Justin Bieber performs private concert at ACG Strathallan today

Teenagers all over New Zealand and possibly the world, are wishing they were a student at ACG Strathallan today. More to the point, they are probably wishing they were Year 11 student Mila Stephenson, who won the Justin Bieber video competition. The prize; Justin Bieber, who is only in New Zealand for 24 hours, will perform an exclusive concert at their school. In addition, he will also sit in on a music class where they will teach the iconic kiwi song ‘Rain’, by Dragon.

When receiving the ‘You’ve won’ phone call live on the ZM radio morning show, Mila describes her reaction as being beyond shock. “It’s all my 11pm wishes come true!” she innocently exclaimed.

Justin Bieber arrived on the world stage last year with a hiss and a roar. At only 16, this Canadian pop/R&B star is hot property, with his debut album already having racked up seven hits in the last year.

Principal, Robin Kirkham, said, “I think it’s great. Mila has taken the initiative to enter the video competition. It shows considerable organisation, leadership skills and creativity to get it from concept through to production and uploaded online to the ZM website. She has shown lots of enthusiasm and commitment in the process. These are all good attributes we seek to instil in our students.”

Mila’s inspiration to make the video was the chance to meet Justin Bieber. She got together with three other ACG Strathallan friends, Natasha and Emily Knight, and Paris Ball. She convinced her parents to shoot the video on their home video camera.

This is not the first exciting international news for ACG Strathallan this year. In January, Nicole Buxeda, a Year 13 student at the school was selected to represent New Zealand at The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) in Den Hague. Also, last week Holly Hunter and Alana Stretton were selected to join the NZ delegation at the memorial service in Gallipoli because of essays they wrote for the Prime Minister's competition. With Mila's added win, of a far more contemporary sort, it's been an amazing start to the year for the school and its students.

ABOUT ACG STRATHALLAN

ACG Strathallan, opened in 2001, is situated on a 14-hectare site on the Hingaia Peninsula in Karaka near Papakura and caters for children and young people from junior infants to Year 13. There is a strong focus on the quality of work and the enhancement of student understanding. This results in an increase in critical thinking and of academic achievement. ACG schools are setting the standard for modern education. Not only do they offer the academic environment many parents require for their children, they also produce students who are self-motivated and socially aware, with the will to excel in whatever they choose to do throughout their lives.