What a year 2021 has been!
It could be easy to want to forget this year in many ways due to the challenges that we have all faced. For many New Zealanders, this final third of the year must have been extremely tough.
My hope is that when we look back and reflect on the year sometime in the future, the challenges won’t be all that we remember.
We will see that not only did we have an amazing year of almost complete freedom until mid-August where we were able to experience almost everything on our school calendar. Camps, Celtic Day, Swimming Sports, Service Trip, Chapel Services, Cultural Events and Cross Country, which were all highlights. However, the lockdown itself brought some bright moments to celebrate.
I would like to share some more personal positives that this year offered.
Family
We spent a lot more time together than usual, which I loved. Mostly! Mum & Dad got to hear some of my classes which would’ve given them a better understanding of what it was that I did every day at school, rather than dropping me off in the morning and picking me up after school.
Each day we played sport together, walked and discovered new places around the neighbourhood.
Friends
Even though we were physically separated from our friends, how lucky were we that we had all sorts of technology to keep us in touch?!
Community
I was lucky enough to be invited into some Junior classroom Zooms, which was another highlight for me. I carried on with my Service Award, by reading to residents at my local retirement village on the weekends via Zoom and cleaning up some of my local beaches, which I hope makes a difference to my community. These are some things that I will never forget.
World
Earlier in the year when India was experiencing a catastrophe due to Covid and then a dire shortage of oxygen, this became the catalyst for my science project. At that moment I wondered why this was happening and also how do you actually produce Oxygen?
This led me to discover so much about how Covid affects us, how oxygen is produced, delivered and how amazing Fisher & Paykel Healthcare is right here in New Zealand. They are in the forefront in addressing this need around the world to help save lives, especially in third world countries.
The year has been made up of many moments, milestones and challenges, but also many successes.
As a school we have shown resilience, stayed positive and proactive, been kind to one another and hopefully discovered some hidden gems that if it wasn’t for tougher times, we might never have experienced.
I do hope that next year is a lot different for the rest of the boys at Saint Kentigern Boys’ School. Whatever happens though, we are the luckiest boys to attend such an amazing school. I will really miss this school and everyone at 82 Shore Rd.
Fides Servanda Est
Sebe Poole
Boys’ School Head Boy
