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Highbury Old Boys’ Newsletter – 4th Quarter 2015

Old Highburians’ Newsletter – 4th Quarter 2015
From Brendan’s Desk
Dear Gary Gevisser,

The academic year of 2015 has now drawn to an end. It has been an adrenalin filled year of acclimatizing and orientating for me, and in a strange way I am looking forward to ‘starting afresh’ in 2016 knowing this time around what a year at Highbury looks like and the meaning behind the various annual event’s names. As old boys, you will know that some things find their way into school traditions and remain for years, largely unchanged. This is the nature of a school such as Highbury. Of course other things move with the times, adapting and morphing.

You may have seen this little clip before but it illustrates the point:

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For our school community at large, it has been a year full of joys and amazing successes as well as difficulties and some losses. I guess in a nutshell you can say that we have experienced life to the full at Highbury in 2015. I want to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful staff for all that they have done this year to continue making Highbury the special school that it is. Each staff member brings their own unique character, personality and strengths to build our team.

We of course bid farewell to our Grade 7’s as they move on to ‘bigger ponds’ and wish them well. I’m sure that they are prepared for all that awaits them and that they will flourish wherever they have chosen to complete their schooling. At the same time, we wait with eager anticipation to welcome the new children next year – both at the bottom end of the school as well as those who join us in the different grades throughout the school. It has been particularly special meeting a number of old boys bringing their own sons to start their schooling at Highbury in Grade R or elsewhere.

The last few weeks of the term have been filled with Awards Evenings, farewells and Carol Services, which are fitting activities to end off the year. For me however, one of the most special days this past term was the 11th of November when we not only participated in a Remembrance Day Chapel Service, but also officially opened the Highburian Museum. The boys all made striking red plastic poppies from soft drink bottles which they ‘planted’ outside the chapel. It was a wonderful privilege to have Iain McMillan (Sholto’s son and old boy) join us to officially cut the ribbon and open the museum. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity of wondering through Highbury’s history, I recommend that you make some time to visit this little gem of a museum. You may even see your name or photograph somewhere on display.

Opening of The Highburian
4.101219.jpgL – R Clive Manci (Chairman of the Board), Iain McMillan (Old Boy), Brendan Carroll (Headmaster)
The annual PA end of year function (Denim and Diamonds) was once again an occasion to gather the parents and staff to party together at the end of the year. The occasion was used to auction off a number of items in aid of Jean-Luc Talbot’s medical costs (one of our boys who was injured during the year). A special thanks to the parents who donated both cricket and rugby memorabilia which they had bid for and bought, back to the school. These will be placed in the Mike Procter Cricket Pavilion as well as the Leap Rugby Pavilion.

Preparations are of course in place for next year. Our enrolment is still strong and we are poised for another fabulous academic year which begins for the boys on the 19th of January 2016.

Finally on a lighter note, there are some other changes which seem to creep in on us the older we get. If you, like me find yourself starting to identify with the second of these pictures, may our Festive Season breaks be filled with much exercise!!

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To End:

As we embrace this Christmas season, my wish is that each one of us will get to know God a bit better in a personal and meaningful way. Let us focus through all the distractions on the true meaning of this season. The prophet Isaiah wrote many years ago:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
And the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:6)

Warm regards

Brendan Carroll
Headmaster

Maputuland Challenge
WildlandsConservationTrustdonation.092150.jpgPictured at the cheque handover were (back) Blake Jackson, Reece Roberts, Daniel Redman, Greg Whitehouse, Mr Paddy Collins, Aaron Smith, Mark Gerrard (Wildlands Conservation Trust), JC Oelofse, (front) Connor Tierney, Reece James, James Coull, Callen Fisher and Tom Constable.
Contributing to the welfare and conservation of two rhinos has been one of Highbury Preparatory School’s priorities for the past seven years. Paddy Collins, teacher at Highbury, is an active Wildlands’ Rhino Ambassador and through the annual Highbury Maputuland Challenge raised funds for this important cause. Eleven Grade 7 Highbury boys participated in this challenging yet rewarding event during the September school holidays. The boys, in groups of four, endured hot and sandy conditions along back roads parallel to the KwaZulu-Natal coastline and ran a minimum of 30km each in a relay format from Bhanga Nek to Sodwana Bay. The total distance was an impressive 75km.

