Hastings Boys' High School
Newsletter 2023 September Volume 6
Message from the Headmaster
Term three is concluding with a great spell of warm weather and the arrival of spring. It has certainly been a busy term for all of us at Hastings Boys' High School.
Our senior students have completed their derived grade exams, an important preview in the preparation for external exams.
Winter Tournament Week saw over 170 of our young men compete against Kura from around the country. All teams put in credible performances, with our 1st XI Hockey defeating Mount Albert Grammer School 4-3 to win The Founders Cup and gain promotion back into the Rankin Cup. As Headmaster I recognise the effort that has gone into preparing teams, not only for winter tournament week, but for any occasion, my sincere thanks for our coaches, staff and students for all your mahi.
This week has seen the start of the refurbishment of the food tech room, allowing for the modernisation of this popular and valuable learning space. Early next year we will see similar activity in our science labs.
The 10 classroom new build is progressing well thanks to a great run of weather and plenty of willing tradespeople. We are hopeful to have the opening term three next year.
Our Kura is part of the Hastings East Kāhui Ako along with Hastings Intermediate, Parkvale School, Hastings Central, Kowhai Special School, and Poukawa. We have worked together to support each other in our drive to improve student learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy. As a school we have supplemented this with our "Four Feathers" Matauranga Māori programme. Here the four concepts of Whanaungatanga (Relationship, Supporting Learning), Hononga (Connecting to Learning) Ako (active learning) and Taumata (High Expectations) form the fabric of teaching and learning.
"Up the Wahs'! is the chant heard around Aotearoa/New Zealand. Tohu Harris, the inspirational leader and captain of the Warriors is an Old Boy of our school, 2005-2009. He represented the school in touch and 1st XV rugby and was also a school prefect in his final year, a fine Akina man, we wish them well.
We are also delighted and proud to see another Old Boy Ben Tamiefuna, Captain of Tonga in the World Cup Rugby Tournament, along with Danny Toala representing Manu Samoa.
Enjoy your two weeks holiday and prepare for a busy and successful final term.
Ngā mihi nui
Headmaster
1st XI Hockey, Winners of the 2023 Founders Cup.
Nopera Tangaroa and Mr Hulls' daughter Georgia
The Magic Flute
Year 10 Music Class Visits Napier Municipal Theatre
Thanks to a remarkable collaboration between Project Prima Volta (PPV) and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, our Year 10 Music class students had the privilege of witnessing an extraordinary performance of Mozart's "The Magic Flute" at the Napier Municipal Theatre.
The opera's lead tenor, Emmanuel Fuimaono, along with Lila 'LJ' Crichton, Taylor Wallbank, and Vili Moore all Old Boys' of Hastings Boys' High School, enraptured the audience with their powerful and emotive performances. Their voice's soared through the theatre, leaving everyone spellbound. It was a moment of immense pride for our school, witnessing four of our own achieving such musical excellence.
The Opera left a lasting impact on our students and showcased the incredible talent that has emerged from our school. It was a magical afternoon that will continue to resonate with our Year 10 music class as they continue to pursue their own musical dreams.
J Lindsay. HOD Music
U15 Rugby Tournament
H Jenkinson
Hawkes Bay Chess Tournament
On Friday 4th August, we took 8 students to the Hawkes' Bay teams chess tournament. Each team was composed of four players, and played against another team of four. The top player played the other team's top player, the second player played the second player, and so on. The team who won the most games won the table. There are two grades in the secondary section, an A grade and a B grade.
If you won your game you get 2 points, if you tied you would get 1 point, and if you lost you would get 0. Our A team got 7 points and came 5th in the A grade. They had decisive wins against the home school team, Te Aute College, and St John's College. They tied against Taradale High School but lost against Havelock North High School and Napier Boys' High School. Our B grade team came 7th with 4 points. They won against Havelock North High School, tied against Napier Boys' High School and Central Hawkes Bay, and lost to Taradale High School, St John's College and Te Aute College.
Dion Wilson 10BC
FIAFIA NIGHT FUNDRAISER
Some of our Pasifika Boys' are going to Samoa in 2024. Please support them with their fundraising night by buying a ticket or 3, many thanks.
What is a fiafia night?
Traditional dancing, singing, music, and cooking styles have been passed down the generations for more than 3,000 years, ever since the first Samoan people arrived on the islands. A fiafia (happy get together) night in Samoa is a chance for everyone to come together and celebrate this heritage with awe-inspiring interactive displays of music and dance, along with the smells and tastes of a delicious buffet dinner made with fresh local produce.ESOL (English for speakers of other languages)
Artificial Intelligence
The school would like to remind the wider school community of our policy relating to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when completing assessment work at Hastings Boys' High School.
