End-of-year prize-giving update

To end the year on a positive note, here is the celebrations schedule, including live-stream and recorded links:

• Julius House Prize-giving Tuesday 9 November, 3.45pm live-stream
• Jacobs House Prize-giving Tuesday 9 November, 5pm live-stream
• Flower's House Prize-giving Tuesday 9 November, 6.15pm live-stream
• Richards House Prize-giving Tuesday 9 November, 7.30pm live-stream
• Senior Prize-giving Thursday 11 November, 1.30pm live-stream
  
• Leavers’ Chapel Service Thursday 11 November, 3pm live-stream
• Junior Prize-giving Thursday 2 December, 11am live-stream
• Festival of Lessons and Carols (previously Carols on the Quad) recorded

Senior prize-giving – Thursday 11 November (uniform of the day – suits)

8.45am	House roll calls
9am	Period 1
9.55am	Period 2
10.45am	Morning break
11.05am	Period 3
12pm	Period 4 – Rehearsal for prize winners in the Assembly Hall
12.50pm	Years 9–10 finish for the day
1.30pm	Senior Prize-giving and final Assembly (Assembly Hall) – Years 11–13 students only
2.45pm	Years 11–12 go on exam leave
3pm	Year 13 Leavers’ Chapel Service (Chapel) – Year 13 students only
3.30pm	Year 13 on exam leave

Last day of classes for Years 9–10

Monday 22 November

Canterbury Ministry of Education Teacher-Only Day

Tuesday 23 November (no classes)

Year 9 Camp and Year 10 Service Programmes

24–26 November and 29 November–1 December.
These programmes will be held.

Junior Prize-giving – NEW date Thursday 2 December

Because of the cancellation of Carols on the Quad, we have changed the Junior Prize-giving date.

Thursday 2 December – Junior Prize-giving (uniform of the day – suits)

All boys are to be at College by 10am. No classes on Thursday.

10am	Rehearsal for Prize Winners in the Assembly Hall
10.30am	House roll calls
11am	Junior Prize-giving (Chapel) – Years 9–10 students only
12pm	End of school year for Years 9–10 (Please note some cricket games will take place on Saturday 4 December)

Carols on the Quad – Sunday 5 December – cancelled

We are sorry to advise that because of Covid-19 Alert Levels, Carols on the Quad has been cancelled. However, we will record the Chapel Choir singing a Festival of Lessons and Carols and send the link to you so that you can enjoy our boys at their best.

Leavers’ Ball – Saturday 11 December – cancelled

Unfortunately, the Leavers' Ball has been cancelled.

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Boarding Awards

The Annual Boarding Awards Dinner was held this week, acknowledging stand-out students.

The award winners were:

Most Promising Year 11 Agricultural Student
Beau Armstrong (Flower's House)

Most Active Boarders in the Boarding Programme
Willie Ryan (Flower's House), Oscar Talbot (Richards House), Benji Nation (School House)

Head of Boarding Awards
Awarded to boys who, in the eyes of their Housemasters, have stood out, either throughout the year or in a specific activity during the year.
Michael Li (Richards House), Barnaby Middleton (Flower's House), Louis Elworthy (School House)

Rutherford Cups
Awarded to one boy in each boarding House who has made a difference this year, based on citizenship and service in their House.
Gus Orr (School House), William Simpson (Richards House), Jack Martin (Flower's House)

Overall Boarding House Cup
Flower's House

Head of Boarding for 2022
Jack Smith (School House)

NZQA examinations

As you will be aware, the NZQA examinations have been pushed back until Tuesday 14 December because of Covid-19. Boarding accommodation will remain open for the boys sitting those examinations. Please talk to your son about their plans and whether this will have an impact on those in Years 11–13. It is important to note that College closes from Friday 3 December, with teachers unlikely to be available on the school site. However, they may be available remotely. As it will be the school holidays, we plan to bring the boys into Jacobs House. Housemasters will talk to the boys about their plans within the next week.

Farewell Year 13s

As we approach the last week of classes, I want to thank the Year 13 students. In my role, I have been able to observe the work of the three teams of senior students in their various Houses. They have all ‘stepped up’ this year through their leadership and support of their House and the House staff. In varying degrees, they have helped mentor and guide the younger boys, particularly the Year 9s. I want to acknowledge Henry Briscoe, Sam Hadley, Nathan McKenzie and Louis Elworthy for leading the boarding community and their Houses well throughout the year. They have provided me and the boarding Housemasters with advice and feedback on those things they believe we are doing well, alongside feedback on possible areas for improvement. Good luck for your exams and your future path beyond College.

