My Speech

Name: Harrison Collins  

Date: August 2016

My Topic:

Why we should send athletes to the olympics?

Higher... Faster... Stronger.   These 3 words are central to the greatest sporting event of modern times and also describe what drives olympians to be the best that they can be, but why do they even participate in the olympics? Is it to put their tiny country of New Zealand well and truly on the map? or Is it just the natural human competitiveness where anyone who tries hard enough can win? or Maybe it is to show perseverance when faced with a challenge?

Do we send athletes to the olympics merely get New Zealand on the global map? Well if that is the case, than we may have a chance in Rio...if little “unknown” New Zealand sitting at the bottom of the globe could get a medal of any colour, but preferably gold, think of the international attention then. Even if our athletes don’t seize the gold medal, we as a nation of “Saturday Sports Players” would stand tall and be proud of them, so maybe that is why we send our fellow kiwis to the olympics?

Don’t believe the saying, “It’s not about the winning, it’s about the taking part.” When I’m out on the rugby field, it's all about the winning try...   When I move to check-mate in chess, it’s about capturing the board… When I solve a mathematical problem it’s about doing it in the most logical and quickest way… Winning is everything, taking part is something. To succeed as an olympian you have to have dedication and determination but more importantly the desire to win. That is what drives any olympic athlete.  They strive to be better than the previous olympic games and the results that were created there.  It also reminds the athletes that didn’t get picked for the olympics that they must get better both physically and mentally if they want to get picked for the next olympics. Winning is not a sometime thing, it’s an all the time thing!

Even though there are so many positive aspects about the olympics there are also many negative ones too. Examples impacting on this year’s olympics have been the renowned enhanced drug taking to gain medals and the Zika Virus. Some countries participating in the olympics encouraged their athletes to take performance enhancing drugs which gives them an unfair advantage over “clean” athletes and in Rio this year the Zika Virus has caused huge concern with some athletes actually withdrawing from the games because of it. Even though the Zika Virus is such a serious issue, there is some hope amongst the organisers because it is the winter season in Brazil and the mosquito population is smaller then due to the cooler climate.

Therefore in conclusion as to why we should send athletes to the olympics… It must be to get New Zealand on the global map It certainly is to win as many medals as possible and Ultimately it is to personify the need to be “higher, faster and stronger”. Here at Glen Innes School we learn everyday that “Perseverance gains honour.” Maybe, just maybe, one day one of us will be heading off to the olympics to represent our country with that knowledge and return having achieved more than we ever thought we could knowing that it all began here.

The haunted house on 13 Grim Street

One spooky night Casper thought it would be a good idea to go and explore the abandoned, run down, old, 90s shack in the middle of the night.

“That house hasn't been open in decades” said his best friend Hades cowardly

“I know that is why you  are coming with!” replied Casper excitedly

“No I am not!” Said Hades

“Yes you are” replied Capser.

Hades realized that he wasn’t going to win this argument

“Alrighty then, I’ll go with you but if I die it is one you!” Said Hades cowardly

“We’ll set out tonight, meet at my place at eleven o’clock tonight”

“Okay see you then” replied then drove away to his house in a cemetery.

While he waited hades read up about legends of 13 grim street. He read about ghost, demons and the foulest monster in the DRACULA. The legend is that whoever enters either becomes DRACULA'S henchmen and are never seen again or you get turned in stone! When the clock struck 11 o’clock at the dot Caper appeared from his car with a big backpack on his back and in it was a bottle of garlic, 5 flashlights, matches, loads of water and lots of cheese and crackers.

“We’re ready to go, we’ll take my car.” Casper said definitely as if he was worried that if he let Hercules drive they would never get there because he would take a de-tour out of town for the whole night!

“Okay” replied hercules as if he was expecting  to drive out of  town for the night. They left the house  on their way to 13 Grim street.

As soon as he saw the house Hercules regretted the decision to come one this adventure. When they pulled up in the garden and looked into the window they could both see a cowering figure hiding in the window what it a ghost or a demon or maybe it was even  DRACULA who knows? They got out of the car and stepped on to the uneven  gravel path, climbed up the creaky steps and knocked on the door

‘KNOCK!’ ‘KNOCK!’ ‘KNOCK!’ No one answered but the door swung open they decided to have a look around first they looked in the kitchen, dining room and lounge there was no one there but qa kettle was boiling, there was hot food on the table and TV was showing the All Blacks vs Australia 2015 Rugby World  Cup final replay. Then there was a noise coming from upstairs and some on started to come down the stairs was it DRACULA, was it a ghost, was it a demon. No it was just an old man yelling at the men and waving his cane in the air.

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, NOW!!!!” The old man screamed. The two men looked at each over that started running out of the house the looked at the address of the house. They both realised straight away that the had come to 13 Sly Avenue not 13 Grim Street.

The two men drove home as fast a possible and never went near anyone's house again.

Olympics Storyboard

This kid had a dream of becoming a olympic swimmer and he followed through with it. When he was a teenager he started to train and he got to the Tokyo olympics.