The boys were fortunate to experience the beauty of this pristine corner of our province and the physical challenge allowed them the opportunity to achieve a personal goal. A cheque for R35 000 was donated to the Mark Gerrard, from Wildlands Conservation Trust, on 9 October.

Under the Spotlight!
In each issue of the newsletter, we will “spotlight” one or more Old Boys. Where are you now and what are you up to? What are you passions in life? Whether student, academic, professional, business person, or sportsman … and wherever you are in the world, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your profile together with a current photo to alumni
Sean Kelly (Class of 2007)

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I left Highbury at the end of 2007 after four wonderful years at one of the country’s foremost primary schools. For the next five years I travelled a short distance to Kearsney College at the top of Botha’s Hill. Highbury had provided me with a great platform to enable me to excel at High School.

Being interested in all aspects of college life, including sport and cultural activities, I found this phase of school life exciting and fulfilling. This included my representing the 1st X1 cricket team as well as the 1st XV rugby team.

In my final year at Kearsney in 2012, I was selected as Head Boy which was a real honour at such a prestigious school. That position afforded me ample scope to face and engage in challenges and responsibilities that this role entailed.

After High School I spent my first year in Pretoria where I joined the TUKS Cricket Academy. During that time I played cricket against the Ireland U23 team, and also spent time training with cricket teams from Australia and India.

I am currently doing a law degree which I shall complete next year, after which I intend doing Honours and Articles. In the meantime I am also working full time at a Liberty Franchise called Bowman Financial Consulting as a Business Analyst. The corporate world has been a major challenge with a steep learning curve. Nevertheless it is a great experience with exciting prospects for the future.

Chris de Beer (Class of 2007)

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I was privileged enough to attend Highbury prep and follow in the footsteps of my two brothers and cousin. I started at Highbury in 2000 and ended in 2007, memories of boarders rugby, boomalaka chants after beating prep in 2006 and most importantly being exposed to good people who hold principle and moral fibre close to their hearts.

A profound memory of Highbury lies in my grade 3 year. Josh Moons mom, Debbie had prepared a massive double choc cake for our class, Mrs Kegels class. We all drooled, especially me as I was underfed being the youngest of 5 children, over the beauty of this cake from when we arrived at 7:30am for chapel with Mr Stanley, until break time which was a few hours later. As we eventually cut these monster pieces of double choc I walked out proudly and as I was about to take my first bite… someone swooped in from behind and grabbed it from my clutches and ran away with my prize. Travis Gerber (fellow peer)…my natural instincts kicked in and I hunted him down. I chased him around Mcmillan field until I caught him, wrestled him to the ground using my ‘puppy ‘weight and regained my now dirty piece of cake. I recently retold this at his 21st in Franschoek and we are fortunately still friends!

My inner most friendship circle is made up of boys I met as a 5 year old at my time at Highbury. Unlike my brothers who attended Kearsney I threw a spanner in the de Beer family tool set and chose to attend Hilton after being lucky enough to receive a sports scholarship. I was fortunate to be Head Boy of the school in my matric year, captain the 1st xv rugby and vice-captain the athletics team however, much like Highbury,the greatest gift these schools provided was the quality of people you meet through the years and in turn the goosebump memories associated with school life. I was awarded a Junior Sharks contract after school and captained the u19 and u21 Sharks team and was lucky enough to receive the Sharks u19 Player of the year award. I recently represented the Sharks Vodacom Cup side as well as winning the Varsity Shield with the UKZN Impi. This is a reflection of the grounding I received from Mr Kassier,Hooper,de Beer and Wood amongst others.I hope to emulate what they taught me and reach higher honours. I will be staying on at The Sharks and have been awarded a senior contract as I enter the senior ranks and hope to work my way into the main team. I still have a long way to go and hope to learn and grow from the senior players, I realise the nature of the sports industry and have begun a parallel career which is in its infancy.

Due to the intensity of professional sport I have been unable to study full time but have up skilled myself in project management, marketing and property law through part time UCT courses as well as taking part in a property mentorship programme through Neale Peterson, The Real Estate Investor Magazine publisher.

