Boys' High bond brings cheer

ANDY JACKSON

STEP UP: Comradeship was alive and well at New Plymouth Boys' High School yesterday when head boy Isaac Robinson, left, gifted close to $10,000 to Shirley Boys' High School head boy Jack Henry.

A Taranaki high school's fundraising efforts have brought new hope to a devastated Christchurch school.
Yesterday Shirley Boys' High School principal John Laurenson and head boy Jack Henry travelled to Taranaki to receive a cheque for nearly $10,000 raised by New Plymouth Boys' High School students after the Christchurch earthquakes.
"This is very humbling and our relationship with the school will be even stronger because of it," Jack said.
Now principal of the South Island's largest boys' school, Mr Laurenson said his ties with New Plymouth made it very special returning to his old teaching ground.
"In some ways my heart and soul is split between Shirley Boys' and New Plymouth Boys'," he said.
Mr Laurenson was appointed senior hostel manager and head of geography at New Plymouth Boys' High in 1984 for five years and after time in Hawke's Bay he returned to the school again in 1991 where he was deputy principal until moving to Shirley Boys in 1996.
New Plymouth Boys' High principal Mike McMenamin said after the Canterbury earthquake in September, staff at the school suggested any fundraising efforts be donated to Shirley Boys' High because of the close links with Mr Laurenson.
"We're greatly honoured to have John and Jack here today and the response from the boys when they've met Jack is very supportive," Mr McMenamin said.
All three of Mr Laurenson's sons attended New Plymouth Boys' High, one of whom was head boy in 1994.
"The gift of money is not really the important thing. It represents hope as it has to be seen to believe what some of the boys have been through," Mr Laurenson said.
Jack said meeting his counterpart at New Plymouth Boys' High, Isaac Robinson, was a real highlight of the visit.
"The donation shows the school has a lot of heart and it's humbling to know the youth of New Zealand are thinking of us."
He said his peers in Christchurch will struggle to believe the amount raised.
Shirley Boys' High School is now sharing a site with Papanui High School and operates between the hours of 1pm and 6pm.
"It's quite different for the boys as a lot of routines have changed with sports practices and things but Papanui has been absolutely brilliant," Jack said.
New Plymouth Boys' High originally set a benchmark of $5000 to raise for their brother school, Isaac said.
"The boys really got behind the fundraising and although mufti days are usually only $2 the boys were giving much more and were even doing their own fundraising to help."