“Haere taka mua, taka muri; kaua e whai”                              Be a leader, not a follower 

To honour this year’s whakatauki for Robertson House, I am going to keep this yearbook article relatively brief as I wish for Emma Green and David Cleary to have the opportunity to share some of their thoughts and memories.

As our House Captains for 2016, they have been superb. From the moment we greeted them as nervous, uncertain year nine students, we have seen them develop into confident, self-assured young adults ready to move onto the next phase of their lives. We have also been privileged to have had the services of Kyle Williams-Simeon as Deputy House Captain and Emma Tufuga and Te Kahurangi Bourne as House Leaders to round out our Robertson House Leadership team.

In terms of how this year has gone, I felt that we have remained true to ourselves and the values and core beliefs we have come to stand for over the last few years. As far as the House Competition has gone, I think it wold be fair to say that we never quite “hit our straps’ so to speak and struggled to perform when we really needed to. In saying that, however, on behalf of Robertson House, I would like to congratulate Mrs Brown and Field House’s emphatic win in this year’s House competition. You were fierce and committed from the very start and ultimately proved to be the force to be reckoned with. Well done on your much deserved success.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to again thank the students and staff of Robertson House. Mr Culshaw, Whaea Mere, Mr O’Sullivan, Mr Taru, Miss Frith and Aunty Ada, I appreciate all that you do for myself and the students of our House and look forward to working with you all next year on Robertson House’s 2017 comeback. On that note, and as has come to be expected, I will leave you with our whakatauki to take into 2017,

Those who lead give sight to those who follow
Those who follow give life to those who lead

House Captains' Report

Robertson House has been a huge part of my schooling career, teaching me valuable leadership skills and acting as a huge family for me full of friendly faces and kind people. The past five years have shaped me as a person through the influence of every person in this House and I am extremely thankful. Personally I’d like to thank our Dean, Mrs Ursula Belk as she has been a fantastic role model and amazing leader for our house. This year I’ve seen an amazing effort from Robertson House students participating in school events and I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to have a role and influence in our House. Being in Robertson has made me proud during my school years and I’m sure others feel the same way. Good luck for 2017!

David Cleary

It has been a privilege to be able to be one of the Robertson House captains for 2016 and to be able to work alongside the other House leaders and students in our House to make sure we are always achieving to the best of our ability. I would like to acknowledge all the hard work and effort that everyone in the House has put in this year in everything that they have done. It's always cool to see everyone proudly wearing their red and always giving all House events their absolute best. It's not always about winning, it's about working together and giving it your all that bring us closer together. Lastly I would like to wish everyone the best for next year and wish you all well.

Emma Green