Network Issue 105 June 2023

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ISSUE 105

Network Celebrating Collegians and the St Paul’s community

stpauls.school.nz Collegians John Heskett (left) and Riley Chick (right). Photo supplied by Kaipaki Dairies

Sustainability at forefront for Kaipaki Dairies

LIFESAVING WORK FOR 20 13 HEAD GIRL JESS REILLY PIONEER S OF THE NETWORK MAGAZINE KATE LITTLEJOHN HANGS UP HER OAR AND PICKS UP HER NETBALL SHOES

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Headmaster Ben Skeen

Headmaster’s Pen Issue 105 June 2023

Collegians: 07 957 8805 collegians@stpauls.school.nz www.community.stpauls.school.nz Marketing Office: marketing@stpauls.school.nz St Paul’s Collegiate School Private Bag 3069, Waikato Mail Centre Hamilton 3240, New Zealand

Contributors: Suzanne Miller Andrea Douglas Kalena Finlayson Hayley Yorke Morgan Mackenzie Melissa Good Nerroly Hay

Cover Photo: Collegians John Heskett (left) and Riley Chick (right). Photo supplied by Kaipaki Dairies Photographers: Morgan Mackenzie Andrew Constable Mark Hamilton

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s educators and/or parents across the world can attest, it is likely that at some stage the question “What are you fighting for?” will be directed towards a young person in their care.

Naturally, differences in perspective, and subsequently disagreement and tension, are often central to the human experience. However, rather than focusing on a reflection regarding perspectives, communication, and conflict (albeit each worthy topics for discussion) I wish to examine a re-worked question - “What is worth fighting for?”

At St Paul’s we stand for a rigorous academic education: a myriad of courses and programmes encompassing a variety of curriculum strands (subjects), differentiated to recognise the variability of learners who are attempting to access the topic material. Such an education must be measured by robust assessment that provides challenge and accountability and must be underpinned by a school-wide focus on upholding academic knowledge (long held concepts and content) that young people should acquire alongside (and often before) exercising skills in inquiry-based learning. We fight for academic standards and teachers who teach.

As a school, we also champion the place of extracurricular participation and performance pathways. Our DNA is wrapped up in students playing at least two sports for the school across a calendar year. We want young people off the couch and off devices, instead being physically active and interacting with a number of their peers who may not be in their house, or academic classes, or friend group, but none-the-less become a team-mate. Participating, and thus acquiring new technical and tactical skills, accompanied by meaningful competitions to measure one’s ability to apply such skills under pressure, is emphasised on our campuses.

We fight for active teenagers, teamwork and healthy competition.

Our philosophy with respect to extra-curricular involvement is far greater than the sporting domain.

Performing arts opportunities are, and will continue to be, central to the St Paul’s experience. The challenge and pure joy of learning a musical instrument, of pitching one’s vocal range in unison with others, and/or of joining an ensemble and creating a stirring rendition

of a masterpiece or upbeat number - each of these are experiences that we wish for our students. We want young people to feel the thrill of the stage and to evoke the emotions of an audience through acting, or debating, or performing together as a storyline, articulate argument, or expression of cultural pride, is whole-heartly shared. We are passionate about the existence of buildings, such as our new Art Block, where young women and men gravitate to both create and explore creativity. We fight for the arts and a generation of young people who will be grounded in culture expression and appreciation.

Fighting solely in pursuit of one’s own development and interest is short of the holistic experience we seek for all members of our school community. Around here we believe that fighting for equity sits at the heart of the Christian message, and thus our educational experience. The call to serve with love, available to all students, in particular via a number of our school service programmes stands as testament to the way of life we espouse. Activating lunchtime activities at a local primary school, entertaining residents at St Joan’s Rest Home, distributing food provisions at The Serve, leading fun after-school experiences as part of the regional refugee resettlement programme, and supporting the incredible efforts of Flame Cambodia, are all part of what we do. We fight for acquiring a deeper knowledge of the Gospel message and then the manifestation of that good news through generous acts of service.

In the pages that follow I encourage readers to enjoy other good news; countless stories of endeavour, contribution and success achieved by members of the St Paul’s community. Worthy of special recognition are the unparalleled accomplishments of 2022 Dux and Deputy Head Girl Joanna Li. Joanna’s successes as an assiduous scholar, energetic senior student leader and as a role model who embodied grace and generosity in all settings, positions her as an outstanding example of possibilities becoming reality. We remain incredibly proud of her.

A St Paul’s educational philosophy, including the challenge, the struggle, the fight, call it whatever you want; we accept it, we stand and champion it, we believe its worthy of investing in.

- Headmaster Ben Skeen

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Welcome Message

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John and Riley

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Sustainability at core of business for Kaipaki Dairies

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ollegians John Heskett (Hall 20052009) and Riley Chick (Sargood 2010-2014) are proud to own gamechanging agribusiness, Kaipaki Dairies. It’s a total end-to-end production, processing, bottling, and refilling business on a local Waikato dairy farm, with sustainability at the forefront of every industry decision.

Kaipaki Dairies install barista taps and refill stations in various businesses around the country, negating the need for individual bottles in large-scale consumption industries.

Currently, Kaipaki Dairies supply milk and barista taps to cafes, and this year will see over 14 hotels using the refill stations. They are well-known regulars at all gourmet produce markets around the Waikato, and their steady supply of loyal customers keeps two million plastic bottles out of circulation annually.

The inception of Kaipaki Dairies began when John stumbled across an asset sale online.

After market research, John believed there was a demand for local milk products, but he also uncovered a much bigger problem: plastic wastage in the hospitality sector.

This discovery led him to the next arm of the business, installing barista taps and refill stations. John created a preliminary design that would see Kaipaki Dairies install a small, refillable vat with their milk product, and in turn, the customer would receive a sustainable product with far less clutter behind the counter.

“I’m so grateful to the local cafes who bought into the Kaipaki Dairies vision early on. Our partnerships have allowed significant growth within a short time, and we are constantly looking for mutually beneficial ways to improve our processes,” says John.

Barista tap at a local cafe

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Kaipaki Dairies barista tap

Having the product and customers somewhat lined up, John reached out to long-time friend Riley, who grew up on a dairy farm, to see if he would be interested in a 50/50 partnership in Kaipaki Dairies. Riley handed in his resignation to his then-employer 48 hours later. They both saw the potential in growing a local brand with a distinct flavour that regulars would become accustomed to. The rest is history.

One of the Kaipaki Dairies trucks

The duo are fearless in implementing new technology to make the business more efficient. Their latest purchase, the batch pasteuriser, has taken a typical eight-hour pasteurising job down to around one hour through a continuous sanitising system.

Although they now have the capital to improve processing, John and Riley encountered a brutal beginning to their new venture. The day after they launched Kaipaki Dairies in August 2021, New Zealand went into a Level 4 lockdown. With only 24 hours of operating time under their belt, they received no financial assistance from the government and had to ride out the harsh pandemic restrictions. John and Riley persevered with strict rules to ensure Kaipaki Dairies would be worth the investment; there was to be no unnecessary expenditure and no salaries for the foreseeable future.

Fast forward 19 months, Kaipaki Dairies employs 12 staff, including farmers, accountants, truck drivers, administrators, and marketers. They forecast to have over 25 employees by the end of the year.

