The Magazine of the Nelson College Community
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the bulletin December 2014 The Magazine of the Nelson College Community 1 Message from the Headmaster 2014 has been a busy, challenging and eventful year. The College continues to show unprecedented roll growth, strong academic and sporting success and sound financial and commercial development. Our school roll will grow again in 2015, with an anticipated 1266 boys incorporating 1100 MOE funded boys, 50 Internationals and a full Preparatory School of 116. Seismic strengthening work was completed on the Hall in mid-October in time for graduation events and prizegiving. Seismic work on the remaining two classrooms will be completed over the summer. It is pleasing to report that all of our buildings will then have seismic ratings of above 67%, a huge relief for the College. Academic highlights from 2013 include Oliver Coleman, the 2013 Dux receiving the National Subject Scholar award for Biology and our NCEA Level 2 pass rate in 2013 being at 88%, our highest in eight years. Of note is the exceptional achievement rate of our Maori boys with 75% of them leaving the College with a Level 2 qualification compared to the National statistic of 45%. One of the important components of our vision for the co- curricula life of the College has been to raise the profile and performance of Cricket and Football up to the level of Rugby, Volleyball and Basketball. I have been delighted with the quality and sportsmanship exhibited by all of our teams but in particular the 1st XI Football team who won the Nelson Men's Division 1 competition and finished a credible 7th at Nationals beating both MAGS and AGS. Another highlight was the 1st XI cricket team winning the CD Gillette Cup beating Palmerston North BHS. I look forward to watching them in the top six National Tournament at Lincoln University in early December. In the Arts the performance of our Theatre Sports Team (2nd at Nationals) and our individual actors (yet another of our boys qualifying for the National Shakespeare Globe Scholar award) has been outstanding. Music and Art also continue to flourish with some excellent performances and outstanding NCEA results, particularly in Art design. Boarding As Old Boys you have received a number of communications School, the International Department, commercial hireage, throughout the year regarding the review of boarding and catering & all other college owned assets and entities. Whilst the potential future path that it will take. not a trading company, the structures and practices put in place will include the same accountabilities. This has been a difficult and stressful time for all concerned, but be assured that the College is committed to the long Clearly this is a major undertaking for the College and term development and sustainability of Boarding. The closing represents the most significant financial and infrastructure of our boarding division would constitute an unacceptable commitment made by the Board of Trustees since 1939, loss of the College's special character and would be a when Barnicoat and Rutherford were built. complete dislocation from our historical roots. As a consequence we are seeking support from Old Boys, Editor: Gina Fletcher The decisions made by the Board of Trustees concerning initially Barnicoat Old Boys in 2015, to assist us in completing The Bulletin is published by the future have been made with the intention of creating a the work and reducing our borrowing costs. Anchor Print, Nelson viable boarding division with a solid future. My thanks to the 100+ Old Boys who attended the weekend The overall vision and potential timeline have been confirmed reunion during August at the College and to Old Boys who as below: have attended functions at QUAD (Wanganui), Christchurch, Wellington, and Napier throughout the year. • 2015 Barnicoat refurbishment – cost estimates of $2.1 million. Finally I would like to thank the NCOBA Executive for their • 2015-2019 Fell refurbishment (partial annually continued support of me personally and for the College as over 5 years) a whole which has included continued further development • 2016-2018 Conversion of Rutherford into the work on the Museum and the Script, led by David Robertson Preparatory School classrooms, offices and and John Lines. boarding school (timing is dependent on cash I hope you as Old Boys will look at contributing to our future flow and trading surpluses). development and that you are able to take pride in the Cover image: Melville Mirfin The 35 returning Rutherford boys have completed the achievements which have been made at your old school. (1903-06) raised in Ikamatua process of choosing Fell or Barnicoat as their house for 2015 Nga mihi nui on the West Coast and and beyond, and Rutherford as a secondary school students' schooled (boarding) at Nelson boarding house will cease to exist as of 4 December 2014. College, was chosen as the face of New Zealand Post's official All staff associated with the Boarding hostels have been stamp and