Giving back to Grammar - recent leavers from the class of 2019
Tuesday, 30 April 2024
All Old Boys, in some way or another, give back to Auckland Grammar School after their five years have passed. Whether it be assisting with a capital project, serving on the Board of Trustees or the Headmaster's Council, or ensuring that we secure and retain the very best teachers through the Academic Endowment Fund, the contributions of Old Boys have made a profound impact on the School.

Recent Old Boys giving back to Grammar include Quinlan Te Tamaki, Jamie Mora, and Angus Baker (all from the class of 2019). These leavers have quickly returned to Grammar and are seeking to make their unique contribution to the School.

Quinlan, Jamie, and Angus were all in positions of responsibility last year, as Head Prefect, Deputy Head Prefect, and one of four Senior Prefects as well as the Head Prefect of Tibbs House, respectively. They were part of the Senior Prefect team which, for all three, cemented their friendship. As Quinlan notes, it was here that they discovered, through working together, that they were "a group of like-minded people", all of whom "appreciated the opportunities [they] had thanks to Grammar."

For Angus, it was this friendship that drew him back to Grammar. Unsure of what to do until he heads to the United Kingdom for university in September, he decided to return to Grammar after he attended the annual Scholars' Assembly in February. "Seeing Jamie and Quinlan enjoying their time here cemented my decision", a choice which was facilitated by the generosity of several staff at Grammar - Headmaster Tim O'Connor, Director of Advancement Daniel Reddish, and Director of Boarding Frank Haszard ’93 being those who Angus credits most highly for their assistance.

Quinlan was similar to Angus, unsure of what to do while he worked through some difficulties with his plans to join the Navy (which are now back on track). His parents, however, happened to see the Headmaster, who asked after him. Next thing he knew, he was told "[he] was starting tomorrow and [he] needed a Staff tie."

Jamie also wanted to fill some time before he heads to the United States on a full Athletics scholarship. He knew late last year that he "wasn't ready to leave Grammar" and was "keen as" to join the team, knowing that other recent leavers would also be on the staff at the start of the year. While he began work this year as part of the Resource team, he moved to the Learning Support department as a Teacher Aide from the start of Term 2, where he will work alongside Quinlan, who describes working alongside the Learning Support team as "a great experience".

Jamie admittedly found the transition from student to staff "a little awkward" - especially trying to remember to use teachers' first names rather than the usual 'Sir' or 'Miss' - but this has been outweighed for him by access to staff morning teas.

All three leavers attribute a feeling of thankfulness towards the School as a key factor in finding their new positions rewarding. Angus believes that every Old Boy owes the School a debt of gratitude for "a world-class education not just in the academic sense, but also in how to grow from a boy to a man". Jamie feels strongly that it is the connections formed at Grammar that make it so special. "The number of Old Boys who reached out almost instantly when they found out I was going to 'Mizzou' (the University of Missouri) was incredible." It is for this reason - the strength of the Grammar community - that Quinlan takes pride in being "part of this great institution."

None of these leavers particularly expected to feel such a connection to Grammar in the year leading up to their entry to the School. Both Quinlan and Angus lived outside of the School zone, and Angus had no idea that the School even existed until a chance email from his intermediate principal that saw him successfully apply for the Cooper-Connell scholarship to Tibbs House.

Quinlan spent his first four years as a day boy, but one who only just scraped in on the second out-of-zone ballot. He joined Tibbs House for his final year as, given the sheer number of duties he had to perform at School throughout the year as Head Prefect, commuting from Papakura was not feasible. As for Jamie, he initially felt ambivalent towards the idea of attending Grammar. However, on just his second day, "I knew this was the place for me."

Today, all three are proud Old Boys, and being a part of the Old Boys' network means a lot to each of them. As Angus puts it, to be an Old Boy is "to inherit 150 years of history and to then build upon it." They are each sure they will be part of Grammar's future. Even as they may lack certainty as to what their future holds, all make it clear they plan to give back to Grammar in any way they can.

These young men can be seen as a microcosm of the Grammar community: linked with strong ties that will see them continuously come together. Despite working on disparate parts of campus, they meet nearly every lunch to chat and enjoy each other's company before going their separate ways for the afternoon. Angus is sure their "shared experiences will see our bonds of friendship remain strong even as [they] spread out across the world."

Since Jamie, Quinlan, and Angus will span three separate continents towards the end of this year, they are enjoying their last few months at Grammar in what they joke is a "Form 8!" As Quinlan notes, "it is really special to be able to still have an impact on the School after all the school has done for us." Seeing the impact of their labour on students' success is a truly rewarding feeling.

Having seen the examples of Old Boys before them giving back to the School, these young men hope they can follow in the footsteps of their forebears in showing their thanks to a place that has given them so much. Even as they spread their wings in their future endeavours, they affirm they will never forget the community that has helped them on their journey so far.