Reflecting on their years at St Paul’s Collegiate School, John and Riley agree the school taught them resilience, and despite being placed in the low band classes, they take this experience in their stride and encourage others to refrain from letting classroom grading determine their future.

Riley’s main advice: “There’s never a good time to start a business - you’ve just gotta start!”

John and Riley with Kaipaki Dairies fresh bottled milk

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Robert at 2023 Grandparents’ Day with Nick, Max and Caitlin

Remembering Robert Walters Collegian, Fellow, donor and all-round great guy

Robert’s school masters had a huge influence on his later philosophy on life. They set high standards and expectations that Robert has applied ever since in both his business practices and personal life.

Grandparents’ Day 2023

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here are many titles that Robert Walters is known by: Dad, Grandad, husband, Collegian, St Paul’s Fellow, farmer, donor and all-round great guy.

Robert’s life is woven through the history of St Paul’s with three generations of his family in Williams House and many other family members involved in the School.

While at St Paul’s, Robert enjoyed his involvement in both rugby and tennis and played for the second XV. In 1970, Robert entered the workforce with what he believed were no great academic endorsements but an ability and a real desire to learn. He had also developed into a well-rounded individual with a drive to achieve that was stronger than most.

Farming was in Robert’s blood. He initially share-milked with his brother, Trevor (Williams 1970 – 1971). Robert leased farms, built up his stock numbers and then in 1978, he brought his first farm. Over time, Robert owned many farms in the Ōtorohanga area and at times milked over 1,000 cows a day.

Robert Walters came to St Paul’s Collegiate School in 1968 from rural from Maihiihi School near Ōtorohanga.

Never one to sit still, Robert diversified and set up an agricultural contracting firm in 1989, which undertook agricultural, section and roading developments, hay and silage work, groundwork and cropping.

He was a reluctant addition to the St Paul’s community; his father, Frank, sent him to boarding school to help Robert develop self-discipline and motivational tools. Robert quickly accepted that this place he had been sent to wasn’t as bad as he had first thought and he thrived on the sense of community and camaraderie of boarding life.

But life for Robert has not been without adversity. Robert was widowed at age 29 when his wife of nine years, Colleen, passed away. They had four young children and Robert was responsible for them. Being on his own did not deter him in his role as father but instead it made fatherhood more important; he ensured he was an integral part of his

children’s lives. Robert became Chairman of Maihiihi Primary School, a school of 120 students, when Tomorrow’s Schools just started. The role helped ignite his passion for education to provide opportunities for young people to learn.

When it came time for his own children’s secondary schooling, there was only one option for his boys - St Paul’s. Robert saw that opportunity as a privilege and reward and he was very proud of their impressive individual and collective successes. Son, Peter (Williams 1990 – 1994) was Deputy Head of Williams House and a full School Prefect; Christopher (Williams 1994 – 1998) was Head of Williams House and a full School Prefect; daughter Michelle (Harington 1999 – 2000) was Head of Harington House and a full School Prefect; while his other daughter, Rachael was the Dux of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, while also being a full School Prefect.

But Robert didn’t sit on the sidelines during his children’s high school education; he decided to give something back to a school that he believed had made a real difference to his life. In April 1995, he joined the Board.

It was at a time when the school were making some big financial decisions including that ‘the school must grow or go backward’. A $7.5m loan was sought to extend the Chapel, build a new Science block, Student Centre, Technology Block and develop the student houses at Tihoi.

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Robert in Williams House with some of his currently enrolled grandchildren Caitlin, Nick and Max

1970 Williams House

Robert Walters

Over the first five years of Robert’s tenure on the Board, the School roll grew from 470 to 640. In the middle of 2004, Robert stepped down as a Board member after having made a huge impact on the school. His peers commented that his practical, no nonsense, down to earth input in decision-making was particularly invaluable. A real team man, Robert had a feel for what a boarding family wanted and of the high education expectations a student should receive from St Paul’s.

Amazingly, given how busy Robert was with family, business and school governance duties, he still found ways to serve his community.

He had a leadership role in the National Party, chaired Federated Farmers and was a committee member of the New Zealand Dairy Company. He also chaired the Otorohanga Community Trust Board for eight years. In recent years, Robert was a crucial member of the School’s Capital Campaign Cabinet. His passion for St Paul’s has been very clear to his fellow committee members.

Robert Walters has been an amazing supporter and advocate for St Paul’s. Not only did he send his own children to the school but he financially sponsored a number of other students to have the same opportunity.

For over a decade, he played a key role in the governance of St Paul’s and actively worked to set it on an exciting pathway of redevelopment and growth.

Robert firmly believes, “That St Paul’s does not owe me as much as I owe it.” Past Headmaster Grant Lander (2010 – 2021) believes it is the other way around. He says, “Robert is a humble, self-made man who has overcome adversity and exhibits many of the important traits of a ‘man of good character’ that we strive to promote within our students.”

Robert passed away peacefully at Waikato Hospital, on Friday 2 June 2023 and is remembered as a Dearly loved partner in life to Delwyn. Proud and devoted father to Peter, Rachel, Chris and Michelle, stepdad to Jason and Nathan. Robert was an adored Grandad and a loyal and selfless friend to many.

Click the link below to watch a video showcasing Robert and the wider Walters family at the 2023 Grandparents’ Day:

vimeo.com/832488105?share=copy

Nick, Robert, Caitlin and Peter Walters

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Jess at Mercy James Children’s Hospital in Malawi

Life saving work for 2013 Head Girl Jess Reilly

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t’s been ten years since the 2013 Head Girl, Jess Reilly (Harington 2011-2013) left St Paul’s. After studying to be a doctor, including a stint in Malawi and Middlemore, she has made her way back to Waikato.

Jess’s original life-saving job was as a surf lifesaver. For ten years she scanned the beaches from Raglan to Piha searching for people who were out of their depth and in need of help. It was great training for her current job as a registrar at Waikato Hospital.

She had to learn to think quickly, stay calm and manage stressful situations while helping scared people.

School friend and work colleague at Waikato Hospital, Shani Fernando

Jess came to St Paul’s in Year 11 with a desire to be pushed academically in preparation for medical school. And she was all in when it came to St Paul’s. She says, “While at St Paul’s I got to do what I love and be involved

with as many things as I could. I played for the Girls First XI Football team, sang in the choir and joined the production.” A highlight for Jess was playing Audrey in The Little Shop of Horrors during her Year 13. “It was out of my comfort zone, but I loved it.” She also squeezed in time to join a rock band called Bermuda Square as the vocalist. The band went to Smokefree Rockquest and won the peoples’ choice award.

Jess made key connections during her three years at St Paul’s. The Head Girl in 2011, Lizzie Wilson, also studied medicine at Auckland University and was instrumental in helping Jess through the grueling first year of pre-med by giving sound advice and support. Lizzie wasn’t the only St Paul’s person to help during that tough year. “That first year was high stress” says Jess. “I did not feel confident that I would get in to second year even though I

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Jess at Smokefree Rockquest

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Little Shop of Horrors actors Jordan Davies and Jess in 2013

2013 Girls’First XI Football team

was working so hard. Part way through the year, I went to visit Mr Lander (Headmaster 2010 – 2021) and I sat on his porch and had a ‘doom and gloom’ discussion about how tough it was and about my doubts. He was so confident for me; it was one of those turningconversations that gave me confidence.”