coin programme, through a restructuring process with their positions being to mark 100 years since New disestablished and new roles and job descriptions put in place. Zealand entered the war. Gary O'Shea MEd (Admin) Photo courtesy of NZ Post. The private divisions of the College will operate as a single Headmaster commercial entity comprising Boarding, the Preparatory 2 The proposed new classroom block, situated between the boiler shed and the Preparatory School will house the Commerce & Business department, the Year 13 Leadership Programme and a senior study facility. Contents Prime Minister John Key 2 From the Headmaster Visits Nelson College Report on the year at Nelson College 3 Nelson College – New Classroom Block Prime Minister Visits Ready for Action 4-5 Board of Trustees Medallion Recipients 6 Old Boys’ Association News 7 Old Boys’ Reunion 2014 8-9 Old Boys – All Go In 2014 10 Good Sports Photo courtesy of The Nelson Mail News and photos on Old Boys John Key speaks with Jake Higgs, left and Jake Shirley at the Gibbons TEC achieving in a variety of sports The last Prime Minister at Nelson College on an official visit was Helen Clark during the 150th Jubilee Celebrations held in 2006, so, it was a great day for 11 Out and About in Brief Nelson College to shine when we hosted PM John Key in August. The boys warmly welcomed the Prime Minister, where he spent time at the Gibbons Trade Books by Old Boys Education Centre and Whare. Because there wasn't time for him to have lunch, he spent 40 minutes talking freely to 15 senior students in a classroom. Mr Key 12 Honours for Old Boys said he would "absolutely, without doubt" have sent his son to Nelson College. 13 WWI Commemorations 2015 Scriptorium/Museum 14 Nelson College Trust Foundation Historic Flag Returned 15 2013/14 Obituaries Rest in Peace to all those who have passed on Ready for Action: Nelson College Theatre Sports students Sean Young, left, Jake Danson, Myer van Gosliga and 16 In Memory - Peter Lamb Louis Laws who finished second in a national competition. Photo courtesy of The Nelson Mail 3 Photo courtesy of The Nelson Mail Sam Fu-Allen finished the Gymsports year as the Marlborough Nelson College 1st XV lock Quinten Strange played for the New Zealand Schools rugby team in matches Champion, Top of the South Champion, Canterbury Champion, against Fiji and Australia, of which both games NZ won. On selection Quinten said it was "special". South Island Champion and the National Champion in floor, parallel bars and pommel. Board of Trustees Medallion Recipients Congratulations to the following boys who were national title holders or New Zealand (or other countries) representatives: Marcus Jones National U63kg Boxing Champion Quinn Chisnall NZ Secondary Schools Junior Reece Walker NZ National MotoX Champion Underwater Hockey Champions Jackson Walker NZ National MotoX Champion Nathan Black NZ Secondary Schools Junior Underwater Hockey Champions Nathan Manuel Fijian National Basketball Team Thomas Marris-Craddock NZ Secondary Schools Junior Joseph Brady National U17 Rowing Double Sculls Underwater Hockey Champions Olly Stephens National U17 Rowing Double Sculls James Mellor NZ Secondary Schools Junior NZ Junior Worlds Representative Underwater Hockey Champions James Anderson NZ Secondary Schools Volleyball Tournament Team Samuel Hopgood NZ Secondary Schools Junior NZ U20 Men's Team & National Club Title Holder Underwater Hockey Champions Harry Fergusson NZ Secondary Schools Volleyball Tournament Team Perry Smith NZ Secondary Schools Junior NZ U20 Menís Team & National Club Title Holder Underwater Hockey Champions Max Clarke 1st in National Senior Science Competition Bryn Anderson NZ Secondary Schools Junior Top Scorer in Bis Science Competition (International) Underwater Hockey Champions Atkin Kaua Solomon Island U19 Football Team Kit Vining NZ U18 Underwater Hockey Team Kevin Obed Solomon Island U19 Football Team Wesley Harris NZ U18 Underwater Hockey Team James Hopgood NZ Secondary Schools Junior Sam Fu-Allen Senior Men's National Gymnastics Champion Underwater Hockey Champions Jesse Forsyth NZ U18 Hockey Team Callum Mason NZ Secondary Schools Junior Underwater Hockey Champions Samuel Hay Represented Canterbury in U18 National Hockey Winning Team Samuel Christian NZ Secondary Schools Junior Underwater Hockey Champions Quinten Strange NZ Secondary School Rugby Team Nicholas Clark NZ Secondary Schools Junior Devon Stove NZ U14 and Under Inline Hockey Team Underwater Hockey Champions Louis Clarke NZ Culinary Champions Gold Medal Winning Team Finn Wilkinson NZ Secondary Schools Junior Chakkapong Klahan NZ Culinary Champions Gold Medal Winning Team Underwater Hockey Champions Keegan Fisher 1st in NZ Language Perfect - Fijian 4 Sean Young's love of theatre and dual portrayal of Othello and Iago has seen him selected to go to the Globe Theatre in London. Photo courtesy of The Nelson Mail Junior World medallist Olly Stephens in the New Zealand Junior Mens Coxless Quad Sculls team who won Bronze at the World Rowing Junior Champs held in Germany.