I am involved with my brother in an import/ Export Company as well as developing property where I have been involved in 4/5 units in Pinetown with Sean, amongst others, as we look to expand. I have also began to write a book about the journey and story of my immediate family. I am excited about what lies ahead and am hoping to make use of the wonderful grounding and network I received from my schooling by building my skill set and eventually being able to impart my knowledge onto others as people have done selflessly to me.

JOINT VENTURE

This year we have embarked on a new enterprise, Lion Construction.
The team comprises Sean Kelly, Chris de Beer, Gordon de Beer (Attorney), Dirk de Klerk (Builder) and Gigha Kelly.
Our first development is a small complex in Mosely Park, Pinetown, called Rushbrook Tides. Here we are busy selling 10 units off-plan and have already completed one, with three more under construction.

At present we have started some work in Pietermaritzburg, as well as in Winston Park, where we are building residential units on a slightly larger scale. We are also keen to enter the industrial market and are really enjoying the challenges and unique experiences that this industry presents.

Musical Performance
Daniel Bedi

A past Highbury pupil, Daniel Bedi (currently Grade 11 at Kearsney College), was selected as the prelude performer at the Durban Jewish Club Concert on 13 October hosted by the ‘Friends of Music’. Daniel’s wonderful performance preceded that of a brilliant, internationally renowned Russian concert pianist.

This is a great honour as Friends of Music is the only association in the world that provides this platform for talented up and coming performers on an ongoing basis.

Note the Highbury Old Boys’ tie that he wore!

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Congratulations to Highbury Old Boys
KEARSNEY COLLEGE
We are pleased to advise that the following Highbury old boys have been appointed as part of the Prefect Team for 2016:

  • Jared Meyer – Deputy Head of School.
  • Warren Driver – Head of House
  • Cameron Craze, Matt Watts, Keiran Smith, Lwazi Zulu Prefects.
JaredMeyer.120927.JPG WarrenDriver.120951.JPG CameronCraze.121005.JPG

From L – R Jared Meyer; Warren Driver; Cameron Craze

KieranSmith.121116.JPG MattWatts.121130.JPG LwaziZulu.121140.JPG

From L – R Kieran Smith; Matt Watts; Lwazi Zulu

The following Highbury old boys were awarded for their 2015 achievements:

