Lent term: Week 4 News 29th January 2021

A note from the Headmaster

It was a joy to see boarders snowballing and building snowmen on the school lawn last Sunday – a reminder of the importance for boys to be able to let off steam outdoors, which is more important than ever, given the restrictions that lockdown has imposed on us.

Next week is Mental Health Week and we are encouraging all the boys to take time away from their screens and do something creative, indoors or outdoors, in line with our “Express yourself” theme. The options for creativity are boundless and we ask that boys take a photo or two of their endeavours and share them with their tutor and tutor group for discussion during the week. The Rotary competitions are also a great chance for our boys to submit some of their creative work for a prize. Of course, there is so much creative endeavour going on already, as this week’s newsletter shows. I loved the first edition of The Happy Times; well done to the Wye Dean boys!

Top stories SNOW BLANKETS MONMOUTH AND BRIGHTENS UP THE DAILY EXERCISE

Snowfall lent a particularly picturesque look to the school site last weekend and the crisp downfall certainly brightened up the views on everyone's daily exercise. Whether it was snowball fights at Chapel House or a frosty run on the Kymin, it was yet another reminder of what a lovely part of the world Monmouth is in. OLD MONMOTHIAN PICKED FOR ’ SIX NATIONS SQUAD Former Monmouth schoolboy, Hallam Amos, has been picked in Wales’ rugby squad for this sea- son’s Six Nations campaign. The former Head Boy at is among the 36-man squad selected by Wales head coach, Wayne Pivac. Hallam, 26, has scored six tries in 22 appearances for Wales since making his full international debut on the wing versus Tonga in November 2013. “We are absolutely delighted that Hallam has been picked in the squad to represent Wales in this season’s Six Nations championship,” said Headmaster at Monmouth School for Boys, Mr Simon Dorman. “Hallam is a wonderful ambassador for the school, an inspira- tion to our boys, and we cannot wait to follow his progress and to cheer him on. We wish him and the Wales squad the very best of luck.” The Old Monmothian is also studying medicine at University School of Medicine. The versatile player, who can slot in at full-back, wing or centre, has plenty of Test experience and will be hoping to add to his caps. Hallam’s last appearance for Wales was against New Zealand when he scored his side’s opening try in their World Cup bronze medal match defeat in Japan in November 2019. Wales begin this season’s championship at home to Ireland on Sunday 7th February (3pm kick-off) Hallam, who hails from Cross Ash, made his professional debut, aged 17, for against Wasps in the Anglo-Welsh Cup in October 2011. He was selected as a member of Wales’ Rugby Sevens squad for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast. MATHS CHALLENGE SUCCESS In November, 41 students from year 12 and 13 at Monmouth School Sixth Form, (together with Kit in year 11) sat the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge. The UKMT Challenge papers encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems, all of which are designed to make students think. They are all recognised as a mark of mathematical thinking by Universities. This year due to the Welsh lockdown all the pupils had the added challenge of taking this online. Of the 41 pupils, 12 received a Gold certificate, 14 Silver and 9 Bronze. Gold Emma C, Charles G, Ally L, Janice L, Iain L, Rose L, Martin P, Robin S, Kit S Claire T, Carys W and Vivian Z.

Silver Edward B, Nick C, Jonah H, Hinson H, Sabrina P, Joshua M, Che T, Maria T, Zebedee B, Rhys H, Edward K, Ben R, Teddy S, Lillian Z,

Bronze Ethan C, James C-S, Dickson L, Hazel L, Nicole L, Simran S, Jodie T, Roy W and Nerys Y.

Robin S achieved ‘Best in School’, and along with Kit S and Charles G they took part in the tough British Math- ematical Olympiad Round. All three boys successfully achieved a Merit Certificate.

Emma C, Carys W, Ally L, Rose L and Martin P qualified for the follow-on ‘Kangaroo’ round, with Rose L achieving a Merit certificate. All of these are fantastic achievements.

Example question from the Senior Mathematical Challenge, answers later in this newsletter. Finally we have some results from last academic year but, due to the pandemic, we only received the results just before Christmas.

Back in March, just before Lockdown, Kit S and John Z had a gruelling two hour paper having qualified for the follow-on Olympiad rounds from the Intermediate Maths Challenge back in February. 11 others qualified for the follow-on ‘Kangaroo’ round.

Both John and Kit received Merit certificates, which considering they were among the top 600 students in each of their age group is a fantastic achievement. The results of the Kangaroo papers were as follows:

Grey Kangaroo Alex H - Merit Pink Kangaroo Iain L - Merit, Isaac W-M -Merit

We now look ahead to the next round of the Intermediate challenge on the 3rd February.

