Well done to Head Prefect Jake Maskill who delivered a superb address at our Senior Prizegiving. Jake spoke about accepting that not everything will be perfect and we will inevitably be faced with difficulties and challenges throughout our lives. His message was about the importance of supporting our friends when they are going through challenging times.

"Since this address is being published, I find myself believing that it has to be perfect. Spelling and grammar checks are easy, but how can I ensure my experiences are perfect? How do I make this a unique report while still making it ideal under the expectations of the great entries that the 117 previous Head Prefects have crafted? I can’t. Because I’m not perfect. And this is something that has been in my mind heavily this year. So, I would like to share an imperfect and human experience at PNBHS that, despite its flaws, will remain one of my most favourable memories from my high school years. 

Crest to Crest Day Two

The second day of crest to crest involves a 70km mountain bike, followed by a 30km canoe down the Whanganui River. The mountain bike started off great, the views were incredible, and it was the first time of the week that we got to ride together as a pack. We started to traverse down this beautiful mountain, where gravity took over, and you could enjoy the drop and the rolling hills and farms below you. However, mountains have two sides. This meant that after all the fun downhill, we had to go back up on the other side. Now, this was not something that I was worried about. I made sure that I trained frequently over the summer so that I would be as ready as I could be. What I didn’t account for is that uphill biking requires locking out your bike suspension. 70km of mountain biking started to take a toll on me; my body was sore, I was drained. I couldn’t keep up with the pack. The uphills were hard. They were a gruelling challenge and there was no easy way around it. But, if anyone asks, it was easy and the only thing holding me back was my unlocked suspension. 

Trailing at the back of the pack, my thoughts were killing me. I was telling myself over and over that I had already let the team down, and we were only halfway through the second day. However, the most memorable part of that bike ride was near the end. I came around a corner and looked up to see the whole team standing facing me cheering me on and pulling me in to ride with them for the rest of the mountain bike. I remember feeling the relief that I still had the support of my team. I couldn’t fail yet, my brothers were counting on me. Then, we finished the mountain bike, an emotional experience for me - as tough as it may be to admit. We got off our bikes and I went to thank my team for what they had done for me, and to apologise. “Yeah nah all good bro, don’t worry about it. We’re not finished yet, let’s go canoe aye.” Perhaps the most inspiring words I’ve ever heard, despite the excessive colloquialisms. Not only did the team support and encourage me during one of my most challenging physical and mental battles, but they also thought nothing of it, and they motivated me to leave it in the past and get on with the job. I think about this day frequently. It is a reminder to support and encourage those around you and fight for those who are relying on you. Count on your brothers; they always have your back. To the Crest to Crest team, I am incredibly grateful and proud of you - a highlight week of my year."