December Newsletter

From the Associate Rector

Kia ora whānau and welcome to the end of the academic year for 2023. This is a perfect time to talk about, and celebrate, the successes of the people within the school. However, first I would like to share my thoughts on what boys’ schools should focus on.

Boys MUST find an interest.
Grow the interest into a passion.
Turn the passion into mastery.
Use mastery to find success.

A boy needs to find a ‘peg to hang his hat on.’

At Southland Boys’ High School we strive to offer a range of possibilities both inside and outside the classroom, the purpose being to help boys find an ‘interest’. We then seek to put as much support as we can into turning the interest into a passion and then the passion into mastery. If we can manage this then each of our graduates will walk out of this school with one simple thing that will set them up for life – a love of what they do. This year the boys of this school have shown their mastery at the highest level and across an amazingly diverse field of pursuits.

2023, the year when:

Oshadha was finally crowned as Dux of the school.
5 Legion badges were earned by Year 9 academics.
15 Level 3 Academic Caps were awarded.
4 Academic Gold Caps were earned.
34 National Champions were crowned.

That is a staggering list and one that I and this school are very proud of, but it is not the way I want to finish this year. This year I will finish with a thank you.

Yesterday I was invited by a Year 7 student to take part in a mathematics competition called a Zoom. In this competition you stand with your back to the whiteboard while someone writes an equation on it, then you turn around and quickly try to solve the equation before your opponent does. This was heaps of fun and I would like to thank William for inviting me to be part of this. I would also like to thank William for reminding me that I am terrible at mathematics and the thrashing he gave me will ensure that I do not forget that.

So 2023 – the year when everyone did amazing things, except for Laurenson who still struggles at mathematics!
 
Merry Christmas!

Ray Laurenson
Associate Rector

Prizegiving Ceremony 2023

Our prizegiving ceremony was held at the Civic Theatre on Thursday 7 December - a wonderful celebration of the years' achievements and triumphs.

A full gallery is linked below. To download photos, please use PIN #: 6224

Amendment - Prizegiving 2023

An error was made when this year's prizegiving list was generated which led to six Year 11 students receiving Merit Awards rather than the Excellence awards they had duly earned. These boys will be presented with their correct awards at the start of the 2024 academic year.

Congratulations go to:

Zephyr Jackson
Tom Gray
William Paris
Ajay Smith
Tom Smith 
Michael Crean

Blues Awards 2023

On Thursday 30 November, the Blues Awards were presented. The Blues Awards celebrates the success of our sporting and cultural high achievers.

A full gallery is linked below. To download photos, please use PIN #: 9260

National Athletics Championships

Congratulations to Cody Lawson, Jakob Voorkamp, and James McLeay who competed at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Track & Field Championships, held in Christchurch over the weekend.

Cody Lawson - NZ Champion!
1st Junior 200m - 22.60 sec
4th Junior 400m - 52.03 sec
7th Junior 100m

Jakob Voorkamp
3rd Junior 300m Hurdles - 52.03 sec
6th Junior 100m Hurdles - 15.47 sec

James McLeay
9th 1500m - 4.01

Year 8 Market Day

After weeks of learning about decision making, production, marketing, finances and advertising, the Year 8 boys set up their stalls and produced the most successful Market Day to date, raising an incredible $4109.60 for the Invercargill Cancer Society, Southland Charity Hospital and Talk Peach.

Thank you to the pupils and teachers from Waihopai, Windsor North and Southland Boys' High School, and all our parents for your support. Well done whānau!

Starting Dates 2024

Our starting dates for 2024 and the stationery requirements are now on the website:

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