Example question from the Senior Mathematical challenge, answers later in this newsletter. GOOD NEWS PAPER BRINGS SOME CHEER Well done to the boys in Wyedean for their latest edition of the Happy Times, which was sent out to the school community this week. The paper was set up last year by the boys in WyeDean and it has its own editorial group, who collect good news stories from our school community, locally, nationally and internationally, with the intention of spreading a little happiness. They also include puzzles and quizzes. Due to lockdown, this Michaelmas edition was a little later than planned, but the boys were determined to get it done. This edition includes some really helpful Health and Wellbeing pointers and also handy links for pupils who are, once again, remote learning. Well done to all involved. Michaelmas Issue #3 2020-2021 THE HAPPY TIMES THE WYEDEAN HAPPY NEWSPAPER. BRINGING SMILES TO YOUR FACES.

Alec Scales

First Iron Man with down syndrome New World Record!

Clocking in at 16 hours; 46 minutes; nine seconds (just 14 minutes shy of the 17-hour cutoff time), triathlete Chris Nikic didn’t finish with the fastest time when he recently completed his first Iron Man race—but he did set a new world record.

This past Saturday, after swimming Left: Sam Badcock getting ready for home learning Right: Sleep in fundraiser event 2.4 miles, the 21-year-old Floridian cycled 112 miles, and then ran a 26.2-mile marathon to become the first competitor with Down’s Bobby Edwards Syndrome to successfully cross the finish line in the 42-year history of Badcock Beats Cancer the Iron Man Race. “You have shattered barriers while This Terms Best Story proving without a doubt that Recently Sam Badcock from the photo he is taking anything is possible,” tweeted the official Ironman Triathlon miraculously beat cancer his school work very Organization. “We are beyond after a year of radio and seriously dressed in his inspired, and your accomplishment chemo therapies. His doctor school uniform as he works is a defining moment in Ironman history that can never be taken told him this roughly at the from home. Thank you for away from you.” beginning of the half term. your support for our Sleep For his awe-inspiring efforts, Nikic Soon Sam will be returning in event for Sam, which also earned himself a place in the to school in January. I hope raised over £3400 for Guinness Book of World Records as the first person with Down’s you will be looking forward Southampton Hospital's Syndrome to become an official to Sam coming back. Sam is Children's ward and for all Iron Man. working remotely from of your prayers and kind With hopes of competing in the home and as you can see wishes. 2022 Special Olympics scheduled on his home turf in Orlando, it Alec Scales looks as if Chris Nikic has plenty of big dreams yet to come true. ‘Free letters for friends feeling blue’ As for that medal he won for In the face of worry over the coronavirus pandemic and all the stress it completing one of the world’s most has placed on New Yorkers, a Brooklyn-based performance artist and grueling triathlons? He gifted it to English professor Brandon Woolf came up with the idea of reviving the his loving mom. letter-writing tradition to reach out and comfort one another. Knowing that people have lost loved ones, jobs and businesses, and given up simple pleasures like hugs from a friend, Woolf began to ponder how to help people make meaningful connections. Using a vintage portable typewriter and seated on a folding chair alongside a mailbox, his sign says, “Free Letters for Friends Feeling Blue.” Woolf spent several hours, a few days a week for four weeks, typing letters for his Park Slope, Brooklyn neighbors. The 37-year-old New York University teacher dubbed his “post-dramatic” While helping with his laces moments before his street performance “The Console”—short for consolation. run, Nik Nikic told his son he was "almost an “Let’s not mourn our mailboxes, Maligned As vessels of civic futility,” he Ironman" wrote on Facebook in a poem, as a project manifesto. By the project’s end, Woolf had typed more than 50 missives. C ontributing Editors We would also like to thank Dylan Contributing Editors and Bobby Edwards Allman, Miss Fowler, anyone that helped Alec Scales us with research and writing and all of our Other People Kopano Matli previous editors

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TEACHER AND LEGENDARY COACH WHO INSPIRED HUNDREDS OF ROWERS

John Hartland (second left) with his children Kate Callaghan (left) and Nick Hartland (far right) and rowing coach Robin Williams during a schools’ event in 2012 A former schoolteacher and coach, who inspired hundreds of children to take up rowing in Monmouth and beyond, has died at the age of 84.

John Hartland was Master in Charge of Rowing at Monmouth School for Boys from 1964 to 1996 and founded Monmouth School for Girls Rowing Club in 1992. Mr Hartland, who died on Wednesday 20th January, four days short of his 85th birthday, was primarily one of the school’s two PE teachers, with Economics as his second subject. He was also a past Housemaster of Town House. As head of , Mr Hartland, who was widely respected, led the rowing team to the 1986 Common- wealth Games in Glasgow. His daughter, Mrs Kate Callaghan, is the current Head of Rowing at Monmouth School for Girls.

