From the Associate Rector
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Thank you for letting us teach your son.
That is a genuine and heartfelt thank you.
On Friday I found a short respite from the relentless ‘rush’ of the day to sit and write a letter to the people that mean the most to any school - its community and its students. On this particular Friday I had the opportunity to run an assembly that demonstrated how amazing your boys are, and that the feats they are managing are astonishing. During this particular assembly we presented gold medals to two students who attended the National Culinary Finals (for the first time) and were acknowledged as elite chefs amongst a National field of the very best student chefs in the nation.
We then moved on to presenting the Trophy for the Premier Boys Basketball grade to our 1st V. So that would be classed as an outstanding assembly acknowledging outstanding success. But we weren’t done yet.
We went on to present one of our students with an award acknowledging that he had placed in the top 2% of the world in an International Science Competition.
But there is still more.
At this same assembly we presented the 1st XV with two trophies. The first was awarded to them for winning the Highlanders Cup in the Southland/Otago 1st XV competition. The second was the South Island Schools Rugby 1st XV Champion trophy. This award denoted their position as the best boy’s rugby team in the South Island.
And now we head into Tournament week and then into our mid-year exams. To all the parents that have supported a team or a fundraiser to help a team get to their tournament, you have our sincere thanks. To all of the teams - understand this. Do what you can to win. That way, on the days when winning is not a possibility, you will know that it wasn’t through lack of trying. Wear the uniform with pride and remember that you play because you enjoy the game, and the boys you play it with. The moment you forget that, it stops being a game and starts being a burden.
So there is the past and present – now for the future.
Our academic year for Year 11, 12 and 13 is rapidly drawing to an end. As I am writing this, I have 7 weeks left with the senior boys until they head into their NCEA External exams. At this point in the year it is vital that our boys are looking ahead at the remaining assessment opportunities available to them, and analysing pathways that will ensure their success. It is also about this time of the year that our Year 13 students begin to get nostalgic about the great times they have had, and the people that have come in and out of their lives while they have been with us. Many will be experiencing a sensation of excitement and fear that will bring back memories of being a Year 6 student getting ready to leave primary school and start secondary school.
I might stop here and finish the way I started.
Sincerely, thank you for letting us teach your son.
Ray Laurenson
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Winning Woodcut at Mīharo Art Exhibition |
 | | Congratulations to Arley McLaren, Year 8, who is the winner of the Innovation Award in the Secondary School section (7-13) at the Mīharo Art Exhibition 2023.
Arley was acknowledged for his excellent execution of his colour reduction woodcut print. His theme was based on the Aotearoa/New Zealand land wars of the 1860’s. As part of his class focus into this theme Arley gained an understanding of taonga weapons. Well done Arley for your excellent mahi toi.
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International Adventure Racing Debut
Fynn Mitchell, Year 13, has achieved outstanding results in his international adventure racing debut - finishing third-equal in the Nordic Islands Adventure Race! The race was held in the Faroe Islands, about halfway between Iceland and Scotland, and Fynn was invited to compete with the United States team Bend Racing.
Fynn is no stranger to adventure racing, being part of an team called FEAR Youth, who most recently took part in GODZone Fiordland - a technically challenging, week long endurance race of epic proportions. Fynn is also a Prefect, an accomplished sportsman and an inductee to the Southland Boys' High Club for academic excellence.
Read on for more about how he achieved this extraordinary feat:
https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-people/farm-races-adventure-races
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 | | Raymond Xie-Jones, Oshadha Perera, and Benjamin Steininger won the NZAS Excellence in Science Year 11 – 13 award at the 2023 NZAS Southland Science and Technology Fair with their project 'Oxygen In The Waihopai'.
Using titrations they measured dissolved oxygen levels at varying distances from the Waihopai dam and connected their findings to both the science and the impacts on species in the river. The project also received a Silver award for Science and Technology, a Fresh Water award from NIWA, and an Award for Innovative Methodology from ILT.
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Shooting Success
Cody Molloy (left) placed third in the B Grade of the Southland Secondary Schools Smallbore Rifle Shooting, with a score of 176.1. Jacob Pirie placed first in the C Grade, with a score of 174.2.
Outstanding results - congratulations gentlemen!
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Fuel for Schools Donation |
 | | On Thursday 17 August, we received a drum kit package and sports balls totalling $1,500 from Fern NZ as part of their Fuel for Schools programme.
Southland Boys' High School was nominated by local farms who receive bulk fuel deliveries from Fern. With every 100 litres of bulk fuel purchased, 50 cents is donated to their nominated school – us! Thank you so much for nominating Southland Boys' High School. The music and sports departments are thrilled with their new items.
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International Writing SuccessCongratulations to Year 13 student Oshadha Perera for his many achievements in recent writing competitions. (Pictured here with an award for placing in the top 2% internationally in the 2023 Sustainable Oceans Student Competition.)
Oshadha is a prolific writer who enters competitions because of his love of the written word. Even with his busy school schedule, as well as a part-time job, Oshadha still makes time to create poetry and short stories as well as entering them in competitions across the world. | |  |
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Earlier this year, Oshadha entered the International Guernsey Literary Festival Poetry Competition and got 3rd overall, as well as getting Highly Commended for an Australian poetry competition - the Calanthe Collective Prize for Unpublished Poetry. Recently, Oshadha placed 1st in the MANHIRE Challenge of the Wellington Writers Walk Competition, 3rd in the Dunedin Library’s Poetry on the Edge competition and was a Runner Up for the National School’s Poetry award. For this competition, he was flown to Wellington for a weekend with the other finalists, attended poetry workshops and met prominent authors.
Southland Boys’ High School is immensely proud to have this young man as a student, prefect, and role model, and we look forward to seeing other works written by him in the future.
Read one of Oshadha's poems here:
https://schoolspoetryaward.co.nz/2023/08/01/how-to-dream-oshadha-perera/ |
Junior Production - Elf The Musical |
In collaboration with Southland Girls' High School, this years Junior Production is Elf Jr, based on the Christmas comedy film starring Will Ferrell. It promises to be a funny, festive frolic and will be great entertainment!
To find out more, students should visit www.sbhssghsproduction.weebly.com for information about the show, the characters, the music and the auditions. Registrations are now open for auditions, which take place in a fortnight. If students want further information, the website also contains Mr Buick's contact details. |
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Recent News
South Island Schools Rugby 1st XV Champions
South Island Rugby Champions! | |  |
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Inductees to the Southland Boys' High School Club
Congratulations to the 14 inductees to the Southland Boys’ High School Club for 2022. | |  |
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Basketball Champions
Premiership Winners in the Secondary Schools League! | |  |
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Gold Medal Winning Chefs
Gold at the National Secondary School Culinary Challenge! | |  |
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Chess Power Tournament
Qualification for the national chess tournamant in Auckland! | |  |
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Bronze Award for Dimensions
Dimensions were awarded a Bronze medal at the recently held New Zealand Choral Federation's Big Sing Cadenza. | |  |
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A Dinner for Scott
A Dinner for Scott - an evening of celebration and fundraising in remembrance of Scott Richardson. | |  |
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Aubrey Page - An Entrepreneur In Action
Aubrey Page, Year 13, founder of Eco-Smile and winner of the 2022 Young Enterprise Company of the Year, recently attended the Entrepreneurs in Action event in Wellington. | |  |
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