The school acknowledges that AI applications (such as ChatGPT) can be useful tools to get ideas that can then be further developed during the research process. However, copying text from AI applications and then pasting it into assessment work is not permitted under any circumstances.
The school policy on plagiarism clearly states this. Earlier in the year both students and
whānau were informed of this policy, and students in particular are well aware that they are not permitted to use text generated by AI and pass it off as their own.
Please note that any student who is deemed to have used AI text in their assessment will receive a Not Achieved Grade and it will be recorded as plagiarism on KAMAR.
If you would like to discuss our plagiarism policy further, please feel free to contact the school at any stage.
Cambridge IGCSE
Hastings Boys’ High School is a Cambridge International School, registered to offer education programmes from Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge. We are proud to be part of the world’s largest international community of schools, preparing students for life with Cambridge qualifications that are valued by universities and employers around the world. We offer Cambridge programmes through a Cambridge Associate. The Cambridge Pathways gives our students a clear path for educational success. We shape its curriculum around how our students learn – with a wide range of subjects and flexible ways to offer them. Cambridge programmes inspire our students to love learning, helping them discover new abilities in a wider world.
As a Cambridge International School, in 2024 we will offer the Cambridge IGCSE subjects of English, Mathematics, Physical Education and Science for Students at Year 11.
International Students
Winter Colour's Assembly Recipients 2023
Ben Clifton 11AR, Junior Hockey
Louis Fernandez 10BC, Junior Hockey
Reef Hicks 11HA, Junior Hockey
Isaac Hillard 10BC, Junior Hockey
Freddie Ives 10BC, Junior Hockey
Austin Powell 10CD, Junior Hockey
Cowan Scotton 11AT, Junior Hockey
Bryce Simpson 11AT, Junior Hockey
Amanjot Singh 10BC, Junior Hockey
Bhupinderpreet Singh 10SA ,Junior Hockey
Alexander Wilson 11AT, Junior Hockey
Samuel Harris 13FE, Hockey
Wills Moroney 13FE, Hockey
Manwinder Nagra 12RO, Hockey
Dylan Nel 12RO, Hockey
Reuben O'Connor 13FE, Hockey
Izaiah Craig 13SJ, Rugby
Yuri Dempsey 12GN, Rugby
Maiti Leef 13SJ, Rugby
Joseph Lilo-Iosefo 12CL, Rugby
Kyan Lowe 13BR, Rugby
Taufa Kaufononga 13FE, Rugby
Mokau Lambert 13SJ, Rugby
Isi Qaranivalu 12CL, Rugby
Oscar Ritchie 13FE, Rugby
Raef Robinson 12GN, Rugby
Izaiah Tuliau 13SJ, Rugby
Vincent Kite 11AT, Junior Rugby
Panapa Lambert 11AR, Junior Rugby
Jaykob Brown 12GN ,Football
Rory Cameron 13SJ, Football
Jacob Hansen 13BR, Football
Dylan Keith 13BR, Football
Jack Keith 13BR, Football
Christain Niederer 13BR, Football
Brayden Reeve 12RO, Football
Callan Robson 12RO, Football
Carter Smith 12RO, Football
Thomas Watts 13FE, Football
Ayden Belcher 11AT, Junior Football
Jack Haszard 11HA, Junior Football
Driver Education with Constable Chris
Hawkes' Bay Secondary Schools Swimming Sports
In August the Interschool Swimming Sports was held at the new Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Center. Reuben Pope and Dion Wilson competed in various events and performed well. Our team even joined up with Karamu High School's team to perform two relays.
In the 14-15 year old age group, Reuben came 7th and Dion came 15th. In the 50m freestyle, Reuben came 6th and Dion came 10th. In the 50m Breaststroke Reuben came 5th and Dion came 7th. In the 50m Butterfly, Reuben came 9th and in the 100m Freestyle, Dion came 9th.
Open Water Swimming
Previously, on the 25th of March, Dion Wilson went to the New Zealand Open Water
Secondary Schools Swim at the Blue Lake in Rotorua. He swam 3.5km and came 4th in the
14yr old age group and 8th in the 14-15 year old age group, which was the official one for the
Secondary Schools race. A good effort.
Dion also swam at the epic swim at Lake Taupo in January. He swam the 2.5km and came 1st in his age group. He did the 1km on the following Sunday and came 1st in his age group and 2nd overall.
Dion Wilson 10BC
Grim Reaper Chess Tournament
We held the first Grim Reaper Chess Tournament for 2023 in the school library in August. We had 24 students who battled each other in over six games. Each game was 15 minutes long and many were hard fought. We had our two coaches Mr Jones and Mr McKerras running this event and providing technical knowledge as well as mediating decisions, they were ably supported by Mrs Hosokawa and Mrs Paaymans.