Jess made it into second year medical school and then some. After three years in Auckland, she did a year in each of Hamilton, Auckland and Taranaki hospitals before going to Southern Africa to do a placement in pediatric surgery and women’s delivery at a Malawi hospital. “Malawi is an amazing county with high levels of deprivation, but people were so happy and relaxed.” Working there was a catalyst to Jess choosing to work in a high intensity area and she began her first year out of medical school at Middlemore Hospital.

In 2021, Jess returned to the Waikato with a goal to specialise in pediatric surgery; Malawi

had cemented the desire. Jess has completed two years as a house officer and worked as a surgical registrar at Waikato. She is currently working in adult general surgery broadening her exposure as she works towards her longterm goal.

A typical day for Jess involves hitting the gym at 5:00 am, then the study books at 6:30 am before starting work at 7:30 am. Added to those long days, she works weekends and nights when required. Her favourite part of the day is being the theatre – “definitely”. She says, “I really love surgery. It’s methodical and yet flexible and I enjoy dealing with the anatomy. It is a really satisfying way to help people; you remove their problem and see them the next day and they are so much better.” I also love the tactile hands-on aspect and the diversity of the job. There are rounds, consults, theatre and at times, I get to travel to smaller locations to help people in clinics.”

Jess still draws on the lessons from her surf lifesaving days. “Even a familiar case can take you by surprise and it’s good to stay calm, assess the options, back-up options and think quickly on your feet.”

She has wise words for the next generation of St Paul’s graduates. “The hard work is always worth it if you are passionate about what you are doing. Alongside this, make sure you’re maintaining a rounded lifestyle that aligns with your values. Have a goal but be prepared to morph the pathway to it as needed when life inevitably changes.”

Jess acknowledges her parents’ influence in her life. Her father, Mike Reilly was one of her biggest supporters (and coach of the Girls’ First XI Football team). Mike passed away on 29 May 2023.

Jess and friends in Harington Day House in 2013

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Opportunities do not happen by themselves

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arlier this year, Gary Schofield (Hall 1970 - 1974) was contacted by the United States Air Force commissioning a 75-year commemorative painting (1948 – 2023). Gary, a writer, television producer, artist, composer and musician, previously painted the ‘Pentagon Full Honours Ceremony’ for display in the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes. Prints of the art are presented to the USA’s militarily allied countries. Gary also painted the ‘Pentagon September The 11th’ and the ‘Congressional Medal of Honour’ paintings for the Pentagon.

The president of the US Air Force Honour Guard had seen Gary’s paintings at the Pentagon, some of which are square metres in size, and requested that Gary paint the 75th commemorative piece. Gary says, “The Chief of Operations wanted a painting to reflect diversity.” Gary had female Airman First Class Norwood (centre left) and the Airman First Class of the Honour Guard Drill Team pose to make it possible for Gary to include diversity in the painting.

Air Force Painting

“I chose the Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team as the central theme. Yes, they really do throw those bayonets into the air and at each other in a spectacular and breath-taking display.” Each individual in the painting is an accurate depiction of a particular Air Force Airman and Airman First Class Norwood. The background is Mount Rushmore, the plane is a Raptor F22 and the USAF icon, on the left, is from 1948.

“It took me years to realise that we know and remember great works of art because of where they are; they are in important, usually royal or governmental, collections and make a great statement for your creativity.”

Gary has a great piece of advice. “Life does not come to you and offer you wonderful commissions and opportunities. You have to tirelessly and relentlessly (amid much rejection) seek those out for yourself. In my case, this commission actually began decades ago when I was signing my work at the Pentagon. I had written on the battle of Iwo Jima from the New Zealand perspective of Gallipoli and created my Iwo Jima painting and prints. Navy Captain Dorothy E Schott, USN, as if in a Hollywood movie, took me to the US Secretary of Defence’s Office and said, ‘We have found the man we have been looking

The Pentagon September 11 Painting

for,’ to work on International Preventive Defence, a Clinton era military policy that utilised international diplomacy.”

Force administration building will be named in his honour which is a very rare occurrence to have anything named after a living person.

In June 2023, Gary attended the US Air Force ceremony where his artwork was unveiled, and he was joined by the artist who created the Air Force Memorial in Washington DC. Command Chief Master Sergeant Timothy Dickens (in the centre of the painting) was also in attendance. An Air

Gary divides his time between New Zealand and the United States, and is a valued member of the Collegians Committee.

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First issue of the Network magazine

Pioneers of the Network magazine

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hile reading issue 103 of Network, Tony Haycock (Hamilton 1966-1970) had a moment of reflection (as you often do when you get to his age he says) and felt an immense sense of pride when he cast his mind back more than 40 years ago to when the very first issue of Network came off the production line.

In the late ‘70s, a group of enthusiastic like-minded past students of St Paul’s Collegiate School got together to govern the Old Collegians Association. The core group included Tony along with David Johns (Sargood 1969-1973, deceased), Kerry Kirk (Hamilton 1967-1971), George Clark (Hamilton 1968-1972), Lex de Jong (Clark 1973-1975), Tim Brears (Sargood 19601964) and David Eyre (Clark 1966-1969).

They looked at the Kings College Old Boys’ newsletter and thought, hey, we need to do something like that to connect with our old boys, and the Network was born. Issue No. 1 was released in October 1981. The title ‘Network’ was chosen to represent past students ‘networking’ after they left school.

The first issue included articles about a rugby tour to Australia, the St Paul’s Old Boys’ Cricket Club’s first season (1977/78) Outward Bound at the newly established Tihoi Venture School and the Old Boys’ Association $3,600 donation to the school to establish a computer system. There were other snippets

of news including Kit Fawcett and Geoff Hines being selected as All Blacks, Tim Brears, Jon Webb and Lex de Jong were all practising law in Hamilton, and Martin Gummer and Simon Upton being well on their way to making a name for themselves as young politicians.

The stories were written by the committee members as well as other past students.

Those first issues were put together the old-fashioned way, spending hours around the kitchen table with paper and glue. Tony says, “Getting ‘copy’ ready and into a form acceptable for the off-set printer involved a lot of manual work in those early days. The copy was typed up on sheets of paper which were literally ‘cut and pasted’ onto a card which then went to the printer.” Thankfully, David Johns owned a marketing company and he knew about getting things printed and circulated.

In those days, contact details were kept in manual card files and for many, the contact details were parents’ home addresses and many were seriously out of date. Kerry managed to get addresses onto a basic computer printout sheet which meant address labels could be printed.

Once the Network and labels were printed, the group assembled again at Lex’s house and spent a weekend pasting address labels on copies of the Network for posting. “Some copies were returned marked ‘return to sender’ but we were not deterred and worked

Tony Haycock

on improving the accuracy of the database.

Locating people was much harder back then without the help of Google and Facebook.”

The Network was the first part of their strategy to encourage a greater uptake of Old Collegian Association membership and they worked hard to increase it. Collegians could choose to be an Annual Member or a Lifetime Member; the latter was encouraged as it gave capital upfront to work on projects to give back to the school.

It was the working capital from Life Memberships that gave the Association the deposit to purchase a commercial building in Victoria Street, Hamilton. He says “I will save the details of that purchase for another story.”

