Throughout the year, the activities of International & Round Square were highlighted through Noah Yee’s work on the Round Square Instagram, creating informative and entertaining posts for the College and wider community. I acknowledge and am grateful for the collective effort, hard work, and enthusiasm of both the Senior and Junior committees this year, and the invaluable support and expertise of Sarah Davidson, International Student Manager, and, more recently, Amy Fisher who has stepped up to support the juniors. It has been an honour to lead the International & Round Square portfolio in 2024 and I have every confidence that our international students and Round Square and its IDEALS will continue to prosper in 2025 under the leadership of Benson Geng-Wang. Lucas Maguire Head of International & Round Square SERVICE Service is an integral part of College life, and every boy leaving Christ’s College has been exposed to its many facets. This year, the service programme has thrived, with a range of events and initiatives that not only benefit the community but also strengthen connections within the school. In Term 1, the Service Committee held a bake sale to raise funds for the City Mission. It was a resounding success, both in terms of fundraising and as an opportunity for the committee members to bond and work together. The bake sale not only showcased the generosity of the College community, but also laid the groundwork for the collaborative spirit that would define the 2024 service activities. In Term 2, the committee turned its attention to the arts, volunteering at the Art Gallery for the Elmer’s Oˉ tautahi Elephant Trail auction, which raised money for the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. The boys took on a variety of roles,
including setting up and packing away the elephant sculptures, as well as running stalls at the Arts Centre. However, the standout moments of the year came in the form of dances organised by the committee in collaboration with St Margaret’s College. The first, a Year 10 dance, was a huge success and marked a significant milestone in fostering connections between students from both schools. The event was carefully planned by the St Margaret’s team, with special thanks to Phoebe Wilson for her leadership and hard work in coordinating the evening. Encouraged by the success of the Year 10 dance, the committee decided to extend the opportunity by hosting a Year 9 dance in Term 4. This event, too, was a success, providing another opportunity for boys and girls from both schools to interact, form new friendships, and enjoy a memorable evening. The dances were not only social events but also served as an expression of the spirit of cooperation and community that has been a hallmark of the Service Committee’s efforts this year.
throughout the week. This year’s annual match against Christchurch Boys’ High School was held at the Linwood Rugby Club ground, as Upper was still under renovation. In preparation, the committee organised chant and haka practices, leading positive cheers for the team during the game. At the weekly Assembly, we also delivered activity reports, celebrating the recent achievements of teams and individual players. By the end of Term 2, the committee had successfully organised House competitions in futsal, table tennis, debating, and badminton. In Term 3, there was exciting House contests in basketball, chess, and golf, while the short weeks of Term 4 wrapped up with tug of war, touch rugby, and ki- o-Rahi events. Committee members took on significant responsibilities, from organising House events and reading activity reports at Assembly to serving as ambassadors for sports and inclusivity. The Sports Committee has delivered a collective effort, and I extend my sincere thanks to all committee members and Mr Benn McBrearty for
To achieve either goal, we acknowledged that this social shift was not something that would occur in the space of a short year, but was rather something that would require a consistent and continuous campaign that would continue into the next few years. With that in mind, we worked towards building a wellbeing campaign for the students. We used several different mechanisms to promote this campaign, including social media, posters, assemblies, Chapel, and more. However, the thing that has become most apparent is how we create this change not by putting up a poster, but rather by leading by example and modelling what positive mental health looks like in action. One of the things I was proudest of was the environment of our Wellbeing Committee meetings, in which everyone felt comfortable expressing themselves and talking openly about their experiences with mental health. This was also exemplified by our Wellbeing Chapel Service, in which Edward Elworthy, Fionn
Noble, and I spoke. We modelled our vulnerabilities with the school while encouraging students to embrace self-acceptance and accept others. We were proud to tautoko (support) numerous community initiatives, including Pink Shirt Day to stand against bullying, attending the Oˉ tautahi LGBTQ+ Pride Walk, celebrating International Women’s Day, and organising a non-uniform day to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation. We also initiated a Wellbeing Collective with the wellbeing prefects of St Margaret’s College and Rangi Ruru Girls’ School that hopes to address mental health throughout our entire community over the coming years. Thank you so much to all the boys in the Wellbeing Committee. It was a pleasure to work alongside you and get to know you. Thank you to our Wellbeing team at College, especially our incredible counsellors, Kirsty Robinson and Riki Clark. Last, I am profoundly grateful to Ms Caroline Black for her incredible dedication
to the Wellbeing space at Christ’s College – it has been an honour to work alongside you. I am confident that Edward Elworthy will continue this vital work with great leadership as he takes over the Wellbeing Committee. ‘Hurihia to ˉ aroaro ki te ra ˉ tukuna to ˉ a ˉ ta ˉ rangi kia taka ki muri i a koe.’ Turn your face to the sun, and let the shadows fall behind you. Oscar Compton-Moen Head of Wellbeing
their dedication and support. Finn McCormack-Young Head of Sport
James Whitaker Head of Service
SPORT The Sports Committee has been working hard all year, delivering a dynamic calendar filled with House sports and supporting weekend games. Kicking off with the new format for House cricket, set a strong, competitive tone from the start. Whether scoring, umpiring, or coordinating House volleyball, each committee member contributed to organising fantastic opening events for the year. The achievements of our cricket, tennis, athletics, water polo, and aquatics teams matched their efforts. The committee has been dedicated to rallying College spirit on the sidelines, ensuring blazers make a strong showing at every event. As winter arrived, the calendar grew even busier, with interhouse matches filling most lunchtimes and strong sideline support for all sports
WELLBEING Our teenage years are often some of the most challenging in our lives – a time of questioning, growth, and discovering who we truly are. However, with that journey of self-discovery comes great highs and great lows. Having felt firsthand the experiences of poor mental health, I was motivated to ensure that everyone at College was served as positively as possible by the Wellbeing Committee. To achieve this, we set out two clear goals. First, we would reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Second, we would make the school a more accepting place for all our diverse communities. Our mantra guided us, ‘Kei roto kaha i te kanorau. Kei roto mana i te kotahitanga’, translating to ‘Strength in diversity. Power in unity’.
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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