Co-curricular Activities
The school encourages students to lead a healthy lifestyle and to participate in co-curricular programmes.
Emphasis is placed on student participation and enjoyment. All students can benefit from the self discipline and teamwork required of a co-curricular programme.
It can balance the intensive mental training of the classroom and add an attractive dimension to a student's school routine.
Sport
A wide range of sporting activities are available within the school. They encourage physical challenge and promote teamwork and leadership skills.
Included in this range are traditional athletic competitions, a variety of sports, entertaining teamwork-based events such as the Top House competition and dragon boating with its intensive training leading up to the colourful festival held in Auckland city.
A Sportfit co-ordinator is employed by the school to assist in running sporting events and to encourage participation by students. Inter-house competitions and in-school tournaments are popular and well supported.
Sports teams represent the school in a large number of events.
These include Touch Rugby, Volleyball, Swimming, Athletics, Softball, Rugby, Netball, Basketball, Rugby League, Hockey, Soccer, Indoor Soccer, Table Tennis, Squash and Waka Ama.
All teams receive coaching at school and many codes are involved in sporting exchanges with other schools including opportunities to meet students from different parts of New Zealand and overseas.
Music & DRAMA
All students have the opportunity to get free musical tuition in a wide range of instruments from specialised tutors.
Instruments taught include guitar, drums, saxophone, clarinet, vocals, violin, cello, keyboard and piano. Students can join one of the school's bands or take part in one of a number of talent quests or musical performances which are held throughout the year.
In recent years drama has become a popular choice in both the curriculum and as a co-curricular activity. The aim is to put on a drama and mucis production each year.
Community
At James Cook High School we make a feature of involving students in giving service to our community. Such service helps us achieve the School Vision, as well as contributing to the achievement of our several specific goals, especially: developing the skills and experiences that will enable life-long learning, of developing pride in individual and group achievement, of encouraging participation in a wide range of co-curricular activities and of gaining total commitment to the vision and values of James Cook High School.
The generosity and concern for others that our students always demonstrate mean that community service has a high priority for them. The School acknowledges their efforts with certificates and awards for inclusion in the CV each student compiles before leaving school. The extra effort and concern for making positive impact within the community impresses future employers, and our students experience in community service assists them considerably within the job market.
Every year, the students undertake a community service, working to benefit others in Manurewa. Projects have included:
- Student mentoring of primary school children
- Reading Recovery tutoring at local primary schools
- Sports tournaments for local primary schools
- Entertaining at local primary schools
- Beach cleaning at Weymouth
- Graffiti cleaning in Manurewa
- Tree planting
- Assisting RSA Poppy Day Collection
As well as receiving gratitude and acclaim from the various individual organisations and people benefiting from such services, our students have received frequent recognition for their efforts and positive community spirit from the Manukau City Council, in the 'Keep Manukau City Beautiful' Awards.
At James Cook High School we encourage our students to assist others as a way of developing in them a life-long concern for their fellow citizens. Both the community and our students benefit tremendously from the experiences.