Claire Nicolson

Claire Nicolson has been appointed Deputy Housemaster of School House. Claire joins School House from Harper House, where she has been Deputy Housemaster. Prior to arriving at College, she was the Head of House at Nayland College. Claire teaches English at College, and also is the Master-in-Charge of volleyball. Claire’s enthusiasm for life and dedication to the students will be a wonderful addition to School House staff.

What's for dinner?

Click here to view the Dining Hall menu produced by the talented team at Spotless.

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Final weeks bring exams into focus

It is hard to believe, but the last week of senior classes is upon us. Students have received their instructions regarding exams and are officially on study leave after prize-giving on Thursday. A reminder that teachers remain available during class time next week for study help, but the ball is very much in the boys’ court now. We are here to support them, should they so choose. All the best to the boys as they head into the exam season.

With that, our junior students will be left to complete their last few weeks of learning. It is a great opportunity to show their focus and desire to be at their best. It is easy to feel it does not matter when we get this close to the end of the year, but it is important that we all try to reinforce the message that every day helps prepare those boys for future learnings. It is a testament to their character that they do not take the start of senior exams as a sign to wind down, but rather a sign to work towards an end-of-year peak.

On the note of things coming to a close, a brief administrative reminder. Years 11–13 are asked to return library books before study leave. Any resources needed for study can be scanned on a school photocopying machine to have in a digital format. Most departments have deposited digital resources on Schoolbox. Junior students should return their books before they start camp or service week. Books that are not returned will be billed to accounts after the close of the school year, so it is best to avoid charges and get those books back.

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Have you ever wanted to DJ like Skrillex, Wilkinson, Flume or Fisher?

Do you want to produce electronic music that makes thousands of people dance?

Do you want to be the go-to DnB DJ at the best parties?

If the answer is ‘yes’, our Contemporary Music Holiday Programme is for you, and it will be delivered by one half of festival favourite Pirapus – and Young Old Boy – George Murray.

George – a teacher and music industry specialist – helps power Pirapus, a successful Drum and Bass DJ duo with a growing fanbase at festivals around New Zealand and the winner of George FM’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Pirapus has also achieved more than 300,000 streams across music platforms.

Start from scratch and learn everything about the electronic music scene – from how to do your first DJ mix to creating songs and talking to promoters and getting your first gig.

George works with all skill levels – from beginner to advanced DJs – teaching a wide variety of electronic music genres, from House to Drum and Bass.

If you want to be a DJ and produce ground-breaking electronic music, sign up today.

Details:

15–18 December
Four-day camp, 10am–2pm
Venue – Christ’s College Music Block
Cost – $360

To register your interest, contact Nolan Hungerford – 021 246 6526 or nhungerford@christscollege.com

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Take care of your health

At College, our health and wellbeing approach encompasses the physical, emotional, spiritual, social and behavioural dimensions of health. Given that we are coming into a busy time – and one that often leads to stress, pressure and feeling overwhelmed – let’s pause and focus on the dimensions of health that we can control.

Is there something physical you can do daily to look after your body? It could be a short walk or drinking more water. Is there something you can do to evoke positive feelings? It could be reading a book, or catching up with a friend. Is there something spiritual you can focus on? It could be a positive affirmation or focusing on something you are grateful for or appreciate. Is there a helpful behaviour/action you can do to stay calm in times of stress? It could be singing or listening to your favourite music. These are things within our control.

By focusing on what we can control and accepting what we cannot, it allows time for our brain to switch on the soothing system – the system that helps us in times of stress and to keep going when things get difficult.

The following tool helps us focus and to put things into perspective.

Take time for yourself
Ask for help
Keep a gratitude journal
Express how you feel

Continue daily tasks and routines
Activities – do things you enjoy
Re-set your goals to suit the situation
Eat well

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Hay fever (mate hei) season

Hay fever (mate hei) – an inflammation of the lining of your nose and eyes because of an allergy – is common in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Also known as allergic rhinitis, it is caused when cells in the lining of your nose and eyes come into contact with an allergen, and histamine is released causing inflammation. The most common trigger is grass pollen. However, other allergens can also cause hay fever.

Types

Seasonal – Symptoms happen at certain times of the year, e.g. spring, when wind-borne pollen is prevalent.
Perennial – Symptoms occur at any time of the year, with dust mites and domestic pets the most common causes.

Symptoms – These can be annoying and may include sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, watery, itchy, red and puffy eyes, an itchy throat, mouth or nose, blocked, itchy or aching ears, an irritated or itchy throat, loss of smell, a headache, and lethargy and fatigue.

Management – Avoid allergens if possible.

Treatment – Medicines and allergen immunotherapy (AIT).

