VIRTUES Character & Leadership, and Service
Te Hurihanga oˉ Rangatahi – The Youth Hub.
utilising your strengths. Guest speaker Nathan Fa’avae shared his experiences as a seven-time Adventure Race World Champion, and how belief in your team – no matter the differences – was key to success. He highlighted the need for accountability and the importance of how we treated others and valued their attributes – meshing with the concepts of servant leadership in an extreme context.
Breens Intermediate, and Wairakei School. The Red Cross Shop, Sister Eveleen Retreat House, the Climate Action campus, and the Morgans Valley Bird and Bush Regeneration Project provided different service opportunities and perspectives for College boys. Students were involved in gardening, weed clearing, and conservation work, along with working with children at Millie’s House early learning centre, and supporting students with additional needs at Waitaha School.
The Prefect group led by example, empowering boys to get involved in activities through the various student committees. During training workshops at the start of the year, the Prefects agreed on values such as authenticity, teamwork, respect, connection, and growth as their mantra for the year. Whether it was Wellbeing, Service, Environment, Academic, or Round Square, the 2024 cohort exemplified these ideals.
SERVING THE COMMUNITY
This year, the focus continues to be on working for the betterment of others, as well as building relational capacity, the ability to work successfully with others, and putting others before self. Through different events, several student- led initiatives and annual activities have highlighted the importance of servant leadership. Developing servant leaders who can shift from the traditional top-down, power- based model to one that emphasises collaboration, empathy, and wellbeing, contributes to a society where sustainable success, trust, loyalty, and ethical decision-making are more sought after. 1HUMANRACE In the first initiative, a large group of students from across the Houses took part in a relay-style charity run, 1HumanRace, around the Quad, with the boys raising $11,051 for So They Can, a charity that supports girls’ education in Kenya and Tanzania. Led by Prefects Bede Hamilton and Max Topham, the Years 11–12 organising group undertook a leadership training day with St Andrew’s College in preparation for the run. With 85% of girls aged nine to 13 in those countries suffering from illegal and abusive practices while being denied an education, it was important to raise awareness and support the girls. Additionally, the Service Committee, led by Head of Service James Whitaker, held several non-uniform days, a bake sale, and other fundraising activities to support the Cancer Society, ReliefAid, and
SONY CAMP Sony Camp was again a great
LEARNING ABOUT LEADERSHIP
Putting ideals into action, the remarkable number of service hours by students was incredible. With several boys receiving Student Volunteer Army awards, more students completing Duke of Edinburgh Award service requirements, House service projects, and the annual Year 10 Service Week, College students were always out and about helping someone, somewhere. During the Year 10 Service Week, more than 2500 hours of community service was completed by 150-plus students and staff involved in various community activities for four days. As well as our regular support for the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust, Volunteering Canterbury, and Conservation Volunteers New Zealand, this year there were several new initiatives, including Corfe House boys helping the SPCA,
success. A huge team effort by staff, students, and volunteers from both St Margaret’s College and Christ’s College delivered an amazing experience for 16 campers with a range of disabilities and needs. The ever-popular fire truck and hose returned, while the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve visit was a highlight. The campers also enjoyed time in the pool and a visit from Father Christmas. Providing a fun experience for campers, and a weekend break for the families, underlines why we host Sony Camp at College. To quote one student companion: “Sony Camp is an awesome opportunity to make a positive impact on kids who struggle with everyday tasks that we take for granted. I think the camp is a great chance to be part of something that is bigger than ourselves. It is an awesome experience for the campers but for everyone else who is involved as well.” If you want to measure the success of the character, leadership, and service initiatives at College, the fact that so many College students are willing to give up the start of their holidays to care and take responsibility for a young person with challenging needs is an excellent marker. Matt Cortesi
College hosted several leadership- related events, including a workshop on leadership and associated values during the Year 10 Immerse & Inspire programme. Organised by Director of Character & Leadership, and Service Matt Cortesi, the workshop considered what type of people could be leaders, and how a person’s journey to leadership could be very different. Leadership mentor Joel Bouzaid spoke to Year 12 students
about ‘leading with integrity’. Complementing the focus on
leading with values, the students literally ‘broke down’ the content by ‘karate punching’ through wooden boards. For the Year 11 students, the leadership day highlighted the importance of teamwork and
Director of Character & Leadership, and Service
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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