School News

On Friday 19 March, the HBHS School Hall was filled with young men eager to make a difference to the lives of others.  The visit from NZ Blood Services was an opportunity for our seniors to donate blood for the first time, as well as to participate in an aspect of the on-going house competition.

 
Human blood is unique. It can't be manufactured and it can't be replaced by animal blood. Yet statistics show that less than 5% of all possible donors in New Zealand actually roll their sleeves up and give each year. Daniel Madley (a Year 13 Prefect) co-ordinated an innovative booking system this year that allowed over 80 boys to make a donation on Friday. The success and popularity of this approach has convinced NZ Blood Services to stay a second day during the next ‘blood run’.

The following HBHS students have been selected to trial for the New Zealand Schoolboys Team that will prepare for the annual Trans Tasman Shield Test Series against the Australian Schoolboys Team in Sydney in December this year.  Congratulations to the following boys on this achievement:

Callum Maxwell                                                                                                                 

Sam Franicevic

Tristan Houghton

HBHS was well represented at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Individual Cycling Championships in Mount Wellington over the weekend.  Scott Creighton's performance was particularly creditable, given his return from Europe three days before the competition.  The boys achieved two golds, two silvers and three bronzes overall.

The New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletics Meet was held on 11 December.  HBHS fielded a particularly strong team this year, including returning national representatives Phil Simms and Matthew Holcroft.  The results are as follows:

(More results on following page.) 

Against the picturesque backdrop of the Tamaki estuary, this year’s National secondary schools cross country championship was held in the magnificent grounds of Saint Kentigern College.  Second only to the Maadi Cup Rowing Regatta in terms of the numbers of schools and athletes participating, the event was a wonderful spectacle of young running talent.  In contrast to 2011, where the flat, fast and firm Ashburton course favoured track runners, the Saint Kentigern course was a particularly challenging, undulating track that was heavy underfoot.

Our relatively inexperienced junior team equipped themselves extremely well in a field of 194 runners, finishing 12th in the 6-man team competition.  Blair Pennell was our first runner home in 32nd place followed by Marcus Brooking in 36th. Marcus selflessly agreed to run up an age group so that our Junior Boys could field a 6 man team.  Both Blair and Marcus will compete in the Junior Boys category again next year which bodes well for a strong 3-man team placing.  Ably supporting Blair and Marcus were Aidan Clarkin-Rush, 118th, Leon Arcus, 121th, Finn Myles 141st and Tom McMullan in 158th.

The results of the recent National Secondary Schools Cycling Championship are posted below:

Mount Wellington Results 2012