If your son suffers from hay fever, medicines to treat and/or help prevent the condition are available from your doctor or pharmacy. These can be effective in reducing symptoms and may include antihistamines such as Loratadine or Cetirizine, antihistamine nasal sprays, medicated or non-medicated eye drops and combination products such as an antihistamine and a decongestant. If your son requires any of these medicines, please ensure that he takes the recommended/prescribed dose for the best results.

It is important to note that hay fever can make asthma worse and more difficult to control. If your son also has asthma, a seasonal check-up with his GP may be helpful.

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Spiritual hub in time of change

After a term – extended because of Covid-19 – the seniors are heading off for final exam preparation and external examinations. Plans and traditions are being altered and adapted to fit with our new context of a global pandemic. Farewells and endings are not what we expected – for the leavers, and for me.

Our leavers will be heading off to new chapters – different, for many, from what they may have visualised even a few years ago. We are all challenged to drill down to what we really want, and express and live this in ways that may be different to earlier plans and ideas.

We are all needing to (re)discover our foundations, our values, our deepest yearnings and hopes. Spirituality is the term we often use for this drilling of a well which goes deeper than those surface actions that Covid-19 is now requiring us to change. We draw from this well what will quench our thirst and irrigate what we hope to grow in our lives.

As we change what we do, and how we do it, we can draw on who we are. All this is a strong reminder that I am a human being – not just human doing.

Creativity, flexibility, adaptability – these are all to the fore.

The motto of a group of monks can help us in this journey. Over many decades, I have been intrigued and inspired by Carthusian monks (I am one of the few people on the planet who has been inside a Carthusian monastery). The motto of the Carthusians is Stat crux dum volvitur orbis, Latin for “The Cross is steady while the world turns”. Their metaphor is encouraging us, and challenging us, to find Christ as a hub in our uncertain, ever-changing lives.

T.S. Eliot provides the same challenge and consolation in his Burnt Norton, the first of his epic Four Quartets, when he spoke of “the still point of the turning world. ... at the still point, there the dance is”.

And one of the very ancient Christian prayers, shared by Roman Catholics and Anglicans (and more than 13 centuries old) seeks that –

“in all the changes and chances
of this uncertain world,
our hearts may surely there be fixed
where true joys are to be found”.

In my experience, the young men at Christ’s College are very adept at this centring and flexibility. They are doing remarkably in these uncertain times. And they are stunningly supported for this.

The Christ’s College Lesson

Over some time, the Executive Principal, Garth Wynne, has been encouraging me to choose a passage from the Bible as a Christ’s College Bible Lesson which can be used on special occasions – just as we have a Christ’s College Prayer. Last term, we decided on the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). It is represented by one of our most recently installed Chapel windows. Had it not been for Covid-19, this Lesson would have been “launched” in Chapel, and reflected on for several services. I have been preparing a small pamphlet to mull over this parable of Jesus. And, as this Chapel series is not possible, it is my intention to produce a video about this that staff, students, and whānau can reflect on in your own time.

Yours in Christ,

Bosco Peters

Chaplain

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Upcoming careers dates

10 December	UC applications to enrol due
10 December	Victoria University of Wellington applications due

Christ's College CareerWise

The Christ’s College careers website, CareerWise, is a rich source of information about all things related to careers. Check it out and sign up for weekly alerts here.

Leaving School magazine

Leaving School is published three times a year, and is available online and in paper form. It is available from the Careers room and has been distributed around the Houses.

University study – Having a Plan B

As boys leave College, they are usually confident in their study or career decisions. However, in some cases, they may opt to change direction during, or at the end of, their first year of study. There are many options available, leading in varied directions. Deciding to change is perfectly understandable and acceptable.

StudyLink – student loans and allowances

If boys intend to apply for a student loan or allowance, they need to register and apply online through StudyLink. As this process can take time, it is best to get under way sooner rather than later.

Student Jobs Guide

Many students will be looking for a summer job. MoneyHub has produced a comprehensive Student Jobs Guide, with tips on how to make an application and where to look for student jobs. For more information, go to MoneyHub.

CATE – Careers and Transition Education NZ

CATE is the professional organisation of New Zealand careers advisors. Click the link to access parent resources – or check out the career topics below:

Talking to teens about careers.pdf
Helping teens make career decisions..pdf
Tertiary education pathways and training opportunities (1).pdf

School Leavers' Tool Kit

For information on financial support for tertiary education, moving out of home, taking care of myself and others or getting a job, click here.

2021 leaver statistics

Below are the statistics – as of November 2021 – for College boys leaving at the end of the year, with 83% intending to study at tertiary institutions next year and 17% planning to either work or do an apprenticeship.

