Pupils at the Dunedin school could not believe their eyes when Che Fu, one of New Zealand's most successful male recording artists, visited the school to present pupils with a national music award.
Members of Wireless, a rap group which was yesterday named South Island winner of the Class Rap competition, received a further surprise when they were called on to perform their song, Shatter, to a special school assembly with only Che Fu providing "beat-box" accompaniment.
Wireless members Sam Petrie, Jackson Free and Corey and Scott Donaldson (all 12) said they were "in shock" and "speechless" after winning the award.
Corey and Jackson said they would have to rehearse the song before they recorded it with Che Fu in Auckland later this month.
The school would also receive a cash prize, to be presented by Environment Minister Trevor Mallard in Wellington on July 1.
Che Fu said the group took first place because it had an "awesome, tight rapping style", which sounded well rehearsed.
A similar presentation will be made to the North Island winner today.
More than 250 pupils, aged between 9 and 15, from 60 schools around the country entered the competition, which was run by the Glass Packaging Forum.
The unassuming musician, who has three sons "and one on the way", said he enjoyed working with school children, and would like to see similar music competitions run in more New Zealand schools.
"It's good to support recycling and to do something positive for music in schools," he said.
Glass Packaging Forum spokeswoman Lyn Mayes said the competition aimed to raise awareness of the need to recycle, and Class Rap song lyrics related to the recycling and reuse of glass products.
