ENVIRONMENT As the Head of Environment in 2023, I have had the privilege and honour of leading the Environment Committee. The committee has been comprised of enthusiastic and passionate individuals, and I am grateful for the support and dedication they have shown throughout the year. Our collective efforts have allowed us to engage in various impactful initiatives, contributing to a more sustainable future. One of the significant events we participated in was the ECan Hui, an event hosted by Environment Canterbury (ECan). During this event, ECan invited us, along with other Christchurch schools, to come together and discuss environmental leadership. This gathering served as a platform for us to share our plans for the year, exchange ideas, and foster connections with like-minded individuals. The relationships we built during the hui proved invaluable, as they provided ongoing support and resources for our environmental projects throughout the year. Our continued commitment to the Eco-Action Nursery Trust included regular weekly nursery sessions and Sunday plantings. To raise awareness and encourage participation, we organised Assembly presentations and placed posters around the school. In tandem with Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, we organised an Avon River
Relationships, Courage, and Compassion, with Service being at the heart of the model. This model has had a great impact on the wider school, which was a key success for the group this year. A popular committee-organised event, Character & Leadership Week was held in the last week of Term 2. It included challenging leadership games on Monday, the Year 12 Leadership Day on Tuesday, leadership quizzes, and the Character & Leadership Assembly, along with the Biculturalism Committee’s fried bread initiative for Matariki at the end of the week. The Leadership Day was a huge success, with the full Year 12 cohort rotating through workshops with leadership coach Joel Bouzaid, who taught the boys about leading with integrity, understanding values, and even breaking boards to finish. What a day. This year, I had the privilege of working alongside Elliott Grey, Head of Service, with both committees collaboratively delivering some notable initiatives that were enjoyed by all students. This change followed the expansion of Matt Cortesi’s role to include Service, with Neil Porter having stepped down as Director of Service the previous year. Our initiatives included bake sales to support the NZ Red Cross and other charities responding to the North Island floods, as well as many service opportunities involving both committees.
A new initiative this year was the Old Boy’s citation, read by a committee member in Assembly. This was a huge success and a great way for everyone to have a turn at public speaking, while also recognising the outstanding service of these Old Boys of different ages. Thank you to Executive Principal Garth Wynne for this innovative idea and Mr Cortesi for his ongoing support. I hope that next year’s committee members – led by Hugo Helmore – can enable this initiative to its full potential. Last, a huge thank you to this year’s dedicated committee members – Sam, Nick, George, Hugo, Alexander, Isaac, Josh, Max, Albie, Freddie, and Sam – you have all made this role so much easier with your contributions, and far more enjoyable for me. To Mr Cortesi, from your continuous
support to your outstanding mentorship, funny jokes, and
everything in between, it has been an absolute pleasure working with you. You have taught me what it means to truly lead with integrity and I will treasure that for the future. Thank you for your impact on – and contributions to – the committee. Finally, to Hugo Helmore, next year’s Head of Character & Leadership, I have full trust that you will do an excellent job. You are a role model to those around you and this role will come naturally, so just enjoy it and do the best you can. Tom Foster Head of Character & Leadership
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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