  • Luke Plotts – McKenzie Trophy for Perseverence.
  • Steven Beere – Mathematical Literacy Prize.
  • Cameron Lee – Academic Honours Cum Laude and the Max Oram History Essay Prize.
  • Ross Conway – Academic Honours Cum Laude, the Accounting Prize and the Alletson-Smith Shield for Mathematics (shared).
  • Brandon Hughes – Academic Honours Cum Laude, the Life Orientation Prize and the Headmasters Prize.
  • Matthew Butler – Academic Honours Cum Laude, the Ben Milner Prize for Biology, the Alletson-Smith Shield for Mathematics (shared), the Departmental Award for extraordinary commitment and continuous achievement in Afrikaans and the Gait Trophy for the best all-rounder in the 6th Form (shared).
  • Hayden Butler, Evan Knight, Sean Healy, Chris Osborne, Brenton Scott-Martin – Academic Colours.
  • Geoffrey Sibbald, Garrett Stevens, Matthew Carlson – Academic Honours.
  • Carl Combrinck and Robert Whitehouse – 2015 South African Mathematics Foundation Olympiad Top 99 Juniors in SA.
  • Ketan Gopichand – The Stanek Trophy for Junior Chess Player.
  • James Aitkenhead and Kelian Massa – Half-Colours for Chess.
  • Daniel Bedi, Kuhle Bophela, Matthew du Toit, Ross Gaughran, Alex Gibb, Thomas Hart, Liam Hobden, Cade Meaker – Half-Colours for Music.
  • James Storm – Colours for Music.
  • Carl Combrinck – Photographer of the Year.
  • Matthew Butler, Ross Conway, Brandon Hughes, Garrett Stevens – Half-Colours for Public Speaking.
  • Luke Couzens and Derrick Loades – Colours for Public Speaking.
  • Kuhle Bophela – The Blignaut Family Trophy for Most Improved Basketball Player.
  • Graham Hudson – Half-Colours for Cricket.
  • Christopher Osborne – Half-Colours for Golf.
  • Matt Watts – Half-Colours for Sevens Rugby.
  • Hayden Butler, Matthew Carlson, Graham Hudson – Half-Colours for Soccer.
  • Matthew Butler – Colours for Soccer.
  • Reid Stuart – The Negus Trophy for The Junior Squash Champion.
  • Matthew du Toit – The A U B Amos Trophy for The U16 Squash Champion and The Carrington Trophy for The Most Improved Squash Player.
  • Gregory Cobbledick – Award to the player outside the 1st Tennis team who has shown the most enthusiasm and commitment.
HILTON COLLEGE
GavinMorrisandNickBrown.075852.JPGGavin Morris (left – Highbury 2011) and Nick Brown (right – Highbury 2010). Nick, Head of Ellis House 2015 congratulating Gavin after being announced as the Head of Ellis House for 2016.
  • Oliver Bestel de Lezongard has been appointed as Head of Churchill House for 2016.
  • Arthur Cook was awarded a Service Tie for his invaluable service to the Theatre and awarded Second Prize in the Estate Photographic competition. He received the Headmaster’s Award for Outstanding Leadership.
  • Grant Cousins was selected for the U15A Water Polo Team and for the KwaZulu-Natal U15A Water Polo Team. He received a Certificate of Merit for Water Polo.
  • Mitchell Green passed his Level A1 French Delf exam with a 100% and was the top candidate in this level.
  • Michael Harding received his Bronze Standard President’s Award.
  • Nicholas Lello received the Headmaster’s Award for Outstanding Leadership.
  • Patrick McVeigh was selected for the U15A Water Polo Team.
  • Gavin Morris was appointed as Head of Ellis House for 2016, Captain of Cricket for 2016 and Captain of Tennis for 2016. He was selected for the 1st Cricket Team, for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U19A Cricket Team and also selected for the 1st Tennis Team. He is the Hilton College College Singles Champion. He also received the Jakins and Bleloch Doubles Trophy for the Hilton College Doubles Champions.
  • Nkanyiso Nzimande passed his Level B2 French Delf exam which goes well beyond Matric requirements. He received the Headmaster’s Award for Outstanding Leadership.
  • Joshua Roberts was selected for the U14A Water Polo Team.
NkanyisoNzimandeandGavinMorris.085314.JPGNkanyiso Nzimande and Gavin Morris photographed after the final assembly of 2015
MICHAELHOUSE
MatthewWatson.081543.jpgMatthew Watson (Highbury old boy) was selected as one of the School Prefects for 2016, an outstanding achievement.
MARITZBURG COLLEGE
Highbury Old Boys chosen as 2016 Prefects.

  • Regan Turnbull
  • James Trodd
  • Matt Welch
  • Tristan Drummond
  • Brandon Dennyschen
WESTVILLE BOYS’ HIGH
  • Clyde McCree has been chosen as a Leader at Westville Boys’ High for 2016. Clyde also won a sports award for canoeing and his efforts at Dusi.
ClydeMcCree002.091745.jpgClyde McCree
St Alban’s College Pretoria
  • Bjorn Ter Haar, Highbury Class of 2011. Bjorn was selected College Prefect for 2016 as well as Deputy Head of House for Knapp Fisher. He is also the Speaker of the School’s Parliament next year.
BjornTerHaar.074557.jpgBjorn Ter Haar
Dads and Lads Cricket
Thank you to Knowledge Vilakazi for organising the annual Fathers and Sons cricket match which took place at Highbury on Saturday, 7 November.

The dads took the trophy in a hard fought and close fixture.

DadsandLads.140246.JPGDads and Lads Annual Cricket – 2015
Running for Rhinos
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Ryan Cloete and Theo York (Highbury 2004) as Team CANYON CREEPERS took on the daunting yet stunning Kruger2Canyon challenge as part of the Old Mutual Wild series over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th October 2015. The trail run was a two day stage race consisting of 28km of trail on the first day through a big 5 reserve neighbouring the Kruger Park, followed by 45 km of mountain trails through and over the Blyde River Canyon. As this was going to be a massive challenge and being avid wildlife, bush and trail running lovers, we thus decided to use this opportunity to make a difference in some way, using this run in the hope of raising funds for the Adopt a Rhino Programme headed up by the Wildlands Conservation Trust and through the More than Yourself platform of Old Mutual. All funds raised through this initiative are going directly to the Adopt a Rhino Programme through the Wildlands conservation trust.

