The prizes were presented to the school at assembly last week.
The competition was held during New Zealand Music Month (May) and encouraged schools to stage and film themselves performing music by Kiwi artists.
A winner was selected each week during the month and Waihi School was selected as the final week’s winner.
They sent in various performances ranging from a kapa haka performance of Ko Te Whirika and Rona to a group guitar cover of Aotearoa Music Awards winner Kaylee Bell’s Boots n All.
They were also the only school from the South Island to be named a winner this year.
Waihi school director of music Al Bradley said the competition was a great way to educate pupils on New Zealand music.
"Every week as we’re leading up to it we get the whole school, certain acts or the band to do a performance at assembly.
"We spend that whole month in our music classes learning about New Zealand music, they’re not really exposed to it because mainstream radio doesn’t play as much New Zealand music.
"A lot of the kids, they’re not sure who actually is a New Zealand music artist and who’s not.
"So, at the start of the month we say, right, name some New Zealand music and you’ll have people say Ed Sheeran.
"Our job is to educate them and then they learn all about who actually is a New Zealand music artist.
"I think Kaylee Bell was a very popular one this year. She’d just done her tour and she’d been into our school and spoke to the children the year before, which was really good."
He said Waihi was a very strong school when it came to music.
"I think out of the 125 students we have now, about 95 learn a musical instrument of some sort.
"It’s just great that we’ve got a school headmaster and board that are so supportive despite the government saying about cutting back on arts in schools.
"I think the school here is really pushing the arts to find what works for each child, which is our ‘Waihi Why’ and music’s a big part of that."
For winning the competition the school received a large JBL bluetooth speaker, a microphone stand, a pair of Sennheiser headphones and a pair of wireless microphones all donated by Harvey Norman.
Mr Bradley said he was stoked to win the prizes but it was more about just taking part.
"The goods that we’ve won will actually really help around the whole school.
"It’s great that Harvey Norman sponsor something like this and it’s really a win-win, putting the kids on stage and getting them performing throughout New Zealand Music Month.
"[The prizes] are just an added bonus and whether we’d won it or not, it’s just fun to be part of the competition and to actually send things away to the Music Commission and show them we’re really passionate about New Zealand music here at Waihi."
Harvey Norman Timaru proprietor Abrar Shaikh said it was a pleasure to be involved in the competition.
"This year we did it differently. Every weekend we had a team member in store wearing [a music month shirt] to represent the music month.
"There is no favouritism or bias on who wins, it’s purely based on the talent and that’s what we want to support.
"When they win the prizes they keep pushing more, you want to encourage the kids in the school to get behind it.
"When something like this happens, it feels pretty special and I think that’s what we want to do.
"Just make a positive impact on how people look at life or do things."
Mr Bradley encouraged more schools around South Canterbury to get involved in the competition next year.
"I hope more schools do get involved and if any schools do want to know how to get involved, I’m more than happy to help show them how.
"The biggest thing is getting more people aware.
"Imagine if every school would have New Zealand music being performed over May. This competition is the little carrot hanging there for people to do it."