In March 2019, former Great Britain rower Annabel Vernon, who won a silver medal with the women’s quad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, unveiled a new Haberdashers’ John Hartland Hudson VIII boat. Annabel was the special guest as current and former rowers at Monmouth School for Girls gathered in honour of Mr Hartland to share countless memories and stories of their mentor. Mr Hartland’s wife, Ann Hartland, christened a fabulous new John W Hartland boat, in honour of her husband, at Monmouth School for Boys Rowing Club a month later, in April 2019.

Mrs Callaghan said: “Dad spent nearly the whole of his life messing about on the river as a rower and coach, something brought home to us when we recently found a little cup dated 1948, engraved with his name as a cox, which he won at Southampton Regatta as a 12-year-old. “Once he got the rowing bug after following his brother Brent to Southampton ARC, it became his lifelong passion, going on to row at Loughborough University before moving to Hereford with our mum Ann, where he coached at Whitecross School and rowed at Hereford RC, and then Monmouth School for Boys where he was Master in Charge of Rowing, before later founding Monmouth School for Girls Rowing Club.”

Mr Hartland served as chairman of , where he helped acquire the current boathouse in 1969 and drove the successful Lottery application to extend the club in 1996 and as regatta secretary, where he helped turn the event into the biggest one-day regatta in the UK in its heyday. He was a divisional rep on the old ARA, chairman of the Welsh Rowing Council, a driving force in establishing the Home Countries Regatta.

The John Hartland Trophy donated by Welsh Rowing in 2018 is now competed for by the junior men’s teams. His son, Nick Hartland, a local journalist, passionate rower and an ambassador for the sport, said: “Me, Kate and Jim were among the hundreds, perhaps thousands, he taught to row. But while some of his charges went on to win world and even Olympic medals, he took just as much pleasure in teaching the less able among us to learn how to enjoy the pleasure of simply moving a boat. The Wye flowed through his veins and his influence will flow on for many years to come.” COMPETITIONS ANNOUNCED FOR WRITERS, ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS Budding writers, artists, photographers and environmentalists at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in a new competition.

The youth competitions are aimed at young people from the Monmouth area, aged from 7 to 17 years old, and the tasks are challenging and fun. They are being organised by Rotary Monmouth and the competitions offer cash prizes for the leading candidates, who will also be recognised at a presentation event. Young Writer A maximum of 550 words for prose entries and up to 40 lines for poetry entries. Juniors: School Years 4-6: A Walk in the Woods. Intermediate: School Years 7-9: Lockdown & Me. Senior: School Years 10-12: Lives & Livelihoods. For full details, please email: [email protected]

Young Artist One finished two-dimensional work up to A2 unframed based upon the theme “Autumn Colours”. Junior: School Years 4-6. Intermediate: School Years 7-9. Senior: School Years 10-12. For full details, please email: [email protected]

Young Photographer A portfolio of three photographs based upon the theme 'Around Monmouth' in colour or black and white. Junior: School Years 4-6. Intermediate: School Years 7-9. Senior: School Years 10-12. For full details, please email: [email protected]

Young Environmentalist A project on the theme of ‘Climate Change/Carbon Reduction’ as it relates to their school environment. Students in the older age group should explore and develop new concepts other than those regularly reported in the popular press.

For full details, please email: [email protected]

For more details, please visit the Youth Competitions 2021 page: www.monmouthrotaryclub.com COMING UP - NEXT WEEK IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK Next week is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week and this year's theme is Express Yourself.

We will be asking pupils to take part in activities throughout the week via tutors but also when they are off-screen and doing what makes them happy.

Whatever medium they use to express themselves, we want them to create a photo montage or a short video which they can share with their peers.

Expressing yourself is about finding ways to share feelings, thoughts, or ideas, through creativity. This could be through art, music, writing and poetry, dance and drama, photography and film, and doing activities that make you feel good. It is important to remember that being able to express yourself is not about being the best at something or putting on a performance for others. It is about finding a way to show who you are, and how you see the world, that can help you feel good about yourself.

“celebrate your uniqueness” “collaborate better, build a community”“Communicating your individuality” “relieve yourself of stress and free your mind” “Showcase your true self”

THIS WEEK'S 'MUSIC MOMENT'

This week's music moment is ‘Cello Suite no 2 in D Minor by JS Bach, played by Mathis in the Jardins du Palais-Royal, Paris Please click on the picture to watch the video.

ANSWERS TO THE SENIOR MATHS CHALLENGE QUESTIONS

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