What has been happening at School!

Anzac Day Service

On Thursday 25 April, Christchurch Boys' High School held an Anzac Day Service.  Thank you to our guest speaker Major Mike Coom, Dave Hewett and Martin Perry (Old Boys' Association), Greg Knowles (Bugler), Tom Adams (Teacher), Archie Simmonds (Student and Soloist), James Stockdale (Student and Bagpipes), PTA, Monitors and other staff who were part of the Service.

Japan Tour 2024 A Huge Success

21 students and three teachers have just taken part in a three-week cultural study tour of Japan and, as in previous years, the tour was a resounding success.

Year 12 and 13 students, many of whose families had been involved in a range of fundraising events for almost a year, put their language skills and cultural knowledge to the test in the toughest environment possible. Experiencing Japan first-hand is an onslaught for the senses – everything buzzes, beeps or sings at you, elevators thank you for using them and then there are the copious train platform announcements…

Arriving late on a Tuesday evening after a very early start (and losing three hours enroute due to time zones), the boys were happy to see their beds in the handily located Tokyo Central Youth Hostel, 19 floors up above Iidabashi, our base for five nights. Tokyo is a city of incredible energy and variety, and well-known areas like Ueno, Akihabara (electronics and anime heaven!), Shibuya with its famous crosswalk, Harajuku and its outrageous fashion stores, as well as the Imperial Palace and Ginza provided a range of opportunities to practise speaking and reading Japanese. The boys were all struck with the incredible tidiness and order of this city of 40 million, despite barely seeing a rubbish bin…

We moved north by shinkansen (bullet train) to Sendai on Sunday 14 April, to spend time with students of our sister-school Sendai Ikuei Gakuen HS. After a warm welcome, we were treated to a lesson in tea ceremony etiquette, followed by three hours of English classes in which our boys were involved in interviews and conversations about the different lifestyles of young people in NZ and Japan. Initial anxiety and nerves gave way to warm smiles and loud laughter, and the boys thanked our hosts with a solid rendition of the school haka. Next up was a taiko club practice, and the boys were invited to try their hand at the traditional drums, some with considerable success.

The following day was rather sobering, as we were shown through an elementary school that was badly damaged in the 2011 tsunami – fortunately, everyone there was rescued from the roof, the highest part of an area that was inundated under 9 metres of sea water. Then to Matsushima, one of Japan’s Three Most Beautiful Scenic Spots, for a temple visit at Zuiganji followed by an extraordinary lunch overlooking the bay, before a boat excursion and visit to a kokeshi (traditional doll) factory, whose master craftsman had just finished work… but then, he was due a rest after eight hours’ work, given he is 96 years old!

Two nights in Kyoto, during which we visited Kiyomizu Temple and Sanjuusangendo with its 1000 Kannon (Buddha attendants), as well as the famed geisha area of Gion, provided a good interval before a major highlight of the tour – a three-night homestay in Kurashiki, our sister-city.

Despite being very worried beforehand, by Monday morning emotions were running high as farewells were said after what for most was an incredibly special time. The visit had started with a tour of the famed Bikan Quarter, before a reception at which we were formally welcomed by the Deputy Mayor, Mr. Hara and a group of business and cultural delegates. This showed the importance of our visit to our sister-city and formed some key memories for those involved. The boys’ haka, under Mr Coady’s inspired leadership, was very warmly received.

After a session at a tatami-beri factory, where the boys lined the edges of Japanese floor matting, we headed to Hiroshima. Our time there was split between a visit to Miyajima, home to Itsukushima Shrine (which is built below the high tide mark, so appears to float) and a very sombre tour of the Peace Park and Memorial Museum. No-one left there unaffected by what they had seen.

Back to Kyoto on Wednesday 24 April, with a stop in Himeji to explore the best example of Japanese castle architecture, where the showers abated just in time for our visit. Our next day saw us head back to Osaka, for a lunch with members of the Japan New Zealand Centre and a fun visit to the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum – surprisingly hilarious!

A day trip to Nara came next, and we were delighted to “bump into” former CBHS teacher, Mr Kato, who had been visiting family. The boys loved the visit to Todaiji, where some managed to squeeze through a hole in a hashira (shrine support post) that is the same size as the Buddha’s nostril. A walk amongst placid deer led to a surprise rickshaw ride, enjoyed by all. As with the rest of the tour, we were blessed by beautiful weather.

Kyoto, the long-time capital of Japan until 1868, features some of the most important shrines and temples in Japan, and it was a fitting end to our tour to implant memories of the spiritual essence of the country. That’s not to say it’s all traditional – the Shijo-Kawaramachi area and the amazing station (an architectural masterpiece) show the modern, fast-paced side of Japan in vibrant colours, but a perfect 31-degree sunny day provided the perfect backdrop to visit Kinkakuji and Ryoanji, leaving striking impressions on the boys.

Back to Tokyo by shinkansen, then to Narita for our departure (not before some duty-free shopping). A ten-hour overnight flight ensued, and we were back in Aotearoa, tired but pleased to be home.

Mr Coady, a late inclusion in the tour group, proved to be a star among the boys and his energy and sense of fun made the trip the success it was. Special thanks must also go to the parents of the boys involved, for their energy and commitment through some challenging fundraising initiatives, and to the Board, Senior Management and staff of the school for supporting and indulging our request to take our boys on an adventure that we hope they will remember for a lifetime.

Wayne Waller, Year 13 Dean

Fendalton Primary School Cross Country

On Thursday 11 April, the Christchurch Boys’ High School Year 13 Recreation and Sport class ran the Annual Fendalton Primary School Cross Country at Fendalton Park. This was the culmination of a month’s planning from the class, as part of their Sports Management topic.

The class was tasked with mapping and setting up the 2km course, organising track marshals, first aid, warmups, starter, and results collection. The class did a fantastic job once out on the grass.

There were 6 races in total, year 4, 5 and 6 boys and girls, all races were very competitive, and the competitors did an amazing job with all completing the course. The class did a great job of encouraging and supporting all the athletes throughout the race.

The class has no doubt learnt some valuable skills about preparing and running a large event, I hope this has given the class some inspiration and appreciation for event management in the future.

ABL Activity Spider Web

Dave Ralston's Outdoor Education class doing ABL Activity Spider Web.

Vegetable Cuts Cookery Standard

This week our Year 12 Hospitality students completed their Vegetable Cuts cookery standard. After demonstrating competence in knife skills our students went on to make vegetable soup for those less fortunate in the community. The soup was gratefully received by the team at City Mission. The portions of soup were being added to food boxes for struggling families. Ka pai Boys!