After leaving St Paul’s Collegiate School, Tony went to Otago University to study medicine, eventually returning to Hamilton where he spent the next 40 years (15 of those as a local GP). He served two separate terms as a Trustee of the St Paul’s Board and his son Edwin was a student there from 2004 to 2008. Tony now enjoys his lifestyle in the beautiful Cromwell area.

Tony is a very passionate Collegian, and whilst the early years were challenging for the school in becoming established, he is very proud of where the school is at now.

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Jonty with his racehorse ‘It’s Business Time’

Q&A with Jonty Taylor

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ollegian Jonty Taylor (1989-1993 School House and Head of House) is into IT, BMX and family. Plus, he owns a racehorse. He joins us for a Q and A about life at St Paul’s and life beyond its gates.

form (Year 13) our First XV rugby team got second place in the New Zealand Secondary School tournament. We had no stars in our team – just a bunch of guys who worked hard together and gave it 100%. I got to play against Jonah Lomu in the final as we both played number eight.

Q: What did you enjoy about St Paul’s?

Q: What do you do today career wise?

A: The friendships - I have these for life. The smaller size of the school meant everyone knew each other and ultimately, we looked after each other.

Tihoi – The great adventures we had there along with demonstrating to me that if people work together, despite their abilities, anything can be achieved. Our house was not overly sporty but we won the inter-house competition.

Sport - At school we were able to try a wide variety of sports and it gave me the opportunity to experience new things.

Q: Do you think you were always a leader or did you learn how to become one?

A: I think everyone has the ability to lead but being given the opportunity to learn from sport and being a prefect helped me understand how important it is to have a good team around you. For example, in my 7th

A: I have an IT contracting business and work with local businesses here in the Waikato.

Q: Do you still play rugby?

A: No, but I keep very active with sports. I raced cross country mountain biking in Europe along with road biking, mountain biking and BMX in New Zealand. I now have three very active children in BMX and mountain biking so the next generation is continuing with the biking passion.

The syndicate is made up of: •

Rodney Schick (School 1989-1993) Head of House

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Cameron Scott (Clark 1990-1993) School Prefect

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Jonty Peacocke (Sargood 1989-1993) Head of House

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Vince Curtin (School 1989-1993) School Prefect

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Simon Parham (Hamilton 1989-1993) Head of House

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Jimmy Ormsby (Williams 1986-1990)

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Chris McArthur (School 1989-1993)

We’ve enjoyed three wins so far. Collegians should keep ‘It’s Business Time’ on their radar or just come on down to Te Rapa Racecourse on race days to catch up with some familiar faces.

Q: Tell us about your racehorse called, ‘It’s Business Time’ A: I’m in a horse syndicate with St Paul’s mates. It’s a good reason to stay in touch, have a few beers and pretend I know stuff about horses.

Te Rapa Racecourse

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An entertaining way to supplement income 6 foot 8 inches tall, I knew it made sense to apply, so I signed up with the agency and started getting offers for a whole lot of different roles.”

So far Kent has appeared in television roles but has been too busy with university to take up the offers of movies, music videos and advertisements. Kent takes advantage of work in Auckland (where most of the work is) during the long summer break while he is back in Hamilton.

Kent on the set of Shortland Street

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ollegian Kent Davidson (Hamilton 2016-2020) has found a fun and entertaining way to help pay his university fees. Currently attending the University of Canterbury and studying Industrial Project Design, Kent spends time each summer holiday appearing as an extra, or stand in on television shows.

After leaving St Paul’s Collegiate School at the end of 2020, Kent saw an advertisement for extras in the entertainment industry, more specifically ‘tall’ extras for The Lord of the Rings television series. Kent says, “Being

Kent enjoys doing shoots and describes a typical shoot as going with the other extras to listen to the Assistant Director’s brief for that day. “The Assistant Director will explain what they want you to do for the shot; it could be playing pool, pretending to chat (without talking so the mics don’t pick up sound) or buying something from a shop. Most directors let you know what to wear or bring. At some shoots we will get full hair, makeup and costume.” The scene is shot several times using different camera angles.

A highlight of his work has been The Lord of the Rings set. “In this role I was a stand-in instead of an extra and I was treated well. I was given a personal assistant and breakfast, lunch and snacks - but I did have to wait a long time in between shots,” says Kent. He also had to do exactly what the director wanted.

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A stand-in is a person who takes the place of a principal actor when the crew prepares to film a scene, but who is not actually filmed. They are positioned on the set for cameras to focus the shot and set up the lights, sometimes they are filmed to make an actor look taller from a distance.

Another memorable role was Kent’s time on the Shortland Street set. “There was no waiting around and a lot more freedom to do what I wanted with the role rather than being directed.” He found that enjoyable but points out that he has enjoyed all of the work so far, “I certainly haven’t found any of it difficult.”

Although this work is for fun and to make some extra cash, he’s adamant acting isn’t his future. However, Kent’s Bachelor of Industrial Project Design study is a mix of engineering and business which can overlap into the film industry for set and prop design or for making rigs for films. “The industry is where you might find me in the future, not on the screen but behind the scenes. For now, it’s something fun to do.”

The agency Kent signed up with is BGT Actors Models and Talent, Auckland.

Hobbiton

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Kate playing goal keep for Mainland

Kate hangs up her oar and picks up her netball shoes

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etting the opportunity to be a student athlete in the US came quite unexpectedly for Collegian Kate Littlejohn (Harington 2015-2018).

After making the New Zealand Junior Rowing Team, she was contacted for recruitment by several USA colleges, but she didn’t seriously consider the possibility until after competing at the World Junior Championships a couple months later. The complex and lengthy scholarship process required a lot of consideration and planning which Kate’s parents Jenny and Garth were instrumental in driving. During the latter part of Kate’s Year 13, there were numerous emails and calls with college coaches. On top of NCEA, Kate also studied for the USA SAT and ACT while researching the US college system. The final step in her decision-making was to visit the colleges which resulted in Kate choosing Stanford University as the best fit for her.

Kate was offered a four-year scholarship

joining the 4% of applicants who are accepted to Stanford, one of the top three universities in the world.

Kate says, “I don’t think I fully appreciated how my time at St Paul’s truly influenced where I was able to go and where I am today.”

She feels extremely fortunate to have been guided by special people whose time at St Paul’s coincided with hers. In particular, “Rev James Stephenson and Jackie Lock built the belief in me that I could grasp big opportunities and try something new beyond New Zealand.” While at St Paul’s, Kate’s sporting path was not conventional; playing netball and rowing at national levels while rowing at international competitions required flexibility and careful planning. “The support I received, not just from coaches and teachers, but other students, was immense.”

Unsurprisingly, some of Kate’s best memories at St Paul’s are sport oriented. Kate was part of the history-making crew which won the

Dawn Cup at Maadi Cup in 2017, also winning bronze in the U18 eight. At that time, the entire girls rowing squad consisted of 14 athletes including two coxswains and four novices; such success was incredible.

Another highlight was when the Open A netball team were in the playoff to be elevated into the premier Thursday night club league. This game was against a women’s club and took place in the school gym. “The room was so full of boarders that other supporters had to stand in the weights area or in the long room to watch.” Having that atmosphere and then to get the win by one goal was a moment Kate will never forget.

Her time at Stanford was filled with experiences of sunrises on the water at training, biking through campus during spring quarter and going to sports events on campus nearly every day. Despite the incredible moments and opportunities, “it didn’t happen without challenges.”

