School News

In October our senior (Year 11-13) Future Problem Solving team made the national semifinals, narrowly missing out on a place as one of the top five teams in the country to contest the national finals. The team consisted of Hamish Annan, Iain Miller, David Ju and Scott Cameron. Their booklet was described as “superb” but unfortunately one mistake cost them a place in the finals.

Future Problem Solving (also known as Global Issues Problem Solving) is an intellectually challenging activity undertaken in a team environment. It involves working through a future scenario that is a global issue using a six-step process to come up with an action plan to solve the problem.

Our senior school (Year 11 – 13) Global Issues Problem Solving Team placed third in the national finals held in Auckland over the weekend of 3 and 4 November. The four top senior secondary school teams in the country were required to identify challenges, find the underlying problem, develop possible solutions, assess the worth of possible solutions and develop an action plan to solve the problem in a one-page scenario provided to them. The scenario was about possible trade barriers in 2035. The team was Scott Cameron, Hamish Annan, David Ju and Iain Miller. This was the first time since Hamilton Boys’ High School began Future Problem Solving in 2007 that a team has made the national finals. What was particularly significant was that the other three schools in the finals have all won the national title on multiple occasions. First place went to Matamata College, with Kristin School second and Nelson College fourth.

Four senior students have achieved their goal of making it into the National Senior Secondary School Future Problem Solving Finals. The team members are: Scott Cameron, Hamish Annan, David Ju and Iain Miller. They are competing in the Global Issues Problem Solving section of the competition which is for teams of four students. They seek to put together a plan to solve a global issue set 20 to 50 years in the future. Last year, the same group of four boys made it into the semifinals but made a critical mistake that cost them a place in the national finals. This time, they made sure the same mistake was not made again. The finals are being held in Auckland from 2 – 4 November. The boys are competing against teams from Kristin School, Nelson College and Matamata College. They are keen to win the national title and compete in the international finals at Indiana University next year.

In the final round of pool play, Hamilton BHS 1st XV were too strong for the Korean Schools team winning 58 - 3. Playing against the wind in the first half, Hamilton scored 7 1st half tries to Joe Webber (2), Jesse Dodunski (2), Henare Hira (2) and Hayden Wisnewski. In the 2nd half, the Korean team defended well for long periods of time but still Hamilton put on 3 more tries to Adam Burn, Hugh Blake and Kane Jacobson. 1st 5 Russ Parai added 4 conversions. Bruce Jones was named the Grassroots Trust player of the day, for an excellent all round game at hooker, while Logan Daniels and Joe Webber also impressed. In other games Hills Sports H.S. from Australia got up late in the game against Truro College from England. Both teams qualify for the quarter finals.
Tomorrow the following quarter final games take place:
Dax Landes (France) v Truro College (England)
Marais Viljoen H.S. (Sth Africa) v Toin Gauken H.S. (Japan)
Hamilton BHS (N.Z.) v Kyoto Seisho H.S. (Japan)
Hills Sports H.S. (Australia) v Higashi Fukuoka (Japan)

Photo of the team standing in front of the statue the city of Ngasaki has erected for peace. The statue is 6m tall.

In a tremendous display of running rugby, Hamilton BHS again dominated their opposition to win by a staggering 103-3 against Kyoto Seisho H.S. from Japan. The forward pack, led by captain and Grassroots Trust player of the day Nick Ross, provided a strong platform from scrums and lineouts but it was the forwards ability to run, pass and support that really impressed. Props Chad Leem and Fraser Armstrong made many telling runs and No. 8 Kallum Andrews broke tackles at will. In the backline Josh Smith again dictated play from 1st 5 and kicked particularly well. Centre Joe Webber orchestrated many backline attacks and always looked dangerous. The halftime score was 38-3 but it was later in the 2nd half that Hamilton began to almost score at will, with the final score at 103-3.
Tries were scored by Te Wehi Wright (3), Kallum Andrews (3), Josh Fa’agalu (2), Jesse Dodunski (2), Josh Smith (2), Fraser Armstrong, Bruce Jones, Adam Burn, Isaako Peato, and Henare Hira. Josh Smith kicked 6 conversions and Russ Parai 3.

The Hamilton Boys' High School Engineering Department would like to publically acknowledge the generous support of a number of Hamilton companies.

Kea Trailers, Coombridge and Alexander, Stafford Industries, Proform Plastics, Coby Mufflers, Hamilton Industrial Spray Painters and Linkup Paint Supplies have all made important contributions to the school.  Over a considerable period of time these companies have willingly gifted various materials and products to our department to help our young engineers successfully manufacture a wide range of projects.

This support is appreciated by the students, staff and senior management, who are grateful for the donations and interest that these companies take in our boys' progress.  By contributing in this way, the cost of materials is greatly reduced to individual students in the classroom.  This is significant to the school, parents and to the extended community.

Ian Herbert, Head of Technology/Engineering Faculty