Informer Edition 3 2013 June 2013
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Edition 3 June 2013 Dear Parents and Guardians It is with pleasure that I bring you the third newsletter of the year, in my role as Acting Headmaster for the term, while Mr Lander is overseas on sabbatical leave. We are through eight weeks of the term and what a busy eight weeks it has been. While, as always, the main focus is an academic one, we have successfully navigated our winter sports exchanges, the Road Relay, Arts Week, Fieldays, junior exams, R48 Hour film festival and the Cross Country. Our choir performed well in the ‘Big Sing’ and we gained two top awards in the Chamber Music competition. Arts Week was again a tremendous success and the students will soon begin preparation for the inter-house music competition. 2013 Year 13 Construction class project takes shape – replacement of Rose Cottage Our sporting codes are having great success in their respective winter competitions. The 1st XV, as I write, are unbeaten in the Central North Island competition; while our first Netball team has beaten Wanganui Collegiate, Bethlehem College and the touring All Hallows School team from Brisbane in recent weeks. St Paul’s won the overall fixtures against Wanganui Collegiate; lost narrowly to Tauranga Boys’; won the Lindisfarne College exchange and the Bethlehem College exchange. Our top teams are preparing well for the National Tournament Week to be held in Term 3. 1 The Informer St Paul’s Collegiate School The first Tihoi intake for 2013 graduated last weekend. Proud parents applauded their sons as they regaled us with their accomplishments. The boys that went to Tihoi in February return as young men and we welcome them back. Because of the nature of the school terms this year, we are over half way through the academic year. Benchmark exams, key indicators for NCEA external examination success, are five weeks into Term 3, so it is important that our students maintain their focus and work ethic over the coming break in order to be well prepared for them. Hard work in the next few weeks will reap rich rewards later in November. The students and staff have worked hard over a difficult term and I would like to thank them for supporting me in my role as Acting Headmaster. In particular, my senior leadership team: Mr Rowlands, Mr Gilbert, Mrs Bradford and my Personal Assistant, Miss Purvis, deserve special mention. We look forward to Mr Lander’s return in Term 3 and to the arrival of Mr Robson, our new Deputy Headmaster. Finally, a plug for our production, “Little Shop of Horrors” – Come along and support our talented students in what promises to be yet another outstanding show. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE CHRISTOPHER WHITELEY SELECTED FOR LONDON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE FORUM St Paul’s Collegiate School Year 13 student, Christopher Whiteley, has been awarded the Talented School Students’ Travel Award, which will fund his attendance at the two-week London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF) this coming July. Christopher was selected for the award, which is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand, following his high academic achievements and passion for Science. Thanks to the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Christopher will be able to build on his academic strength by attending LIYSF and CERN. The Talented School Students’ Travel Award covers 80 per cent of the cost needed for the trip, which includes attendance at LIYSF, a few days in Paris discovering world famous attractions and a visit to CERN, the laboratory that discovered the ‘God particle’. At CERN, Christopher will have the opportunity to be a scientist for the day, gaining hands-on experience with advanced equipment that is used to unveil more information about the ‘God particle.’ He will also have the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading scientists who have just had a breakthrough in cancer research, developing an alternative cancer treatment to radiotherapy. 2 The Informer St Paul’s Collegiate School Opportunities like attending the LIYSF and CERN are once in a lifetime openings that extend students’ opportunities in their field. Acting Headmaster, Mr Hampton said, “By the end of his trip Chris could have a clearer understanding of what type of scientist he wants to be and, if he utilises this opportunity correctly, he will have a number of connections that could put him at an advantage for his university and working careers.” An additional four students were also chosen to attend the forum by the Royal Society of New Zealand (from a pool of 200 students). In total, the forum will attract 300 of the world’s leading young scientists from 60 countries. The other four students, based across the whole of New Zealand, include: Sonja Bimler, 17, Wellington