Joshua Mortenson – Year 12 Julius House Social Intelligence
Leading the community service charge in Julius House is Josh Mortenson. He was a key figure at the Hohepa Canterbury clean up in March with 51 boys, parents and friends in his wake. Always keen to encourage more volunteering and community work, he is a motivator, listener and encourager who is also keen to get stuck in on projects. Hohepa is the Julius House service project and twice a term the service committee will lead a project there. “It connects the House with Hohepa a wee bit and working with their employees is a great experience.” Josh’s latest idea is for everyone in Julius to bring old warm clothes to donate to the City Mission before winter sets in. And he’s been working with the Student Volunteer Army at the University of Canterbury, learning how they motivate and how their leadership operates.
Joshua Hooker – Year 9 Rolleston House Creativity
He’s only 13, but Joshua knows music is going to play a major part in his life. He’s been playing violin for seven years and piano for eight, “But I’m better at playing the violin.” He especially enjoys the thrill of sight reading new pieces and then trying them out properly afterwards. In February Joshua played “Scherzo Tarantelle” with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra at Sparks in the Park. “I played at Sparks in a quartet in 2014, but this was different and in the backstage tent I felt quite nervous. Once I got out there and started though, I was fine.” His goals include the possibility of competing in the National Concerto Competition when he’s in Year 10. Long-term, music is likely to be his career. “I think I’m wanting to be more of a soloist than an orchestral player.”
Ben Davis – Year 12 School House Zest
“Weird, but awesome,” is Ben Davis’s description of exploring underwater, a challenge he grabbed when a PADI course was offered to boarders in late 2018. “It’s a whole different way of seeing things.” Ben thrives on stepping up to challenges – from clay bird shooting, to extensive involvement with set building and being a part of the backstage crew for school productions; from singing baritone in the Chapel Choir and Schola Cantorum, to playing tenor or soprano saxophone for the Big Band and the Saxophone Quartet. From Port Levy, Ben’s “can do” attitude and determination to grab opportunities also sees him this year working on his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hilary Award, serving on the student Service Committee, setting his sights on a German exchange, and studying Grade 8 in Singing and in Speech and Drama.
College Issue 36 2019
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