The following percentages apply to those attending tertiary institutions in 2022 and their intended place of study (107/127).

40% University of Canterbury
23% University of Otago
11% University of Auckland
10% Lincoln University
7% Victoria University of Wellington
3% Australian/USA universities
2% Massey University
2% Polytechnics – Ara/Otago Polytechnic
1% AUT
1% Defence Forces

Of the 2021 leavers attending tertiary institutions in 2022, the following percentages indicate the intended areas of study.

23% Commerce/Commerce & Law/Commerce & Science
15% Science/Science & Law
11% Arts (BA)/Arts & Law/Criminal Justice/Global Studies
11% Engineering
9% Design/Product Design/Architecture/Landscape Arch/Naval Arch
7% Health Sciences
5% Bachelor Arts & Science
5% Sport Coaching/Management/Development
4% Agriculture – BAg/BAg Sci/Dipl Agriculture
4% Music
3% Property
2% Communications
1% Army

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More digitisation

The archives have reported on the gradual digitisation of photographs in the collection. This not only decreases the wear and tear on the originals, but also enables them to be accessed more easily.

A recent batch digitised by New Zealand Micrographic Services means that the earliest known rowing photograph is now available. Taken in 1919, it shows the 1st Rowing IV in their blazers and caps with their coach, Mr Ayres. The teams were associated with the Canterbury Rowing Club at this time, and only eight boys were able to participate.

Back Row L-R: Norman Douglas Cox (2835), Mr Ayres (coach), William George Turnbull (3213)
Front Row L-R: Neil Paterson Manning (2454) Alexander Iain Macdonald (3051) Kenneth Hugh Hargreaves (2799)

Swimming photographs are scarce in the collection, so this one of the 1947 team is one of four that has been able to be digitised.

Back Row L-R: William Francis Watson (5454), John Compton Tothill (5450), Michael Muir Andrews (5277), Andreas Christian Iversen (5590), Henry John Espiner (5402), Peter Gray Hill (5417)
Middle Row L-R: Graham Henry Wardell (5452), Charles Herbert Speight (5271), Geoffrey William Smith (5353), Richard Holmes Harris (5315)
Front Row L-R: Denys Ralph William Holden (5589), Duncan Stanley Buchanan (5473), Richard Stewart Scott (5445), John Murray Gray Osborne (5607)

This team was chosen from the results of the School Swimming Sports to represent College in the Inter-School Swimming Sports. The results were varied. First placing went to Geoffrey William Smith (5353), who was first in the senior 100 yards backstroke, and Henry John Espiner (5402), who was first in the intermediate 66 2/3 yards backstroke.

Again, the scarcity of photographs in the collection meant that only three athletics teams were able to be digitised. This 1934 group was photographed in the running strip by Old Boy Steffano Francis Paulovitch Webb (1678), who had a thriving photography business.

Back row L-R: Peregrine Makepeace Buchanan Matson (4217), Anthony Adair Gower Reid McMaster (4405), Alfred Wedderburn Bishop (4305), George Burns Spiers (4279), Hendry Bruce Hay (4092), Alan Tutton Johns (4176), Desmond Field Hancock (4164,) John Ronald Scott Orbell (4302), Walter Raymond (4349), Henry Ward Allison (4304), Anthony Monsarrat West West-Watson (4292)

Middle Row L-R: Mark Graham Somerville (4198), Robert Reuel Livingstone (3999) Robert Edward Alexander (4054), Robert Courtney Webb (4134), Keeley Selwyn Jameson (captain 4094), Thomas Drummond James Holderness (4172), Arthur Gordon Harper (4167), Ian Douglas Bell (4059), George Thomas Kain (4252)

Front Row L-R: Paul Luxton Molineaux (4408), JM Hansen (4166), Heath Thurlow Thompson (4437), Charles Edward Climie (4310), Ngarangiwhakaupoko Tutaki (4443), Richard Basil Taylor (4369)

Next on the list for digitisation are the shooting and choir photographs, so watch out for information next year.

Architectural Drawings of Christ's College

Architectural Drawings of Christ's College by Sir Miles Warren + Alec Bruce (Quentin Wilson Publishing), $45, is now available. Order your copy here.

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CHRIST'S COLLEGE EVENTS

16 – 20 November	Fame Jr BOOK NOW
Sunday 21 November	Thanksgiving Service for Rev. Bosco Peters – Postponed until Sunday 6 March 2022

CCOBA EVENTS

19 NOVEMBER	Christchurch Long Lunch BOOK NOW
25 NOVEMBER	Christchurch YOBs BOOK NOW
18–20 February 2022	Reunion Weekend BOOK NOW

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