The world rhino population has fallen by more than 90% in the past 30 years. Whereas 30 species of Rhino once roamed the planet, only 5 species remain today and all of them are threatened in some way, with 3 species being listed as critically endangered. Your contribution through the Adopt a Rhino Programme will be used to secure and better manage key community-owned protected areas in Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal that have significant rhino populations through tracker and aerial support and investigations and prosecutions against poaching. This initiative gives you the opportunity to name a rhino on one of the affiliated Wildlands reserves (or a partner reserve) in KZN. These funds will be used to improve security measures (i.e. more field rangers, employing GPS tracking technologies onto the rhino or providing aerial surveillance) on the property where ‘your’ rhino is located, thus making an amazing contribution to the conservation of rhino in KwaZulu-Natal.

What we are hoping to achieve through this initiative is to reach the goal of R25 000 required for the adoption programme, we are currently sitting at R19 000 and are so close to reaching this goal. All donations go straight to the Wildlands Conservation Trust through the More than yourself platform and are then allocated to our specific rhino programme. Every person to donate more than R100 will go into a raffle to name the rhino that we get placed with through the programme.

To make donations, please visit http://morethanyourself.co.za/fundraiser/theodore-york/ – this is the official Old Mutual – More than yourself platform allowing for donations to be made directly to the cause you wish to contribute to. For more information about the adopt-a-rhino programme please visit:

http://www.wildlands.co.za/our-work/our-rhino-projects/adopt-a-rhino/
or www.wildlands.co.za and for the trail event visit: www.wildseries.co.za

Or follow our page on Facebook.

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Time to say goodbye!
We are very sad to say goodbye to Wendy Dicks who has been our Alumni Projects Co-Ordinator since 2012. Wendy has her own very successful real estate business and her business has grown to the extent that it now needs her full time focus. She has therefore decided to step away from her role at Highbury to give more time to her own business.

Wendy assisted Sharron Lane in Highbury’s Foundation Phase for a time before joining the Marketing Team to develop and grow Highbury Old Boys. She has done an amazing job co-ordinating four Old Boys’ Golf Days with Kim de Villiers and developing and sending out the quarterly Old Boys’ newsletters. Wendy has managed to grow Highbury Old Boys’ database from 230 when she initially started the project to approximately 1500.

The Marketing Department will definitely miss Wendy’s warm, gracious presence, her positive attitude and her willingness to help out whenever and wherever she can and we wish her all the very best.

Bianca Woolley and Camilla Blomfield in the Marketing team will be embracing the Old Boy portfolio, please continue to send us your news, memories, accolades and achievements to alumni

Where are they now!
We’ve recently had a request from an Old Boy Gary Gevisser who attended HPS in 1967. Gary is trying to locate a buddy who was in his class, Gary Banjies. If you know where he is today and/or how we can contact him, please email us at alumni

For those of you who enjoy reminiscing and looking at old boy photographs Gary has shared this photograph taken in August 1967 with us.

Capture.PNGGG.121440.PNGGary 10 years of age in Highbury uniform; my mother on my right; to to my left, my eldest brother Neil who was then at Michaelhouse, where he excelled at field hockey, making it into Natal Schools
Calling all Old Boys. Help us stay in touch!
Highbury wishes to keep in contact with all their Old Boys, building, maintaining and strengthening our Highbury Old Boys relationships is really important to us.

We’re exceptionally proud of our database growth so far and we look forward to seeing a whole lot more names and details recorded in the near future!

If you know of, or are in contact with, any of the Old Boys, please send us their contact details so that we can include them in our quarterly newsletter mailing list alumni

The real challenge for us is to stay on the onwards and upwards path. To maintain our steady growth we need YOUR help.

Highbury Preparatory School and the Old Boy Associates want to hear from you, your successes, your achievements and your new opportunities.

Keep us posted!

Has your address changed?
Connect online and stay informed about future Highbury Old Boys’ News and Events.

Please help us ensure that your Highbury Old Boy family, friends and colleagues are on the Alumni database. It’s really important for us that we have the most up-to-date contact information.

To register www.hps.co.za

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TELEPHONE | 031 765 9843

FAX | 031 765 9838

EMAIL | alumni

FACEBOOK | www.facebook.com/highburyprep

ADDRESS | Highbury School
Highbury Road
Hillcrest
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