PASTORAL CARE Harper House
given the positive impact that it has on both the friendships formed within the House and the behaviour of the boys in their classrooms. From a House activity perspective, it was disappointing that our annual Athletics Day competition was cancelled because of poor weather. It meant that – for the first time since 2014 – Harper was unable to add its name to the Athletics Day trophy. Despite a drastically altered routine, Harper students were willing to put their hands up to compete, and the House was in a strong position to defend its title. We look forward to the 2024 competition, which will mark a decade-long winning streak if we can replicate our recent success. Meanwhile, both our senior and junior volleyball teams were knocked out early in their competitions but we did better in interhouse cricket, with our seniors taking us to the final. In Term 2, our main focus was our preparations for the House Music competition, which superseded most other interhouse sporting events. Given our success the previous year, the House was keen to replicate the outcome, which was evident through the large numbers turning up for training sessions and practices. Performing Viva La Vida by Coldplay, and led by Head of House Nick Wilson, the boys performed fantastically on the night. While they were unfortunate to miss out on the top spot after an equally impressive performance by Julius House, they could be incredibly proud of their efforts in the months leading up to the event. Given the talent on show and the engagement from all of the boys, the House Music competition has become one of the ‘can’t miss’ events of the College year, and I look forward to seeing what Harper produces in 2024.
Term 3 brought our first outright wins in interhouse competitions, with both our junior and senior football teams dominating the field to win their respective competitions. This was closely followed by William Butler, Paddy Newton, and James Melhuish taking out the junior debating competition. In the final against Julius, the boys argued against Auckland becoming the capital of New Zealand. All boys spoke with confidence and clarity, and represented both the House and themselves with pride. A significant part of Term 3 was dedicated to the House Plays competition. Lewis Whiteside and Wilby Cameron worked tirelessly on an adaptation of the cult hit The Inbetweeners , with a particular effort to make it more family friendly. In an incredibly proud moment as a Housemaster, more than a third of the House volunteered to be involved in the performance – either on or off-stage. While we did not place, the boys could nonetheless hold their heads high with their efforts. As usual, there is not much room for interhouse competitions in Term 4, but there is more time for the boys to reminisce on the year and enjoy days together. And the Harper boys were able to reflect on another year of positive growth in the House. From an individual perspective, two key students must be mentioned. Ollie Gormack represented New Zealand at the Junior World Gymnastics competition in Turkey, as well as being selected for the Oceania Junior Invitational on the Gold Coast. To be a national champion already in his career is fantastic, and we look forward to seeing what he produces in 2024. Fergus Johnston also represented New Zealand, but at the U19 World Rowing Championships in
Housemaster: Dr Neil de Joux Deputy Housemaster/Mentor: Emily Buckley (Term 1), Neil Nicholson (Term 2 onwards) Mentors: Nicole Billante, Emily Buckley, Graeme Christey, Neil Nicholson, Ginny Patterson, Taryn Randall, Katie Southworth, Craig Walker Head of House: Nick Wilson Deputy Head of House: George Austin It was another successful and productive year within Harper House. The continued growth of the wider school resulted in a larger than ever Year 9 intake who all contributed positively to a vibrant, and, at times, quite compact junior common room. Additionally, the larger House roll allowed for more connections to be formed, more noise to be made, and more memories to be created. Term 1 began on a positive note, with about 20 Harper boys giving up their time on the final day of their holidays to volunteer for The Long Run, part of our long relationship with the Child Cancer Foundation. Once the school year began properly, a pleasing trend continued, with boys willing to get out of the House to enjoy break times. Hopefully, this trend will continue in years to come,
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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