Te Kauwhata College’s 2026 student leaders share what leadership means to them, the experiences shaping their final year and their hopes for life beyond school.
Sam
Can you please introduce yourself to the wider community (where you grew up, school and year)?
My name is Samantha Lang and I am incredibly grateful to serve as one of the deputy head students this year. Growing up, I attended Mission Heights Junior and Senior College up to Year 10, where I served in a range of leadership roles, before transferring to Te Kauwhata College in 2023.
What does being a student leader mean to you, and what does it involve?
A student leader, to me, is someone who serves the school by listening and actively working towards the best outcome for everyone. They work without seeking recognition and genuinely strive to improve the school. I strongly believe in the importance of guiding others towards their potential, leading by example, giving my absolute best to everything I do and encouraging others to do the same.
What do you like about the role, and what do you hope to achieve?
This role has been beyond rewarding in so many ways. Every day, I am grateful for the incredible privilege that comes with it, as I get to connect with a wide range of students. Having genuine conversations and hearing their stories, ambitions, dreams and more is truly my favourite part of this role.
In this role, I hope to achieve a school where the student voice is not only heard but also amplified through us, ensuring changes are made with students and for students, and that the school is left better than it was when we started.
How would you sum up your year so far?
I would sum up my year as unexpected yet rewarding. Soon after finding out about my role, I suffered a bad brain injury and was diagnosed with a few medical conditions, one of which is POTS. This has meant I have had to adapt and balance my health with my responsibilities and ambition. I have found working alongside the other incredible leaders to be so fulfilling.
When not at school, what do you enjoy doing?
Outside of school, my free time and physical ability have been limited as a result of my health, meaning that the time I do have is spent very intentionally. I deeply value the relationships I hold, so I am often spending time with my incredible friends and family. Additionally, I’m someone who believes balance in life is vital, so when I am not studying, I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, watching rugby and pretty much always having a laugh.
What are your plans for 2027?
In 2027, I plan to head off to university to start my journey towards becoming a spinal neurosurgeon. I will lead my career with empathy and hope to eventually contribute to revolutionary research and technological advances in medicine.
When you look back, what do you think will be the highlights of the Te Kauwhata College experience?
At Te Kauwhata College, one thing that has always stood out to me is the incredible people, and I believe that, looking back, this will be what truly stands out. Everyone, from those who work behind the scenes to the incredible students and teachers, makes this place what it is. They are the reason I will forever look back and be extremely grateful for the incredible time I had and the memories I made here.
Sage
Can you please introduce yourself to the wider community (where you grew up, school and year)?
Kamusta, I am Sage Tantingco, one of the 2026 deputy head students of Te Kauwhata College. I come from the Philippines. I immigrated to New Zealand in 2016, first moving to Auckland before transferring here in 2022.
What does being a student leader mean to you, and what does it involve?
Personally, the role of being a student leader isn’t about the title at all, but about the fact that students look up to you and are inspired to do the same. It involves helping out around the school, planning and creating ideas to further improve our family and kura and giving our peers a voice. This role has its ups and downs, such as managing workloads. However, it’s worth it in the end, especially when you look back and see how much your leadership and involvement have helped our kura.
What do you like about the role, and what do you hope to achieve?
Something specific that I like about this role is the ability to give students a voice and the capabilities we have to improve our kura. Other than that, I also enjoy productive planning, setting up meetings, coming up with ideas and leading, teaching and supporting the students.
How would you sum up your year so far?
As student leaders, we are trusted to balance our personal, academic and leadership lives. However, this has taught me that being in a student leadership team doesn’t mean I lead by my own design, but that I work together with my peers to strive for our betterment. On top of this, the role has led me to step out of my comfort zone and help influence others to do the same.
When not at school, what do you enjoy doing?
Outside of school, I enjoy hunting and trying all different sorts of activities and hobbies, such as art, volleyball, sewing, badminton, cooking and baking. Aside from that, I also enjoy hanging out with my friends.
What are your plans for 2027?
My plans for 2027 are to hopefully get into university. However, I am not too sure which course to take, but it will definitely be something to do with creativity or the arts.
When you look back, what do you think will be the highlights of the Te Kauwhata College experience?
Looking back at my journey at this school, I have memories that I will never forget and bonds that will last a lifetime. As I approach the end of my last year of high school, I have realised that school isn’t as bad as people make it seem. Of course, there will always be tough days every now and then, and high school is the time when we find ourselves. At this school, I was able to attend my first-ever national tournament with my volleyball team and push myself further, both mentally and physically.
