2022 Boarding Awards

Our 2022 Boarding Awards recognise our standout students, celebrating their service to their Houses at a special dinner on Thursday 15 September.

Our Rutherford Cup winners – Richard Harnett (Flower’s House), Jake Abbiss (School House), and William Simpson (Richards House) – have been recognised for making a difference in their Houses through their citizenship and service.

The leadership of Jack Smith (School House), Tom Hodges (Flower’s House), and Jamie Maling (Richards House) has also been acknowledged with Head of Boarding Awards.

Our Boarding Programme Awards have been won by Archie Nijjar (Flower’s House), Nick McQuilkin (School House), and Ethan Crilly (Richards House), while Will Studholme (School House) has been recognised with the Agriculture Cup.

CCOBA President – and Richards House Old Boy – Angus Dysart-Paul spoke at the dinner, challenging the boys to be confident in all their endeavours, and also appreciate their time as a College boarder.

Next year, Lachie Short (Flower’s House) will be Head of Boarding while Ed Davidson (Flower’s House) will be Head Prefect of College.

House Dinners

It was a pleasure to join two House Dinners at the end of last term and fantastic to learn that all three Houses were well supported by parents. Post-Covid-19, it was great to have everyone back together, supporting the boys and House staff. There were plenty of hugs and laughs as the communities reunited – following the enforced break of the past few years – to celebrate the success of the boys in the individual Houses.

Year 13 Leavers

Thank you to all our Year 13 boys. This group has made a great contribution to the Houses and the wider boarding community throughout their time at College. When they started in 2018, I got to know most of them when they began prep in the library as Year 9s. This year, the leadership provided by Jack Smith – as Head of Boarding – through a disrupted start to the year, followed by the return to normality in the latter part, has been great. He has been ably supported by the three Heads of House – Richard Harnett, Scott Gregan, and Jake Abbiss.

Student cars

As several parents of seniors will be aware, there has been a spate of vandalism attacks on boarding students’ cars parked in, and around, Armagh Street. In the short term, the boys have been able to park their vehicles in the staff car park and around the Quad overnight. However, as you will understand, this has to be a short-term measure, as we need those spaces for staff. We have been encouraging the boys – for the protection of their own vehicles – to consider leaving their cars at city residences that may be owned by the family, or alternatively, with local family or friends. We have explained to the boys that they may need to talk to their parents about the best approach to keeping their vehicles safe while at Christ’s College.

Taste of home in Flower's House

Flower's House has hosted a taste of home with its 'Bring Dinner from the Farm' night.

Josh Pettit supplied the flour while Ben Donaldson provided the lamb, which was slow-roasted with a pomegranate glaze, and Beau Armstrong brought the venison and then proved to be a master chef on the barbecue.

Ed Davidson created the Crunchie bar ice cream while the rhubarb was provided by Ben, pavlova by Jackson Flint, and sushi by Luke Kim. The mint dressing came via the House garden.

International Cultures' Festival

Food and performances from around the world were features of the first International Cultures’ Festival, held by the Christ’s College boarding community on 18 October.

Head of International Kevin Chiang says it is a great opportunity to expand into the boarding community and expose people to different cultures.

Mei Staples, a Richards House mother, single-handedly organised this wonderful event with lots of community assistance. The festival has been such a success that 2023 Head of International & Round Square Luke Kim intends to hold the event again next year.

What's for dinner?

View the Dining Hall menu produced by the talented team at Spotless.

Re-examine the importance of commitment

In a few days, classes will have finished for our Years 12–13 students. First and foremost, I commend them on persevering in probably our hardest year of the pandemic. While we never had to close, there was a lot of disruption from both student and staff illness. Despite this, the boys have made it through the year.

All is not done yet. The examination period is exceptionally important, particularly because of the past disruption. Last year’s lockdown undoubtedly impacted on motivation and momentum during the NCEA examinations. Boys who should have, by all accounts, sailed into university decided not to attend or attempt examinations, which resulted in some roadblocks on their post-school pathway. At this time, it would be tempting to take the easy path and opt out of certain assessments. While the system may allow this, it is not something we endorse.

Rather, I put forth the wero (challenge) to the boys to up their focus and determination in these final weeks. Make the most of study leave. Your teachers are available during normal class times for assistance. Have a plan and stick to it. Reorganise class notes into graphic organisers, outlines or mind maps to embed the information. Discuss ideas and details with friends. Do past papers. Now is the time to show what you can do and I have every faith that with the right work ethic, you can all achieve at your best in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, I look forward to celebrating the boys’ achievements so far this year on Friday. They are numerous and a testament to the amazing young men that make up the College community. Go well boys.

Reflecting on the spiritual centre of our community

Tēnā koutou katoa.
Peace to you all in the name of God.

This week, we prepare for the departure of our senior students on study and exam leave. The Leavers’ Chapel Service for Year 13 and other leavers concludes their school year this Friday. We do, of course, welcome all students and supporters of College to Carols on the Quad on Thursday December 1 at 6pm.

Last Friday, when nine of the 10 Houses were in Chapel, we made a point of acknowledging the gathering as the final all-year group service. Chapel Prefect Yusef Elnahas and Head of Chapel Choir James Griffin shared some reflections on what Chapel and the gathered community meant to them.

“It's very weird to think that this is our last time all together here in Chapel. For we Year 13s, it is the last school Chapel service we will ever go to as school students and, to be completely honest, one thing I can tell you now, while most of you won’t believe me until you’re in my position in Year 13 about to leave school, is that I value these times in Chapel hugely,” James reflected.