For the next 18 months, university life consisted of online recorded classes while Kate battled with the decision whether to return to the US indefinitely. Due to the locked New Zealand border, she ran the risk of not being able to return home if she went back to Stanford. After much deliberation, Kate took the plunge and returned to the US and finished her degree. In June 2022, Kate graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Biology, before travelling and returning home in September.

During her time at Stanford, Kate was fortunate enough to have some unique opportunities. She took a summer class that explored the evolution and conservation of the Galapagos Islands which resulted in a 10-day trip around the archipelago to witness what they had learned first-hand. In addition, she went on a student-athlete service leadership trip to China spending three weeks with fellow student athletes teaching English

and running a summer camp for local kids on the Tibetan plateau. Both are memories that will last a lifetime.

Kate always knew she wanted to return to New Zealand and once home again, set her sights on trialling for the National Netball League (NNL) teams which sit underneath the ANZ Premiership. After trialling in Christchurch for Mainland Tactix, she had the opportunity to be an apprentice player and train alongside the team. In January 2023 Kate moved to Christchurch and played netball for Mainland Tactix in the NNL as well as continuing her studies with a Master of Science in Psychology at the University of Canterbury. She’s extremely thankful for the opportunity and support that she has received with the transition back into netball and to Christchurch.

country, she thinks that there is real benefit in working with young athletes and at the highperformance level. “If we can support athletes early in their sporting careers to develop good mental skills, by the time they reach high performance pathways hopefully they should be well set up to deal with the associated pressures.”

Right now, she will continue to work on developing her understanding of psychology within a New Zealand framework and enjoy what she does every day.

“New Zealand will always be home; I’m grateful to have experienced first-hand the learnings and knowledge that can be acquired from going outside our little corner of the world and connecting with people from a range of different cultures. “St Paul’s helps to enable students to think about these big opportunities and develop the belief that they are attainable.”

As for the future, Kate looks forward to where netball will take her now that she has hung up her rowing oars. She hopes to use psychology to help improve the stigma and see positive changes in poor mental health statistics in New Zealand. In such a sport mad

Kate at graduation

Kate and Grace 2017 rowing bronze medalists

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Her freshman (first) year was packed with new experiences which made everything exciting. However halfway through Kate’s sophomore (second) year she started to feel extremely homesick. She had never been good at asking for help, so tried to deal with it on her own, but things just seemed to get harder, reaching the point where she was unable to appreciate the fortunate position she was in. Then COVID hit. The University sent everyone home, which created a new sense of uncertainty.

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Bubbles After 5 9 Nov 2022

23 March 2023

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Grandparents’ Day

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The St Paul’s Agribusiness team members and pioneers

Agribusiness in Schools 10-year anniversary News story by Gerald Piddock from Farmers Weekly 31 March 2023

Agribusiness in Schools evolved out of a 2013 St Paul’s parents survey that concluded it was not meeting the needs of its students with rural backgrounds in encouraging them to consider pathways into the primary sector.

Grant Lander, James Allen, Lloyd Downing, Peter Nation

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he nationwide scheme to encourage students to consider career pathways in the primary sector has grown from a piloted plan at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton to being in more than 100 schools across New Zealand.

It celebrated the anniversary at a function at St Paul’s on 29 March.

Agribusiness curriculum director Kerry Allen said looking ahead, there is still plenty of unfinished business to focus on with the biggest task getting more schools and students into agribusiness.

“The New Zealand youth requires an understanding of agribusiness and the agri sector and its importance to New Zealand.

They go hand in hand and there are so many opportunities out there for them.”

The event at St Paul’s recognised its principal and the 16 business partners that have supported the initiative over the past decade.

Allen said the programme will also look to provide more support for agribusiness teachers and establishing regional hubs to help reach smaller, more remote areas.

They will also work on trying to attract more urban youth to agribusiness and highlight career pathways available in the primary sector.

Improving collaboration between businesses and schools was another aim.

In the long term, Allen said, she wants to see Agribusiness in Schools at the scholarship level, as well as more emphasis on training teachers and sourcing people with background knowledge in the primary sector.

Event emcee and former St Paul’s Headmaster Grant Lander said everybody could feel proud of what they have achieved with Agribusiness in Schools.

It was a public-private educational initiative that came from business rather than the government.

“It’s been a game-changer for our sector, but it hasn’t been an easy path, especially in those first three years.”

Greenlea Meats managing director Tony Egan said the programme’s creation showed great leadership from St Paul’s, and revolutionised education for the primary industries to meet the challenges of a changing world.

The company has been a supporter of the programme since the beginning.

“Ten years on, these combined efforts are certainly cause for celebration. Thousands of students have benefited from this curriculum.”

It had aligned with university courses on agribusiness subjects and had resulted in growing diversity and capability in business across the sector as a direct result of this initiative, Egan said.

“We are going to need this talent to confront issues such as climate change and to raise our future potential as a nation.”

Former agriculture minister and Meat Industry Association chair Nathan Guy helped

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facilitate government backing for Agribusiness in Schools in 2017.

He recalled meeting with Lander and others who pitched the idea to him at the Fieldays. Guy said he realised they were onto something quite big.

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While the Ministry for Primary Industries was supportive, the Ministry for Education was not, with many thinking the primary sector was only about shearing sheep and milking cows, he said.

Guy facilitated a meeting with then-education Minister Hekia Parata.

Logan Spaans receiving acknowledgement on behalf of Michael Spaans

“At the end of the meeting, she turned to her officials and said, ‘We’re going to do this, we’re going to give it a go’ and their heads dropped to the ground and I sensed then that they weren’t necessarily supportive, but it was the start.”

Guy said the sector needs to keep rolling up its sleeves to ensure the programme keeps delivering.

“This is not driven out of Wellington, this is driven out of here and because of your contributions and connections it’s vitally important that you have a say in how you want this to run and operate.”

Westpac agribusiness analyst Kate Wilkins (Harington 2012-2014) was one of the first students to study agribusiness in her final year at St Paul’s, in 2014.

Nathan Guy, Sir William Gallagher, Tony Egan

Wilkins grew up on her parents’ kiwifruit orchard and said the programme highlighted the vast array of career options available within the primary sector.

She said the people and collaboration in the industry are what excite her about working in the sector.

“It’s shown in this room now where everyone’s working together towards the same goal. When you’re working in that sort of industry, it is pretty exciting.”

Guests at the anniversary event

Some of the Agribusiness Alumni

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Collegians cricket match - March 2023

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he annual cricket match between the First XI Cricket Team and Collegians is a highly anticipated event within the community. This year, the players played for more than the thrill of cricket - they played for Collegian and cricketer Brook Fawcett (Sargood 1995 – 1999) who recently lost his battle with cancer.

At this year’s game, the Collegians introduced a trophy in Brook’s memory. The Brook Fawcett Memorial Trophy was seen as a fitting way to commemorate Brook and his contribution to the cricketing community. He was an exceptional cricketer and a popular figure among his teammates and competitors.

He was known for his sportsmanship,

Match report – Collegians vs 2023 First XI Cricket Team After winning the toss, the Collegians batted first and got off to a positive start with openers Andrew Reed (Williams 1995 – 1998) and Reggio Fox (Hamilton 1994 – 1998), making a partnership of 49 runs for the first wicket.

