Park.

She played as a midfielder for the Northern Football Federation Women's Team.

In April last year she attended a football camp in Spain.

The local football club told her she had a good shot at a future in football and America was the best place to be.

Then a recruitment agency created her player profile and King University responded.

She had impressed the university with her technical ability and skill.

Meanwhile, Caitlin McGoldrick attended a two-week course at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

The experience caused her to drop plans to study medicine and pursue a career in drama.

She says she fell in love with drama and the environment.

She flew to Sydney in October to audition.

The scholarship covers her first year studying for a diploma in acting.

It's a two-year course. If the Academy accepts her for a second year, the scholarship will also cover that year.

Both students leave in August next year to begin their scholarships.

Source:

• New Zealand Herald

Nigel Studdart was dismissed from Pompallier College in Maunu in September after he helped students protest against comments made by the principal about gay parents.

Mr Studdart spoke at a marriage equality conference in Wellington as part of a panel discussing homophobia.

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The science teacher was dismissed from Pompallier College for helping students stage a peaceful protest against comments made by the principal about gay marriage and gay parenting.

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The Board of Trustees issued a statement to the college community which said: "The Pompallier Catholic College Board of Trustees advises the school community that Nigel Studdart will not be returning to the College as a teacher. We wish him well for the future."

The chief executive of the New Zealand Catholic Education Board, Pat Lynch, said he would not make comment about this particular case.

"More broadly, Catholic preaching on same sex marriage is part of the church's moral preaching so if you take up employment in a Catholic School you're obliged to support the religious and moral preachings because that's what the school stands for, whether you believe in it or not."

Sometimes employees had to agree to disagree if they wanted to keep their job, he said.

The teachers' union, the PPTA, also said it was not its policy to comment on individual cases.

"It's complicated when teachers take up jobs at schools with special character because it does involve a certain amount of commitment to the principles of that special character - provided they do not breach human rights or provisions under the employment relations act - and there can be tension in the way that operates," PPTA president Robin Duff said.

Blair Scotland, a senior associate of law firm Chen Palmer specialising in employment matters, said an employer would have trouble justifying drastic action like dismissing someone when it was about a fundamental human right.

"How the employer justifies its actions is going to be key. It's going to be very difficult for an employer to say 'this employee's belief ... I don't agree with and therefore I'm going to impose my views and I'm going to sack this person because of the particular views'," he said.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Twitter

The retreat provides an opportunity for student leaders who are seeking a transformative experience that links faith and life in a way that is relevant to young people.

Over the 4 days that they are together the students will engage in a variety of activities designed to challenge and motivate them in their roles with a renewed sense of purpose.

This year the retreat begins on 17-20 April, held at Te Unga Waka Marae, a Marae founded by Dame Whina Cooper.

There are 22 students representing Marist, St Dominic's, St Peter's, St Paul's, Liston, Pompallier and Campion Colleges. Although Campion is not within the Auckland Diocese, the Logos Project never deny young people the access to their programmes.

This year theme is "Our own backyard"; it explores the concept of Turangawaewae. Literally turanga (standing place), waewae (feet) is translated as "a place to stand".

Turangawaewae are places we feel especially empowered and connected. They are our foundation, our place in the world and our home. Throughout the retreat the students will go on a journey to discover the Turangawaewae of their own lives as well as both the Christian story and the New Zealand Catholic story.

This process allows them to recognise the gift of our faith tradition that connects us all as one people. The students will also have the privilege to hear the story of 2 Josephite Sisters who lived and worked alongside Dame Whina Cooper in Panguru.

The Logos team are deeply excited about delivering this retreat and say it is definitely one of highlights of the year for them. They say young people are looking ever more for a sense of meaning, healing and belief in something bigger. This retreat is sure to nourish and incite this hunger.

The Logos Project is a Marist Youth Development organisation that has been operating for over 10 years in Auckland. They offer a range of programmes and services in 3 key areas: School, Church and Community. Each year they work with over 10,000 young people.

Source

• The Logos Project
• Image: The Logos Project

Pompallier Catholic College principal Richard Stanton said the school term changes would disadvantage this year's NCEA students. "Instead of having four weeks at school in term four to work towards external exams, students will have only eight school days," he said

"This is far from an ideal learning situation for students sitting exams and may detract from our usual excellent results."

Other Northland College principals agree with Stanton, but all are also agreed that there have be some positives spin off's from the World cup competition

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: AKT