Yusef continued: “To me, the Chapel is a place of community. On the first day of Year 9 back in 2018, the Chapel was where I was officially welcomed to College. Since then, Chapel has been one of those few places where the whole school gets together, whether it be in celebration, reflection or commiseration. As well as welcoming the future of College, the Chapel is also a place of acknowledging our Old Boys, like those named in the gallery.

“To me, it is a place where we recognise the diversity of faith in our community but also come together in the values that we all share. There’s no doubt that, as we venture out into the wider world, this building and everything it embodies will remain one of the most memorable things about our school.”

I wish to acknowledge the leadership of the choir by James and all the student leaders in 2022, and especially Harry Vincent and Yusef Elnahas as Chapel Prefects for their shepherding of the shepherd this year.

All our students who put their time, resource, and talent to the service of others leave me feeling grateful to parents, caregivers, teachers and, of course, the boys themselves at this time of year.

Yours in Christ,
The Rev'd Cameron Pickering

The bee’s knees of food wraps

A group of Year 10 Commerce students – collectively known as Beeswaxzilla – is selling beeswax wraps.

Richards House student Luke Edmonds – along with Daniel Robertson (Jacobs) and Samuel Belcher (Somes) – says they have created a product that is environmentally friendly – including the packaging – and locally sourced.

“Our Beeswaxzilla wraps are very versatile and perfect for covering food or wrapping a sandwich to take to school,” he says. “They also make a great gift.

“We want to sell an item that is useful and helpful, competitively priced, and does not have a negative impact on our environment. It is also an ideal opportunity for us to learn more about building and marketing a positive business.”

Find out what all the buzz is about below.

CHRIST'S COLLEGE & CCOBA EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE

Christ's College CareerWise

All Years 11–13 boys – along with parents – are urged to subscribe to the College CareerWise site. Regular posts focus on news and events. Click here to subscribe.

University of Otago information (other universities will be similar)

• November – Apply for ‘free fees’ on the website
• November – Boys need to sit external exams, regardless of credits already gained
• 10 December – Deadline to submit subjects for 2023 study
• 1 February 2023 (approx) – Further accommodation payment, $4000–$8000
• 10 February 2023 – Tuition fees required

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.

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.

Exam preparation

Check out the NCEA resources to help attain the best grades and prepare for upcoming internals and externals – resources for NCEA.

Health Sciences/Biomed

MoneyHub has published a new guide to help students attending the University of Auckland or University of Otago, who plan to study Health Sciences/Biomed. Click here.

Student Jobs Guide

For those 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 work. For more information, go to MoneyHub.

Mainfreight – Summer Work Experience Programme

Mainfreight offers a paid Summer Work Experience Programme for people seeking practical skills and opportunities. This can lead to a new career and may suit those studying Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Mathematics or Statistics. For more information, go to the Mainfreight website to apply.

Mainfreight Careers NZ
Mainfreight School Leavers
Mainfreight Join Our Team (application page)

University of Melbourne

Requirements for those considering tertiary study in Melbourne: Level 3 English, and, for those wanting to study either Biomedicine, or Science or Commerce, you must take Mathematics Calculus at Level 3. The university does not accept other English-rich subjects from Level 3.

Architecture – Bachelor of Design (major in architecture)
Law – Any undergraduate degree, leading to Juris Doctor (three years)
Medicine – Any undergraduate degree, leading to Doctor of Medicine (four years)

College Diploma Year 11

College will hold a six-day, career-focused programme for Year 11 students in the last two weeks of Term 4. It will include visits to Lincoln University, Ara, and UC, along with industry site visits and guest speakers at College. It is a great way to end their 2022 Diploma programme, in readiness for Year 12.

University study – having a Plan B

As boys leave College, they are generally confident about their study or career decisions. However, some may opt to change direction during their study. For example, we recommend that students who enrol in Health Sciences First Year have an alternative plan in place in case they do not get into their preferred degree programme.

It is not uncommon for students enrolling in Engineering (Computer Engineering) and changing to a BSc (Computer Science).

St George’s University School of Medicine – UK and Grenada

In Term 3, we had a visit from a representative of St George’s University School of Medicine. Following on from that, some boys registered for an online presentation during the recent holidays. Years 11–12 boys showed some interest.

Below is an email I have received from St George’s University School of Medicine:

For those students who are still undecided or who would like a guaranteed study path leading to an MD in medicine and an international career, (or a back-up plan), St George's School of Medicine is another option.

"An interview with a St George’s graduate surgeon
We recently held an online presentation with Dr Austin Enright, a SGU graduate and surgeon who is working in Hawke's Bay. He gave a very thorough and honest overview of his experience. This covered his time spent studying at both SGU campuses – UK and Grenada – and his clinical rotations in the final two years in New York, the UK and Canada. He also discussed his career path and what his typical working week looked like as a doctor practising in New Zealand. His presentation would be interesting for all students considering medicine, no matter where they end up studying. Please note that his slide presentation starts about four minutes in and it will be good to watch this on a computer screen to have a good view.”

You can check out the presentation here.

Upper: public and private space

We have much to thank those who planned Christ’s College when it first moved to a piece of the Government Domain. Upper has been an integral part of College since its tussock days. Its very location means that it is both a public and private space.

A private space where interhouse events can be held.

Where skills learnt in class can be practised.

A place where the public and the private can come together.

And a space where we can respond to the community.

It is a green space that has nurtured many generations of boys. They can see it from their classroom windows and spill out onto it during lunchtime. Biologists have counted its inhabitants and spectators have been stunned by a final score. With a field space of about 11.9 hectares, it has been in the thick of College life since the beginning.