Community and service – November 2025

Daffodil Day

Students right across the College raised funds for the Cancer Society New Zealand’s annual Daffodil Day. The Sustainability Council sold fresh daffodils grown on campus; Preparatory School students wore a touch of yellow with their uniform to support the day, and the Pre-school children had a ‘Dress in Yellow’ day and gold coin donations. Tamariki also created daffodil-inspired art, made yellow playdough, and painted their faces with yellow flowers.

Food for Humanity House Challenge

The second annual Food for Humanity House Challenge was another great success with House leaders displaying the cans of food collected through the efforts of students and staff in the different Houses, which were donated to the Hoon Hay Foodbank. MacGibbon collected the most items overall, followed by Rutherford, then Erwin and Thompson.

Thriving Minds Conference

St Andrew’s College hosted three events celebrating philosophy and ethics at the Thriving Minds Conference. The Senior Philosophy Conference welcomed over 100 students for a day of thought-provoking lectures and workshops. The Junior Philosophy Conference engaged more than 170 students in accessible philosophical inquiry. The week concluded with an Ethics Professional Development Symposium for staff, fostering reflection and collaboration around ethical teaching.

Rowing

The rowing staff and team were grateful for the support and generosity of Mike Greer of Mike Greer Homes, who donated a new truck to help with transporting the two large boat trailers to the rowing team’s various regattas.

Scholarship

Annalie Marshall and Oliver Searle (both Year 12) took part in the 2025 Whakaraupō Moana Programme at Living Springs, Whakaraupō, joining with students from across Canterbury in this unique five-day learning opportunity. Run in partnership with Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, the programme created an immersive environment where students engaged closely with the natural environment, strengthened their leadership skills, and deepened their learning through conversations with local iwi.

SPACPAC Pacific Student Leadership Awards

Three St Andrew’s College students, Melenaite (Tia) Havea, Hannah Papali’i Taimalelagi Malietoa (both Year 12) and Tave Stuart (Year 13) were presented with certificates at the SPACPAC Pacific Student Leadership and Supreme Awards in September, in acknowledgement of their contribution to Polyfest, along with various other Pasifika events throughout the year.

Spirit of Adventure

In October, Spirit of Adventure students, Genevieve Bainbridge-Smith, Charles Hayes, Holly Hembry, Samuel Hu, Cooper Hulme, George Kotepong, Toby Maw, Chloe Monk, Emma Oxnam and Catherine Shao (all Year 10), supported by teacher, Jason Smallman, completed the Spirit of New Zealand 926A Voyage. Departing from Auckland, they spent four days sailing in the Hauraki Gulf with students from Thames High School, Sacred Heart College, Rye Valley School, Opihi School, and Iona College.

Speaking for the Planet

A group of 10 Sustainability Council students took part in the 2025 Speaking for the Planet Competition, with excellent results. Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (Year 11) was first in the Years 9–11 category, with Muyi (Bella) Yang (Year 10) second. In the Years 12–13 category, Kate Simcock (Year 13) was second, with Daniel Officer and Guy Bentley (both Year 13) receiving Highly Commended awards.

Te Wiki o Te Teo Māori

The 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) was celebrated at St Andrew’s with vibrant activities and cultural acknowledgments across the College, including a wero/challenge to find one ākonga and one kaiako who could pronounce the longest Māori place name in the fastest time. At the end-of-term Assembly, both the Preparatory and Secondary Schools’ kapa haka performed, uniting the community in kotahitanga and honouring the richness of te ao Māori me ōna tikanga. Activities in the Preparatory School included waiata, haka, daily challenges solving puzzles and quizzes, and displays of Māori language books in the Preparatory School Library.

Year 13 Theme Week

Year 13 Theme Week was another fun week to remember. Each day had a new theme, including students dressing as something using the first letter of their name, 10 years forward, 10 years back, Rhyme Without Reason, which saw friends pairing in hilarious and mismatched rhyming costumes, finishing with Anything but a Backpack, which saw students carrying their books in everything from buckets to wheelbarrows.

New initiative helping people in need

Homeless people and people under stress in the Christchurch community are benefitting from a heartfelt new initiative led by the Community Service team, which has been embraced College-wide, says College Chaplain, Rev. Paul Morrow, who leads the Community Service team.

“During a visit to local charity, Kairos Rescue Food Kitchen, an amazing organisation providing food for the hungry in Christchurch, and to over 60 other agencies around Canterbury, our Community Service team leaders learnt about the organisation’s additional need for basic personal care products, which some people in the community can struggle to afford,” says Paul.

In response, the Community Service team have created an ongoing initiative for each tutor group to fill one or two drawstring bags with personal care items each term. These include bodywash, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste, razors, deodorant, and towels which could be used when people utilise the showering and washing facilities at Kairos. Other items in the bags include a hairbrush and comb, tampons, a notebook and pen, chocolate bars, and lip balm, designed to provide people in need with practical help and comfort.

“This wonderful initiative has really put people who are in great need in our local community in the forefront of our young peoples’ minds,” says Paul.

The Community Service team collected the filled personal products bags in the last week of Term 3, and were overwhelmed by the support they received.

“Some of our tutor groups collected the required items two or three times over,” Paul shares. “The St Andrew’s support staff also had a collection of products, and we’ve had a lovely response from parents too, with one mother putting together three or four bags herself.”

The Community Service leaders are keen to continue donations of items for the bags, and establish an ongoing relationship with Kairos Rescue Food Kitchen, while also continuing with their large fundraising efforts for So They Can and World Vision.

“I’m incredibly proud of the efforts of our Community Service team, and the generous response from our students, and the wider St Andrew’s community to help those in need,” says Paul.

Grandparents' Day

Grandparents’ Day is a highly anticipated occasion on the St Andrew’s calendar, with around 800 grandparents gathering on Friday 17 October for this year’s event, to meet with their grandchildren, have a look around the College’s beautiful campus, and enjoy some wonderful entertainment.

A special showcase in the Centennial Chapel, with performances by the Pre‑school, Ballet Academy, Preparatory School Junior Choir, and kapa haka, entertained the grandparents and special guests. After the performances, the children met with their grandparents and took them proudly on a tour of the College to meet their teachers and friends. Preparatory School Principal, Jonathan Bierwirth, and his team did another fantastic job of organising this wonderful occasion.