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Ōrewa College celebrated student successes across a range of extracurricular activities last month, from music to international sailing.
Four Ōrewa College ensembles competed at the 2026 KBB Music Festival earlier in August, which featured more than 160 bands.
The Concert Band and Senior Jazz Band were awarded bronze, while the Symphonic Band and Junior Jazz Band performed non-competitive sets.
For Year 13 pianist Bruno McLeod, the festival marked his final KBB appearance after taking part since Year 7. Bruno performed solo sections in three songs and also served as conductor for the Junior Jazz Band.
The ensembles were directed and mentored by music teachers Mace Wilkins and David Popper.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Ōrewa College student and sailor Summer Torbet stepped up to the U17 fleet at the 2026 Open Skiff World Championships in Calasetta, Sardinia, Italy, in July.
Summer won the U13 female world title in Japan last year (Hibiscus Matters, August 12), but this time faced sailors up to 16 years old while competing in heavy winds with a larger 4.5m² rig.
Her main goal was to qualify for the Gold Fleet, which she achieved among a field of 106 sailors. She also secured a top-three finish in one of the races.
Summer finished 10th among the girls and 33rd overall in the U17 fleet, finishing ahead of all the sailors she had competed against in the U13 fleet last year.
