On Thursday 16 May, 18 students and 6 staff members from St Peter’s College Palmerston North attended the annual O’Shea Shield competition. Seventeen colleges from the Palmerston North and Wellington dioceses came together at Sacred Heart College Napier to celebrate and compete in this Catholic speech and drama competition. St Peter’s College came away as the joint winners alongside St Patrick’s College Wellington.
This is the first time we have won the shield in its 75-year history. To be celebrating this achievement in our 50th Jubilee year is incredible. We also came away with one 1st place cup winner, Elsa Mwape, in the Junior Prepared Speech category. This was an experience for our team that will last a lifetime.
This event encouraged both staff and students to catch up with old friends, and make new ones, and I think I can speak for everyone in our team in saying that we truly felt the Holy Spirit within us all throughout the three days we spent at Sacred Heart College. As soon as we stepped onto our stages, or into the classrooms we were competing in, the Holy Spirit rippled through us all.
With the help from our unwavering faith, the undying support from our coaches, and the encouragement we felt from our entire kura, we were instilled with the strength and mana to achieve personal bests, and lead lives that change our world for the better. The theme of O’Shea Shield 2024 was “Te Ahi Kā – Sparks of Hope,” and hope was a common theme that was present throughout our team. We had hope in each other, we had hope from our coaches, and most importantly, we all had hope in ourselves.
We want to give the biggest thank you to all of the staff, parents, friends, and students that supported our team throughout the entire event. Because of the support, commitment, and help we had, every single one of us will cherish this competition and experience forever.
Jaimee McKinlay is a Year 13 student at St Peter’s College.
2024 St Peter’s O’Shea Shield team:
Junior Prepared Speech – Elsa Mwape (cup winner) coached by Stephanie Hurley
Oratory – Jaimee McKinlay coached by Lorraine Wilson
Scripture Reading English – Fia Smith coached by Mary-Ann Bailey
Scripture Reading Te Reo Māori – Te Aiokura Kenrick-Paniora coached by Whaea Aareta Mohi
Impromptu Speech – Harmony Eugenio coached by Rhyannah Sears
Religious Questions – Jacob Crume, Deiz Shinoy, Ann Gibu Joseph coached by Lindsey Ryan
Debating – Claire Hua, Maata Severinsen, Ruben Gonzalez Rayner coached by Isaac Harris
Drama – Joshua Leamy-King, Eva Mason, Kate Pettersson, Tafu Seko, Manny Tautau coached by Katy Van Deventer
Student managers – Jimmy Alexander, Rosalia Siu
Staff Coordinator – Lorraine Wilson
