Abingdonian 2018

95 www.abingdon.org.uk House Reports became the first person to have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, successfully summited Mount Everest and cycled 18,000 miles around the world, a feat that was dubbed “The Ultimate Triathlon”. James made it very clear to the boys that you have to work hard if you want to achieve, saying “there are no shortcuts to the top of the world”. Many of the second years took James’ words to heart and worked very hard preparing for the various scholarships over the course of the term, and it was really encouraging that Lower School boys were successful in all the different disciplines. Congratulations go to Daniel Barratt (Music Exhibition), Oliver Glover (Art and Music), Philip Grotjahn (Academic), Thomas Harding (Music Exhibition), Felix Kind (Music Exhibition), Rory Kind (Drama and Music Exhibition), Benjamin MacLennan (Design & Technology), Ollie Northwood (Music Exhibition), Jonathan Pannett Smith (Music), Max Siriwardene (sport), Fran Trotter (Academic) and Tom Walters (Academic). The boys also showed their community spirit throughout the year, thinking of others less fortunate than themselves. A charity collection in December saw many boxes of food donated to the Abingdon Emergency Foodbank, sales of homemade cakes were organised by 2C and 2P, and the annual charity football tournament, which saw victory go to the somewhat ironically named Hockey FC after a penalty shootout, led to a donation of over £350 to the Meningitis Research Foundation. In the summer Lower School athletes had a particularly successful season, qualifying for the regional round of the ESAA Track and Field Cup and then just missing out on making it to the national final by the narrowest of margins. Benjamin MacLennan proved victorious in the Lower School Fencing Tournament and Felix Loeffen was named the 2018 pool champion. A flurry of inter-tutor group events in the last few weeks of term saw the overall lead change hands several times, but 1J and 2M were the eventual winners. The annual Be the Best You Can Be Celebration was held in the last week of term and provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the second years as they prepared to leave Lower School. Each tutor group gave a presentation, with 2C showing a suitably idiosyncratic film they had made about their values, 2M talking about their recent 12 hour night walk which saw them walk the equivalent of 20 marathons around the track of Tilsley Park and raise £2,500 for The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, and 2P performing “Price tag” (as an affectionate tribute to their tutor, Mr Price) as a tutor group orchestra with every member, even those not very acquainted with an instrument, talking a role. The fact that these presentations were so different sums up the range of talents and abilities in this year group and it’s clear that they are going on to do very well in all areas of school life as they move up the school. The end of year prizes were awarded as follows: Academic Prizes: Sam Houldsworth- Bianek (2C), Tom Walters (2M), Fran Trotter (2P), Toby Pinnington (1J), Philip Kimber (1L), and Harrison Blumfield (1W) Baker Award: Felix Kind, Thomas Harding and Thomas Wilson Broadbent Cup for Sporting Excellence: Timothy Fowler Cooper Cup for Excellence in Reading: Ben Simons Dillon Cup for Service: Max Struthers Woodgett Cup: Archie Wood My thanks go to the excellent team of tutors that have guided the boys over the course of the year, in particular Mrs Lord who leaves us to take up a post at Wychwood School, and Mrs Wigmore who, after 19 years as a Lower School tutor, is retiring. She has helped countless Lower School boys be the best they can be over the years and so thoroughly deserved to be awarded her Lower School colours tie for service in her final Lower School assembly. Adam Jenkins