Daniel Wilson (Hamilton 1997 – 1999) slipped up the order managing to score a classy 31 runs off 26 balls. The First XI team continued to fight back and knocked over the Collegians middle order. However, the Collegians still had two members of the great 1998 team in the sheds who were expected to put up a fight.

Michael Rameka (Williams 1997 – 1999, current teacher) and Chris Paterson (Sargood 1996 - 2000) showed their touch and power as they maneuvered

dedication, and positive attitude, making him a great role model for younger players.

By introducing a trophy in his name, the cricketing community will continue to honour Brook’s legacy for years to come.

This year’s match started with morning tea and a ‘pep’ talk from Hugh Barton (St Paul’s cricket coach 1997 - 2003, groundsman from 1997 – 2008) who was one of Brook’s coaches. His talk gave the Collegians an extra length to their stride as they took to the pitch to remember and honour their teammate.

There was a great number of Collegians and their families enjoying the entertainment of the game and both teams stayed after the game for a post-match lunch.

the ball to all parts of the field. Chris found the boundary when required, keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Meanwhile, Michael played an explosive innings scoring 40 runs off 29 balls, hitting the last two balls of the innings for 6, providing momentum in the Collegians’ favour with a total of 161 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.

The First XI team took to the pitch in what would prove to be an exciting chase. The opening duo Michael Robinson and Liam Fisher played beautifully getting the chase underway and putting up 56 runs for the first wicket. However, the momentum was halted once the fielding restrictions were off and Collegians introduced spin into the attack.

Reggio Fox was the man who picked up the crucial wicket of Michael Robinson, who was looking dangerous with 27 runs to his name.

The Fawcett Cup

intervals. Reggio Fox was spinning the ball both ways, troubling the batsmen and picking up 6 wickets in his allocated 4 overs. Kalen Lake showed some form and hit a quick-fire 43 runs off just 22 balls in the late stages of the innings.

However, the older heads in the Collegians team managed the game beautifully and restricted the First XI team to 152 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 19.2 overs, falling short of the target by 9 runs.

It was a disappointing end to a promising run chase, as the First XI team was unable to capitalise on the good start provided by their openers. In the end, it was a welldeserved win for Collegians, who were clinical in all departments and proved to be too strong for the First XI team.

Tom Yetsenga played a vital role in holding up one end as the First XI lost wickets at regular

St Paul’s First XI and Collegians cricket teams

G. Fawcett, K. Fawcett, G. Fawcett, B. Fawcett at the 2022 Collegians Cricket match

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1959-1969 Reunion 27 February 2023

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Back row: Will Fletcher, Howard Ashmore, Duncan Laird, Tracey Mackay, John Sefton, Nick Bowling, Deryck Mellsopp, Iain Fraser, Alistair Reese, Graham Wallace Front row: David Hill, Richard Clark, Bill Esling, Garth Reed, Barry Tapp, Neil Tapp, Robert Cox

Collegian Tracey Mackay with past staff John Lloyd and Vic Matthews

Richard Clark, son of Founder G. Ivan Clark, outside Clark House School tour

Collegians and staff gather in a special Chapel Service with students of the School

Lunch in the Dining Room with the students

Past teachers Gary Bailie and Roger Bell

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Snippets

NRL fans are preparing to meet their new cult hero. Valynce Te Whare (Williams 2015-2018) debuted in May for the Dolphins.

Valynce made the jump last year from rugby union to rugby league and has become an instant hit among the code, even gaining the nickname of Val Meninga. Keep an eye out for this league star.

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On Tuesday 16 May 2023, the 2022 New Zealand Search and Rescue Awards were held at Parliament in Wellington. The Pauanui Surf Life Saving Club, Paid Lifeguard Service – Tairua, Paid Lifeguard Service – Pauanui, Pauanui / Tairua SAR Squad, Waikato District Police, and Coastguard Tairua-Pauanui were given a certificate award for the rescue of three adults and two children from the Tairua Harbour bar on January 5, 2022. It was a special evening to be recognised.

With the Police Commissioner, MPs, head of Defence Force, SLSNZ Boards and CEO, and all other emergency services present. Jae Broomfield (Hamilton 2018-2021) and Sam Cox (Sargood 2017-2020) were part of the rescue and attended the awards ceremony.

Congratulations on your award.

Ryan Dippie (Clark 1996-2000) is the owner of the popular restaurant Fife Lane in Mount Maunganui. Recently it was announced it is one of only three restaurants in New Zealand to gain a winning place in a worldwide competition ranking the world’s 101 best steak restaurants. What an outstanding achievement.

Congratulations to Abby Bartels (Harington 2017-2019) and Dylan Bartels (Hamilton 2014-2018) on being selected to represent New Zealand in the Ladies Open (Abby) and Mixed 23 & Under (Dylan) Indoor Netball teams. Abby and Dylan will travel to Brisbane in August to compete and we wish them all the best.

Congratulations to Collegians Flynn Hutchinson (Sargood 2021), Sam Lints (Sargood 2017-2021) and Jamie Eades (Harington 2021) who have made the Junior Black Sticks squads for 2023. With a full calendar of events, the year will start with a combined Black Sticks and Junior Black Sticks Super Camp and will finish with the Junior World Cup in December. The Junior World Cup will be held in Chile.

Congratulations to Dr Te Aro Moxon (Hall House and School House 1998-2002) who received his Masters of Science in global health and epidemiology at the Sheldonian Theatre, University of Oxford. His research focused on infectious and non-infectious diseases among world populations.

Anjena (Harington 2010-2011), Arjun (Fitchett 2010-2014), Amreeta and Daljit Singh of Lawwal Holsteins were announced as the Regional Supreme Winners at the recent Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Tom, Carrie, and Luke Andrews (Fitchett 2014) from Wholly Cow also won the NZFET Innovation Award.

Alice Taylor (Harington 2020) secured women’s high jump gold and produced one of the most heart-warming moments at the Jennian Homes New Zealand Track and Field Championships earlier this month. Alice jumped a PB of 1.87m. Congratulations Alice.

Hugh Jackson (Sargood 2012-2016) has won the Otago Southland Young Farmer regional final to book himself a spot in the 2023 Young Farmer National Grand final to be contested in Timaru in July. Hugh, we wish you all the best.

Thomas Wilson (Hall 1994-1998) returned home to headline the Waikato Organ Festival which took place over King’s Birthday Weekend in Hamilton. He was this year’s Festival Recitalist and performed a concert of solo organ works at St Peter’s Cathedral.

Since leaving New Zealand, Thomas’s career has included the role of Assistant Organist at Westminster Cathedral, London, and Music Director at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney - a position he held for 13 years.

It was during his time at St Paul’s and with the encouragement of organist and Director of Music Nigel Williams that his organ playing really took off.

“You’ve got to be a bit mad on the instrument, you’ve got to be obsessed.

Otherwise you just wouldn’t make it work.”

Logan Spencer (Williams 2018-2022) has been selected as a travelling reserve to represent New Zealand at the U19 World Rowing Championships at Vaires-sur-Marne, Paris in August. Current teacher and head rowing coach, Martin Simoncelli, will also travel with the squad as the U19 men’s 4X coach. We wish you both all the very best!

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Weddings

23 Scott Tindale (Fitchett 2002-2006) and Hana Blundell were married on the 28/12/22 at Orua House in Hahei, after a reschedule due to Covid. They have been together for ten years.

