2016 PREFECTS Back Row: Andrew Mei, Blair Duan, Luke Mercieca, Harrison Dye, Trey Tupu-South, Campbell Dye, Byung Chan Kim, Cooper Green, Leon Thambiran 4th Row: Varun Giridharan, Matthew Bennett, Clark Froude, Mitchell Gemmell, Greg Nimmo, John Jiang, Anthony Ji, Kelby Cai 3rd Row: Ben Julian, Reuben Barr, Ashton Reiser, Angus McKenzie, Scott Telfer, Ashton Howard, Mathew Barry, Andy Yang, Isaac Letoa 2nd Row: Tommy Shiferaw, Ian Chen, Leon Li, Shahid Dawad, Nick Curry, David Qiu, James Abercrombie, Isaiah Lustre Front Row: Greg Vukets, Jordan Te Aukura, Keegan Russell, Mr J Cachopa (Deputy Headmaster), Antoine Ellis (Head Boy), Mr D Ferguson (Headmaster), Daniel Lough, Jun Kim, Jack Pirie FORMAL REPORTS CULTURE & GROUPS Headmaster's Report 2 Enviro Council, Languages Council 106 Head Boy's Report 7 Library, Chinese Night 107 Board of Trustees Report 8 Unicef, Model United Nations 108 High Achievers 9 Westlakes Got Talent, Korean Night 109 Successes at Westlake 12 Staff Hui, Anzac Remembrance 110 Staff 2015 14 Debating 111 Long Serving Staff 18 School Production 112 Year 13 Ball 114 COMMUNITY RELATIONS Pasifika 116 Community Service Group and Charity Council, 117 Community Relations 22 Te Po Whakanui Community Relations Events 24 Art 118 FACULTIES SPORT Art History, Careers 26 Adventure Racing, Waka Ama 126 Commerce 27 Badminton 127 Hauora, ESOL 28 Academy of Sport 128 Drama 29 Dragon Boating, Duke of Edinburgh 129 English 30 Basketball 130 Computing / Digital Technology 31 Cricket 132 Gateway 32 Cycling 135 International 33 Cross Country 136 Languages 34 Football 138 Scholarship, Learner Support 35 Hockey 140 Leadership Camp 36 Golf, Orienteering 142 Mathematics 37 Road Running 143 Maori 38 Lacrosse, Pétanque 144 Music 40 Media Studies 46 Rugby League 145 Peer Mentoring, Peer Tutoring 47 Skiing, Snowboarding 146 Physical Education 48 Sailing, Squash 147 Science 49 Rowing 148 Technology 50 Rugby 150 Design & Visual Communication 52 Swimming 152 Outdoor Education 53 Touch Rugby 153 Social Sciences 54 Tennis 154 Table Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee 155 HOUSES Track and Field 156 Volleyball 158 Pupuke 55 Waterpolo 159 Hood 62 NZ Representatives 160 Smale 69 Sports Teams A-Z 161 Murchison 76 Groups A-Z 194 Stanley 83 Ururoto 90 WW01 97 WESTLAKERS Westlakers Report 196 OVERSEAS TRIPS Westlaker Profiles 198 Trip to China 98 TO FINISH 2016 Australian Student Exchange 99 Editor's Note, Statistics 2015, Property 204 1st XV Rugby Gold Coast Tour 100 Bio Trip to Indonesia 101 Staff Travel Award - David Smale (Second Leg) 102 Trip to France 103 Cricket Tour to South Africa 104 Hawaii Volleyball Tour 105 HEADMASTER'S REPORT Mr D Ferguson welcoming staff and students at Powhiri HEADMASTER’S ANNUAL REPORT Riley Cahill achieved at Outstanding Scholar level and was our FROM SENIOR PRIZEGIVING Proxime Accessit. Riley also secured six Scholarships with three at Outstanding level. He was joined in the top 50 students in the 2016 has been another year to remember for our school and we’re country by Andrew Lee (five Scholarships), Xingrui Henry Li (five looking forward to what’s still to come in the final term. Scholarships) and Jerry Shen, also with five Scholarships. The year started as ever with our academic results from 2015. Kevin Li was the top student in New Zealand for Sculpture in 2015 Our pass rates of 94%, 90% and 94% at Years 11, 12 and 13 and John Jiang was the top English Scholar in New Zealand in 2015, respectively, were once again very strong. Our Year 13 results, in despite being a Year 12 student. George Han is now studying at particular, stood out in 2015. They were our best ever, as were our Harvard. University Entrance pass rates. Nearly all of our students stay for five years now, which is a huge change from 5 or 10 years ago and We were recently visited by an Admissions Officer from Harvard for 94% of them to leave with a Level 3 or equivalent qualification is University. He spoke highly of our school and we should be something we should all be proud of. I am a big believer in all young proud that we were asked to host an information evening for our people staying in high school until they are at the end of Year 13. own students and other schools, where one of the world’s best That said, I also think that schools owe it to their students to keep universities wanted to tell our students all about it. We will also have the curriculum relevant, interesting, diverse and challenging. The visitors from Stanford University with us before the end of the year. breadth of subjects we now have on offer means that we are able It is worth remembering that although we live in a beautiful part