Thank you to our coaches and to management for supporting this event. Also, thanks to all the students who took part in this tournament.
First place went to Dion Wilson, Second place to Lincoln Mackie and third place went to Angus Logan. Congratulations to everyone!
Dion Wilson 10BC
Year 9 Student of the Term
Harlem Bartlett 9TA
Tom Beck 9SK
Bobbie Brooker 9AM
Max Brooks 9AM
Tainui de Thierry 9TA
Aaryan Dingle 9SF
Kace Dobbe 9SF
Zekaria Ezekiela 9SF
Manny Faulkner 9HJ
Poiva Fesolai 9MU
Finau Finefeuiaki 9HJ
Flynn Garnham-Bennett 9DN
Luke Gordon 9SF
Hikairo Halbert 9BN
Naecha Hale 9BN
Corey Holland 9DN
Molokai Hunuhunu 9MU
Haami Jones 9AM
Sahaildeep Kaila 9DN
Shaun Karaitiana 9AM
Samson Kavana-McGhie 9DN
Jevon Kereti 9HJ
Alex Ketel 9TA
Jazavier Kingi 9SF
Koseni Latavao 9BN
Drew Maclean 9SK
Jordyn Morrell 9MU
Aeden Moy 9DN
Tyran Nel 9DN
Ethan Orr 9TA
Johann Otto 9AM
Uluaki Ovaleni 9SK
Epiha Paea 9BN
Mapusanga Papa 9TA
Jake Rapaea 9DN
Prabhjit Sandhar 9SK
Tadeusz Smith 9BN
Baaro Takenimeang Tentau 9MU
Dell -Tayuss Te Mete 9BN
James Thompson 9TA
Cleyton Tuapawa 9SF
Callum Wire 9HJ
Runi Witherington 9SK
Jakob Worsnop 9HJ
Have you ever wondered about the origins of our badge and motto?
"When on the 17th April 1922, I took charge of the newly formed Hastings Technical High School no badge had been adopted. It seemed that we might find in the lore of our native people an emblem more forceful and appropriate than the type of heraldic devices which had been the general fashion.
I enquired for someone who could inform me of such matters and was referred to Mr Paraire Tomoana. I found him interested and helpful. He would make no suggestion at our first interview, but said he would discuss the matter with certain leading Māori. After a few days he brought me "Akina" for a motto, and I liked it. It was the word he told me which the leader in a Māori canoe called to his men when the time had come to make a supreme effort and dip their paddles fast. 'Strike hard' or 'Go hard' was the meaning. The proposal was put to the assembled pupils on 3rd May 1922, and 'Akina' (now Ākina) was adopted unanimously.
The choice of the badge was not easy; several suggestions had been made, and the assembled school were discussing them in front of the buildings when the late Mr Dan Elliason, a well-known Māori, happened to pass by.
He stopped and listened for a while and then advised us to choose the Huia. The old-time Māori esteemed the bird for its noble qualities: they believed it to be a leader among the birds, and they admired the loyalty with which a Huia would stand by a wounded mate- a brave trait which, unfortunately, contributed to the bird's extermination. The Huia feather was worn by the Māori as a badge of rank.
When we chose the Huia I believe we chose well. The bird represented on our badge is the female, because her long beak is more distinctive than the straight beak of the male. Huia hunted in pairs - the male would break away rotten wood and the female would use her long, curved beak to get the grubs. A design of the badge was prepared and sent to London to be engraved by an expert. The type was thus fixed"
W.A.G Penlington
Headmaster 1922-1949
Koji Hardgrave-Abe off to Malaysia for Cricket in the Asia Cup
After finishing as 2nd best batsman in July’s East Asia Pacific U19 men’s qualifiers, where Japan finished second behind NZ, Koji is once again heading overseas in October.
Due to the strength of the team’s recent performance, Japan has been invited to play in the U19 Men’s Asia Cup in Malaysia, playing against countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
Koji will be aiming to repeat his recent performances and looks forward to captaining the team once again against some strong opposition.
Make Healthy Choices
We are implementing a ban on fizzy drinks as part of our commitment to the healthy lunches in schools' programme. Fizzy drinks are laden with excessive sugar and calories, which can contribute to a range of health issues. By not allowing these beverages on the school premises, we aim to create a more conducive environment for students to make nutritious food choices, ensuring their overall well-being and fostering healthier lifestyles for the future. Please help us by speaking with your son/ward about this initiative, your support is appreciated.
House Tug of War Competition
Up the Wahs'
Here are a few photos, and the video link. Great work Boys'.