East Girls’ College Lixing Wei, 17, Westlake Girls’ High School, Auckland Charles Norton, 17, Nelson College, Nelson Phoebe Scherer, 17, Aquinas College, Tauranga LOVELY DIZON TO ATTEND UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON The New Zealand Model United Nations Conference (NZ Model UN) is the premier Model UN event for high school students in New Zealand. It is a four-day conference where students simulate a real UN assembly and debate issues of actual global relevance. Each year, it attracts some of the countries most motivated and committed young global citizens. NZ Model UN is an event filled with leading keynote speakers and politicians, workshops, engaging debate, as well as an incredible social atmosphere including a formal ball. This year's conference theme is: Looking beyond the Millennium Development Goals. In 2000, the UN set goals that were to be achieved by 2015. With the deadline steadily approaching, it is clear the UN will need to look beyond 2015, and prioritise for the future. NZ Model UN 2013 will have a unique focus on global issues. Delegates will come away from the conference more aware of the issues facing the planet, and with an idea of how youth ingenuity can help solve those issues. NZ Model UN will provide an opportunity for delegates to develop their public speaking skills and fill the shoes of a diplomat. St Paul’s student, Lovely Dizon (Year 13) is one of 240 students chosen to attend this year’s conference to be held in Wellington from 5th – 8th July. Lovely can be proud of her selection. LANGUAGE PERFECT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2013 Our French language students competed in the online ‘Language Perfect World Championships’ and achieved the following excellent results: 69th overall in NZ (out of 230 schools) 143rd overall in French (out of 833 schools) 34th for French in NZ (out of 194 schools) Four students gained Gold Awards (3000+ points) i.e. top 2% of 225,000 French candidates Alex Jackson (8200 points) Non Seehamart (3001 points) Craig Stocker (7000 points) Fiona Thorp (3300 points) 3 The Informer St Paul’s Collegiate School Two students gained Silver Awards (2000+ points) i.e. top 5% of 225,000 French candidates Armarni Irwin (2,046 points) Craig Scott (2151 points) Eight students gained Bronze Awards (1000+ points) i.e. top 10% of 225,000 French candidates Tully Dickson (1533 points) Callum Herbert (1023) Joshua McClay (1019) Jacob Nelson (1025) Harrison Newdick (1011) Ariki Thomson (1234) Daniel Wheeler (1032) Tom Wilson (1031) 17 Students received Credit Awards (500+ points) Jamie Carlson (853) Suvarn Naidoo (538) Jimmy Christey (522) Ben Negus (528) Fintan Cooper (908) Aaron Parkinson (890) Shay Dickson (738) Callum Skelton (555) Connor Egan (555) Hamish Tapp (953) Harri Draper-Kidd (728) Benjamin Wheeler (863) Cameron Fleming (502) Tom Yarrall (622) Jack Gordon (630) Joshua Yee (579) James Hay (519) Students in the Ag Hort class help prepare the garden around the 2011 Leavers’ Gift (water feature) located in the quad 4 The Informer St Paul’s Collegiate School WARM AND MODERN ACCOMMODATION FOR TUTORS BUILT BY THE CONSTRUCTION CLASS This year’s Building and Construction class project at St Paul’s is to build a new house on its Hamilton campus to accommodate four Boarding House tutors. The previous accommodation was very old, draughty and not overly spacious. Demolition of their old living quarters took place late last year. The new house will be comfortable, well insulated and have more space. It will have four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a combined dining, lounge and kitchen area. Ten Year 13 boys and two Year 12 boys have formed St Paul’s construction team this year to take on the build of this house. The boys work just as a building gang would on a building construction site, from the hours of 8am-4pm every Tuesday and Thursday, learning practical building skills and a better understanding of life outside of school. Each boy has been equipped with a new set of tools and apron that they are responsible for and will take them with them when they leave. When they are not on site, the boys are working through the BCITO (Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation) workbooks completing some of the theory required to finish an apprenticeship, along with small practical projects in the workshop to further develop their skills. Building the house from scratch is very much a project completed by the Year 12 and 13 boys under the watchful eye of mentoring building experts within the industry. These experts are made up of St Paul’s Old Collegians, the School’s current and past parents and local companies. Without the tremendous support of these companies and individuals who have generously given time, labour, product and supplies for this project, this valuable programme would not be possible.