of to do that. It will be interesting to see how schools change further the world (and the more I travel, the more I am grateful that I live in the years ahead, perhaps with the lines between high school and here and not anywhere else), we also do live in a very isolated part further education becoming blurred. of the world. I would imagine that most of you will spend most of At the top end, our young men achieved 131 Scholarships, not quite your adult life living in New Zealand, I hope that most of you will as many as in 2014, but still our second best ever and keeping us also spend a significant part of your life in other countries too. I comfortably in the top four schools in New Zealand (three of which encourage you to look beyond New Zealand at some point. It might are boys’ schools), a group that has been stable for five years. For be for your first degree, possibly even for your first job but it might the third year in a row, our English Department achieved more also be for post graduate study or for a job in your 30’s or 40’s. Scholarships than any other school in the country. Congratulations. When you do, you will appreciate what you have here, whilst at the A special mention to Miss Palmer for all of her great work leading same time opening your eyes to other possibilities. In most other the Scholarship Programme. countries, for example, your parents would need to pay a significant amount of money for the education you have. Our remoteness Once again we had a student amongst the very best in New should be a motivator for you to travel. Zealand. George Han achieved six Scholarships including four at Outstanding level. This meant that he was a New Zealand Premier ‘A goal without a plan is just a dream’ - remember that, as you head Scholar and among the top six students in the country. George into the final part of 2016. As I said recently in assembly, when was also our Dux for 2015 and was Top in the World for Cambridge you imagine the day next January when you get your examination Thinking Skills. results, it’s either going to be a memorable day for the right reasons 2 Mr Ferguson, Mike Stanley, James Sclater at new Gym Opening Welcoming new deputy Tom Gordon or the wrong reasons. Only you can do something about it being memorable for the right reasons. For those of you in your final year, it is the culmination of 13 years' worth of effort. It would be a shame if it was a disappointing reflection of your abilities. Plan to succeed, and stick to your plan, and you should be ok. Good luck Gentlemen. SPORT Before I talk about national sports achievements this year, I wanted to talk about the programmes that the vast majority of you are involved in. Only a small proportion of you play premier sport for our school, the vast majority represent the school at different levels and an increasing number of you are getting involved in coaching or officiating. Well done to all students who represented the school at any level this year. In 2017 we are looking at extending our Social Football Programme to include Basketball. In October, we will have a fully Head boy Antoine Ellis with Headmaster renovated old top gym with a brand new floor and basketball Mr Ferguson - Assembly 30 May 2016 facilities, to go with our new top gym. With two top class facilities and a large number of enthusiastic players, coaches and officials, it makes sense to extend the Social Football Programme to include Basketball as well. 2016 has seen us win five premier national titles in Volleyball, Swimming, Cross Country, Badminton and Squash. We are also nationally ranked in the top four in New Zealand, currently in Cricket, Basketball, Rugby League, Football, Touch, Table Tennis, and Ultimate Frisbee. Twelve sports in total. A special mention at this point to Dan Hoy, national Triathlon champion, national Cross Country champion and last weekend 4th in the World Triathlon Championships, at an age group where he will be eligible to compete next year as well. Dan has a bright future ahead of him. FORMAL REPORTS 3 Year 10 House Athletics winners with Mr Ferguson Congratulations to the 1st XV who have had an outstanding season ceremony felt like the resurgence of something powerful within this year. In my 13 years watching the 1st XV here at Westlake, this our school’s Maori Department. We have been delighted, in recent year’s team would rank as the best, and the narrow defeat to eventual weeks, to appoint a second member of the department for 2017. national champions, Mount Albert Grammar School, spoke volumes We will also be offering Maori Performing Arts as a subject next year about the 1st XV’s attitude, commitment and ability this season.