Scott Tindale and Hana Blundell

Celese Prior and Pete Smit (Fitchett 20112015) were married on 19 February 2022.

Their ceremony and reception were held in two different paddocks on the Smit family farm in Ohaupo.

Condolences FEBRUARY 2023

MARCH 2023

JUNE 2023

James Robert Ewan Atherton (Williams 2009-2013) passed away on Wednesday 22 February, in a car accident. A service was held in Chapel of Christ the King on Thursday 2 March. During his time at St Paul’s, James was involved in rowing, swimming, snow skiing and was a chapel prefect in Year 13.

Esme Robinson, previous Matron of Clark House, sadly passed away peacefully at Taurima Rest Home in New Plymouth on Friday 3 March, aged 88 years, surrounded by family.

Robert Walters (Williams 1968-1970) passed away peacefully at Waikato Hospital, on Friday 2 June 2023 and is remembered as a Dearly loved partner in life to Delwyn. Proud and devoted father to Peter, Rachel, Chris and Michelle, stepdad to Jason and Nathan.

Robert was an adored Grandad and a loyal and selfless friend to many.

Her family describe her as the loveliest, most mischievous Mum and Grandma in the world.

Esme was Matron of Clark House from 19932000. During her time here, Esme sewed together a robe out of unclaimed boxer shorts from the boys of Clark House which now resides in the Reynolds Room museum at St Paul’s.

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Student Life House haka, cross country, athletics, house swimming, house choir competition

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Hard work sees great results

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nrolling in New Zealand Scholarship assessments is not for the fainthearted. Many St Paul’s Collegiate students took on the challenge in 2022 and the results released in February 2023 have exceeded expectations with 43 Scholarship passes, including six Outstanding. This result is significantly increased from the prior year of 28 scholarships awarded to St Paul’s Collegiate School students.

Top Scholarship awardee for St Paul’s

Collegiate School and in the top two in the country was Joanna Li (Harington 2020 – 2022) with nine Scholarships including five Outstanding and first in the country for Geography.

There were 19 St Paul’s students who were recipients of Scholarships. Jeremy Coley, Deputy Headmaster – Curriculum and Assessment, says, “These results are palpable and due to the intrinsic drive, talents and hard work by our senior students. Moreover, it is the high performance culture and

vocational commitment from the staff to help prepare them for the rigour of the external Scholarship examinations.”

The students were assessed through written or spoken examinations or through a portfolio of work and had to demonstrate a high-level of critical thinking and applied knowledge.

Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive a monetary award towards tertiary study in New Zealand.

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Asher Downing, Jackson Mackwood, Jackson Norris

Bagels that make music

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he word bagel usually conjures thoughts of a delicious breakfast but at St Paul’s Collegiate School, the word bagel is all about music.

The Bagels is a band with Deputy Head Boy Jackson Mackwood (Year 13), Jackson Norris (Year 12) and Asher Downing (Year 12) – and they’re great friends.

The New Zealand-funk-reggae band (with a hint of indie) started making music together in 2020 when Jackson Mackwood overheard the other two talking about jamming in the Music Centre. He tagged along and they’ve been jamming ever since.

Before coming to St Paul’s, Asher played bass but the Jackson duo discovered music during the Year 9 compulsory music subject. Since then, the three have played together in the School productions and are proud of the work they did in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2021.

Jackson Mackwood is the lead singer but all three of the band members sing and share

vocals between them. Jackson says, “It’s a very coordinated process to play the drums and sing at the same time. It’s like running and singing and I have to make sure I don’t sound puffed as I sing. I always use lyrics on a stand because it’s hard to remember the lyrics while drumming.”

The inspiration for the band’s name came from a bagel – literally. Jackson Mackwood, whose father is a baker, brought a homemade bagel to school. He says, “The boys were poking a bit of fun because I bought bagels to school to eat. Asher suggested the band should be the Bagels. At first we thought it was a bit strange but then we thought how the Beatles name would have been weird at that time but it works.”

The Spotify-listed band have recorded eight original songs and one acoustic version with the most popular song being Chasing Waves.

The group recorded the songs in the studio at St Paul’s which is also their band practice venue. The song-writing routine usually

involves Jackson Norris putting together a guitar progression and sharing it with the others. “We then get in the zone and put the music together and add the lyrics which we all help write.” A song will typically take them a few weeks to complete.

The Bagels competed at the 2022 Rockquest and came third in Waikato after performing the song Chasing Waves. They’ve also played at a few ‘gigs’ including recently performing during lunchtime at Waikato Dioceson School for Valentine’s Day celebrations.

The future for the band is unclear; there will be a forced ‘split’ next year when Jackson Mackwood moves away from Hamilton to study music production and audio engineering. “There’s always jamming by Zoom, there’s more music to come from the Bagels.”

The Bagels will perform at the 2023 Waikato Rockquest regional finals on June 24 alongside fellow St Paul’s band Orange and Lime.

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Helping where you can

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Kath Barnsley

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ath Barnsley has always had a love of music; she fondly remembers her mum singing at the family home and church. Her dad was a good old-fashioned bloke and together with his wife they bought up a family grounded in values and morals.

Venessa Joyce singing at the thank you lunch

During her life, Kath has lived true to those values and can often be found volunteering in different roles as well as singing in a myriad of choir groups. It is through music and her service work that she became involved with St Paul’s Collegiate School. In 2016, Kath was volunteering in the Waikato Cathedral Shop when she was approached by the current Dean Reverend Peter Rickman, who asked Kath to be his Warden. Kath spent four years with Peter at the Cathedral and when Peter came to St Paul’s as ‘the Rev’, so did Kath.

Kath initially volunteered in the St Paul’s Music Department with Head of Music Michelle Flint and teacher Tim Carpenter. She helped coordinate itinerant teacher classes and was congratulated by then Headmaster, Grant Lander, on being the first service staff volunteer of St Paul’s, a few months later Kath became a paid staff member. During her time at St Paul’s Kath has been a quiet and steady influence on our music students with those deep-set family values always shining through.

Ian Campbell, St Paul’s music teacher, had a student who could not afford singing lessons and he approached Kath about helping pay for them. Kath did not hesitate to offer to pay for the lessons, saying, “You do what you can, when you can.”

Kath now supports a scholarship student at St Paul’s and at a recent thank you luncheon she felt very proud to see her perform. She says, “I always think, If I hadn’t have helped, hopefully someone else would have.”

Student speakers Matthew D’Hotman and Louie Short ath the thank you lunch

If you would like to make a difference in the life of a young person, please contact Andrea on a.douglas@stpauls. school.nz or visit our community website to learn more.

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The The new new mural mural leading at the base up toofthe thenew stairwell Te ReotoMaaori the new learning Te Reospace teaching space

New art is a taonga

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ellington-based artist Miriama Grace-Smith painted a treasured piece of art on the stairwell leading to the new Te Reo Maaori teaching and learning space at St Paul’s Collegiate School.

Miriama’s intention behind this mural was to create a visual story of the students’ journey when learning Te Reo at St Paul’s Collegiate School. Miriama says, “The sea represents the Te Reo journey, the ocean is vast, the journey will take time and like waves, the journey may be full of ups and downs.”

