Tēnā koutou te Whānau Whanui Te Kareti Taitama o Wairau.

Welcome back to Term 2. We have already seen both sports and school kicking up a gear in the short time we have been back and the rest of the term is going to be no exception. Pre-season is over for both so let’s make sure we’re putting in the mahi both on and off the field.

Our 1st XV have had a mixed start to the season with an emphatic win over Roncalli and a narrow loss against St Bedes. Fingers crossed they can repeat that winning form against St Andrews on Saturday and for the rest of the season. MBC also has a heap of other sporting codes ramping up at the start of their seasons including Hockey, Basketball, Football and many others and we wish them all the best for a successful season. If you want to keep up to date with the week of sport ahead and the previous week's results, make sure to check out the MBC Facebook or Instagram where we will have the weekly rundown of sport. Next Monday the prefects and I will be taking on our counterparts over at MGC in a game of Ki o Rahi in the first of our three prefect games for 2022. Hopefully we can continue the Falcons winning form and gain an early one up lead in the series.

This Friday, 20 May we have our student work day coming up. This is a major fundraiser for our college and helps the Student Council to fund projects around the college which the student body wants. The work undertaken by the students also benefits the local community. In past years, funds raised on Work Day have gone towards the secure bike park area, outdoor seating and technology for use in classrooms. Also this Friday is the combined colleges Relay for Life over at MGC from 9am until 5pm. The prefects have entered a time so if you’re passing by make sure to stop in and say 'g'day', we’d be happy to see you.

On  2 June we also have the first of the junior socials for the year 9’s and 10’s. This is a great opportunity for them to have a bit of fun and gives them the opportunity to meet some new people and help introduce them to the combined college’s environment. The following month on the 2 July, we have the combined colleges formal which is arguably the highlight of the year for most year 12’s and 13’s. A large amount of planning has already gone into making sure these nights are one for the ages so make sure to keep your eye out for more information and come along, trust me you don’t want to miss out.

During the latter half of week one, Matua John and I attended the annual Head Boy and Principals Conference in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland with another 39 head boys from across the country. Auckland definitely put it on for us without a doubt. Something that will stick with me for a long time was when we were walking down to the viaduct on the first night and we got caught up in the middle of a police chase. Now I know what you’re thinking. Where am I going with this? Well let me just set the scene. Imagine a group of 40 people walking down Queen street and someone coming from behind and bumping into one of the group, remembering we didn’t know each other from a bar of soap. You can only imagine your first reaction is to look and see what is going on and upon first glance it appears to be one of the boys. It was then that I noticed two police officers to my right and the situation became clearer. It turns out trying to hide amongst a group of head boys isn’t the best option.

This was a truly valuable experience which I will remember for the rest of my life and no not because of the police chase but because of the amazing people I got to meet and the knowledge and ideas which the guest speakers shared with me. Time and time again all of the speakers came back to the same key idea - self development. I decided to centre my speech around this idea in this week’s principal’s assembly. For me, this idea is something which needs to be addressed more widely and we need to comfortable talking about the uncomfortable.

In society there is a stereotype that surrounds the idea that men need to conform to societal norms in order to be accepted. In other words, there are a set of unwritten rules for men to live by. This is known as toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity involves cultural and societal pressures for men to behave in a certain way, in other words men don’t cry, they think the best way to settle an argument is with their fists and asking for help is a sign of weakness. It’s likely this affects all boys and men in some fashion. Toxic masculinity refers to the notion that some people’s idea of “manliness” perpetuates domination, homophobia, and aggression. This idea that men need to act tough and avoid showing all emotions can be harmful to our mental health and can have serious consequences for society. Toxic masculinity glorifies unhealthy habits. It’s the notion that “self-care is for women” and men should treat their bodies like machines by skimping on sleep, working out even when they’re injured, and pushing themselves to their physical limits.

By attending an all boys school it is hard for us to show our emotion because of that fear that we could be perceived as not good enough, or not manly enough by those around us. But I’m just going to stop right there because I want you to think about who decides what being manly actually is? The dictionary defines a man as an adult male human being. Not very specific right? So let’s begin to work on changing that definition because to me a man is someone who has the courage to say they are not okay, they have the ability to cry when need be, are able to use their emotional intelligence to de-escalate situations and are most  certainly not afraid to challenge the status quo.

Finally, a last minute plug for myself and a handful of prefects who have decided to get outside our comfort zones and take part in the Graeme Dingle Foundations Drop for Youth Fundraiser. I'm a true believer in the work that Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough do with the young people in our region which positively impacts over 50% of Marlborough kids every week. Definitely something worth jumping out of a plane for! I am representing Marlborough Boys' College as the Head Boy for 2022. At the college we have the vision for everyone to "be the best you can be" so I think it is only fitting that I get involved in making a difference to the lives of youth in our community so they can become the best versions of themselves.

My fundraising goal is set at $1000, and if I can reach this before May 28th I will be skydiving from 9,000 feet as part of drop day. Jumping out of a plane is something I never thought I would find myself doing but when I heard about this campaign I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and develop myself as a person. But more importantly, it is about raising money for the Graeme Dingle Foundation to help other tamariki and rangatahi on their transformational journeys.

If you wish to donate to my campaign this can be done by following the link to my Give a Little campaign: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/liam-keegan-marlborough-boys-college-head-boy-drop

If you wish to support Charlie Wilkin (Waihopai RIPR prefect) click on this link: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/charlie-wilkin-drop-for-youth-2022

If you wish to support Lakshay Negi (Ōpaoa Cultural Prefect) follow this link: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/lakshay-beutiful-bucket-list

Finally to support Alex Piddington (Ōpaoa Academic Prefect and Head of Academic) press me: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/alex-piddington-drop-for-youth-2022

All donations big or small are greatly appreciated and will be used to cover programme delivery costs within the Marlborough region.

I wish you and your whānau all the best for the remainder of term 2 and 2022.

Noho ora mai,

Liam Keegan - Head Boy