World Champion holds special connection with Karamu High School
Former Karamu High School student, Aimee Fisher, was moved to tears when she saw the video her alma mater did for her.
Aimee, who won the women's K1 500 at the World Canoe Sprint Championships in Denmark in September, says she saw the video on her first day in MIQ. “I cried. It's so beautiful” she says.
“To win the World Champs and then see my old school and all my old teachers and for them to put that together for me, it's a reflection of the calibre of the school,” she says. “They care so much”.
Aimee attended the school in Hastings from 2008-2012 and started kayaking in year 9. Her connection with the school is one she is “extremely proud of”.
“Karamu has got something pretty special going on across the board. They've got just the best teaching staff and you can see it; the teachers are so invested.”
Naturally, it was the first place she wanted to visit after completing her two-week stint in quarantine. “They've been a really big part of my journey from the very beginning.”
The video, which was put together by this year’s sports leaders Hannah Hunt and Rana Cetinturk shows messages from staff – some of whom taught her – and students congratulating her on her achievements.
Principal Dionne Thomas says Aimee’s grit and determination is a fantastic demonstration to their students to never give up.
“In a values-based school we ask our students to aspire to be like Aimee. Our quote out the front from Pele says just this: ‘Success is no accident’.
“It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing. Even after disappointments (and in today’s Covid times these are common) – reset your goals and keep going.”
Aimee says her sporting career began at the school. During her five years, she was a strong member of the Senior Girls Canoe Polo side that represented the school at regional and national level. In year 13, she was made a Sports Leader.
Three years before she started kayaking at Karamu High School, Aimee had been involved in canoe polo. “I just got into kayaking in order to support my Canoe Polo endeavours,” recalls Aimee.
She says her canoe polo coaches Kevin Beaumont and Greg Ross played an “instrumental role” in her journey.
“They both gave so much to the sport. Being a part of the Karamu canoe polo scene really fast-tracked my paddling. I'm not sure that I would be where I am today without building from that foundation.”
“I think it just really developed my feel for the water. When I'm in a kayak, one of my super strengths is my ability to grip the water and feel, fine-tune it and understand what's happening with the blade as it's moving forward.”
Her connection with the school is no clearer represented than in her training Kayak which was designed five years ago by former teacher Aron Noble who was her art teacher at Karamu High School in 2009.
She says her brief was to be able to “look down at the boat”, which she calls “Moana” and to be inspired “to try and achieve great things”.
“I want to use my success to influence the next generation, but sometimes on this journey, it can be really tough, and it can be too much, so I wanted a constant reminder of why I'm doing this; to be brave and courageous and step into that fear and uncertainty.”
“It’s part of my every day and a bit of Karamu out on the water with me. So, they're always there, always on my heart and I take them with me wherever I go on this kayaking journey.”
The following year she brought it into the school to be blessed by the Kapa Haka group. She also gifted her 2016 Olympic paddle and singlet to the school so it would “serve as a reminder” for anyone that they “can do it”.
“I've always hoped that to some degree I might inspire the students at Karamu even if it's just one person.”
She says winning the World Champs is a “really big breakthrough” in her career. “Even though I've been paddling for 13 years, I think that we're embarking on an exciting new chapter.”
“I want to see what more I am capable of. So, if I can just stay in my own lane and focus on my process and try and be better every day in the pursuit of excellence.”
Photo: Karamu High School principal Dionne Thomas with former student Aimee Fisher fresh from winning gold in the women's K1 500 at the World Canoe Sprint Championships in Denmark.