The mural is designed so that its story is felt when students leave class. Miriama, who was commissioned by St Paul’s via Boon Art says, “Students travel down the stairs from dark (night) to light (daylight) symbolising the maatauranga Maaori (Maaori knowledge) they learn and take away each day. I have chosen vibrant colours to bring a feeling of excitement for the journey ahead and I have used the same red that can be seen in the handrails and waharoa.”

A mangopare (hammerhead shark) leads the tangata (person) on the waka to their destination; the mangopare is the kaitiaki (guardian) within this work and is seen on the waka and in the handrail designs representing strength, leadership, agility, tenacity, unrelenting determination, courage, and wealth.

In reflecting on the mural, Jonathan Cameron, Head of Visual Arts at St Paul’s says, “This taonga (treasure) is a vibrant addition to our Art Collection and is a work that will empower students to honour their culture and school.”

vision was conceived to guide and ground whakaaro with a commitment to acquire new work on an annual basis.

The vast ocean in Miriama’s mural

Acquiring and displaying art within the campus is a way to introduce students to the world of art. “We believe that it is important to feature artworks that acknowledge who we are as a community, both past, present and future while also featuring pieces that generate understanding of the wider world around us.”

This art was commissioned following a review of the Art Collection in 2021; this curatorial

The mural at the top of the stairs

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FRI 23 JUNE 7.00PM

2.00PM

7.00PM

7.00PM

7.00PM

CAST PROFILES

JESUS Seumas Eade

JUDAS/JOHN THE BAPTIST Sam Kansal

ANNA MARIA Venessa Joyce

Godspell is Seumas’s third and final show at St Paul’s. He is no stranger to musical theatre, performing at both Southwell School and in St Paul’s productions Jesus Christ Superstar (Herod) and The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow and Hunk).

Outside of school, Seumas performed in Janet Jenning’s play Flowing Waters.

Seumas is a confident musician with a focus on voice and bagpipes. He attributes his stage progress to teachers who have worked with him through the years and he is thrilled to play the role of Jesus in Godspell.

In previous years, Sam has played brass in the production band; this year he decided to take his talents to the stage. Sam is a Year 12 student with an interest in music and performing arts and feels privileged to play Judas in Godspell. He started performing in Year 5 and was addicted and vowed to never stop. In Year 8, he was the lead in the Southwell School production The Little Mermaid. He is thrilled to be back on stage as part of Godspell.

Venessa is a Year 13 student performing in her third St Paul’s production in the role of Anna Maria. Audience members will recall her in Jesus Christ Superstar and The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy). Venessa is a classically trained singer who often performs as a soprano opera singer to delighting guests. She is excited to be a part of the cast and to perform ‘Bless The Lord’ and ‘Day by Day’ in this year’s production of Godspell.

Isaac is a Year 12 student in his fourth year at St Paul’s. He previously performed as Grimsby in the Southwell School production The Little Mermaid and is thrilled to be a part of the Godspell cast. His favourite song is ‘All Good Gifts’ and enjoys playing the guitar and challanging his vocal range during that song.

TELLY Isaac Albery

NICK Sam Fletcher

MORGAN Caitlin Lou

CELISSE Sarah Johnstone

Caitlin has performed in each production during the three years she has been at St Paul’s. She enjoys playing Morgan who has a sassy and fun nature and loves that Madonna also played this role. Caitlin likes the pantomime nature of Godspell and finds it difficult to pick a favourite song but narrowed it down to, ‘Turn Back O’ Man’ where she performs a solo as well as ‘We Beseech Thee’, ‘Light Of The World and ‘All For The Best’.

Guests will recognise Sarah as the Wicked Witch of the West from last year’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Sarah has also performed in productions at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls and Southwell School. When she isn’t on stage, she is involved in other arts including painting, life drawing and reading.

She enjoys the fun and energetic pace of Godspell and is thrilled to be a part of the cast.

Ruby is a Year 12 student performing her second show with St Paul’s. Dance, music and theatre have been a big part of Ruby’s life with performances in shows including Annie, The Wizard of Oz and The Little Mermaid. She has been involved in choirs, singing and dance groups for more than ten years.

UZO Ruby van Deursen

Bella has loved music and the arts since she was very young. She has performed in productions at Southwell School and St Peter’s School Cambridge and last year played the role of a tree in The Wizard of Oz. She is thrilled to play a bigger role in Godspell as the impulsive and confident Lindsay and particularly enjoys ‘Bless the Lord’ because of its energy and choreography.

LINDSAY Bella Egan

Liam is a Year 10 student at St Paul’s and joins the production for the first time.

He plays George (tenor) who is the comedian of the group. Liam will be at home on the outdoor playground set of Godspell as one of the school’s energetic footballers. He is excited to bring energy and life to this year’s production.

GEORGE Liam Costello-McVeigh

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Sam is a Year 12 student performing in his second show at St Paul’s. Prior to high school, Sam was actively involved in musical theatre and performing arts by being involved in four productions. He is a member of school bands and choirs including the lead guitarist in the band Orange and Lime. He is happy to be invoved in a unique production that appeals to a range of people.

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Join us on our new St Paul’s Community Website

Homepage

Update your details

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t Paul’s Collegiate School is proud to have launched a new community website.

Archival photos

This website provides an online space dedicated to providing members of St Paul’s whaanau with a platform to connect with one another, whilst also being informed about opportunities and events available to further deepen their connection with St Paul’s Collegiate School.

Stories, events, a Business Directory, publications and networking are just some of the features the St Paul’s Community website offers.

We encourage you to explore the site and meet and connect with new and familiar faces: https://community.stpauls.school.nz/

News and stories

Scan the QR code to register and update your contact details or visit community.stpauls. school.nz/events

If you have any news or stories that may be of interest to the St Paul’s Community, please email: collegians@stpauls.school.nz

St Paul’s Art Collection

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Upcoming events

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Hamilton Mix and Mingle SAT 29 JUL - 11.00AM Catch up with fellow Collegians from around the Hamilton area and join us for the St Paul’s vs St John’s Hamilton First XV rugby game. Hosted at St Paul’s Collegiate School, enjoy morning tea and a catch-up prior to kick-off, followed by post-match drinks and refreshments.

Tauranga Mix and Mingle WED 2 AUG - 6.00PM Catch up with fellow Collegians from all decades in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and beyond. Hosted at Latitude 37, enjoy nibbles and a complimentary drink.

Collegians Awards FRI 16 SEP - 6.00PM Hosted at St Paul’s Collegiate School, we are proud to introduce the Collegians Awards. These awards have been established to recognise the many achievements of St Paul’s Collegians, both professionally and personally.

Past Staff Morning Tea THU 12 OCT - 10.00AM Catch up with fellow staff from all decades in the Reynolds Room at St Paul’s Collegiate School.

We will provide morning tea with tea and coffee.

Bubbles after 5 WED 8 NOV - 5.00PM We invite you to join us for our Bubbles After 5. This event is a great way for the women of St Paul’s to connect, create new friendships, and share a glass of bubbles in a fun environment. The guest speaker is Annabelle White; TV, Radio and cooking personality.

More information Scan the QR code for more information and to register for our upcoming events or visit community.stpauls.school.nz/events

St Paul’s Collegiate School would like to thank our sponsors of sport

RUGBY

T PAUL’S

HOCKEY

PROUD SUPPORTERS OF ST PAUL’S

CRICKET

ROWING

FOOTBALL

NETBALL