SUMMER 2012 ISSUE No. 150 - Shrewsbury School

School News
M ATHS PRIZES
School Mathematics Prizes
The Arnold Hagger Prize – a ninety-minute paper open to the whole
School – was won this year by Martin Chow (SH, LVI).
The David Harrison Prize is also open to the whole school, and takes
the form of a mathematical presentation. Aue Angpanitcharoen (Ch, IV)
won the competition with an original presentation on “Round Triangles”.
Edward Elcock (Rb, LVI), last year’s winner, was a close runner-up with
an entertaining talk on the paradox of the “Two Envelope Problem”.
Sonny Koh (Ch, IV) won the Powell Prize. This competition, open to
Third and Fourth Formers only, consists of a series of weekly problems
of a puzzling nature.
National Mathematics Competitions
The School took part for the fourth time in the UK Senior Mathematics
Team Challenge, with four boys in the Lower 6th making up the team:
Martin Chow (SH), Win Chirayus (I), Non Suemanothom (G) and Peter
R EFLECTIONS OF A RETIRING HEAD OF SCHOOL
In my first year at Shrewsbury we took part in a charity bike ride as
part of our Duke of Edinburgh Award. I was a timid, terrified thirdformer
who was too scared of looking stupid to ask for a bike and
ended up having to borrow one at the last minute.
Four years later and I was about to start my time as Head of
School. I was, once more, terrified and, as some of you will know,
bikeless. As I write this – nearing the end of my time at
Shrewsbury – the future stretches out in front of me, ominous and
tantalising, darkened by the Damocles sword of A-level results. I am
just as scared, overwhelmed but optimistically expectant as I was
on my first day. Recently, the Shrewsbury bike thief struck once
again and my much-loved mount (Hilda, as she had become
affectionately known) was pilfered.
This leaves me, yet again, terrified and bikeless.
One could be forgiven for thinking that not much has changed
since Sunday 2nd September 2007, when I stepped, wide-eyed,
into the Salopian wilderness. But Shrewsbury School has a unique
way of moulding every pupil into a Salopian whilst simultaneously
nurturing the individual so that no two are ever the same.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MALAWI
‘Just the Start…’ it says on the posters for the community service
expedition to Malawi this July. Eighteen students and six staff will
be working at a project in the central region of this African country,
one of the seven poorest countries in the world. The project is
funded by a charity based in Shrewsbury, Medic Malawi, and
consists of a rural hospital, two schools, a nutrition centre and an
orphanage. The Salopians will be playing with the children,
gaining work experience in the hospital, teaching English and
sharing music with this vibrant community.
The aim is that this will be a long-standing connection and that
groups will visit every two years. The community is a resourceful
one; the orphanage children all ‘muck in’ with chores, while the
adults give their time and skills. It is cash that’s missing. The
expeditioners have been raising funds for the project by babysitting,
holding a Jazz Evening, cycling from London to Brighton
and arranging a ‘sponge-throwing at teachers’ session. Next
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Zhan (R). They came first in the regional heat in December with a score
of 169/176, and finished 20th out of the 63 teams participating in the
London final in February with a score of 162/186. Over 1000 schools
had originally entered the regional heats.
The UK Senior Mathematical Challenge took place in November. 17
gold, 25 silver and 29 bronze certificates were awarded to pupils across
the School. Martin Chow and Win Chirayus qualified for the British
Mathematical Olympiad, a gruelling and fiendishly difficult 3½ hour
paper.
The first round of the UK Intermediate Mathematical Challenge was
held in February, with 28 gold, 37 silver and 24 bronze certificates
awarded to boys in the Lower School. Seven boys did well enough to
qualify for the Intermediate Mathematical Olympiad in March: Ronald
Chiu (SH, V), Laurence Jeffcoate (Ch, V), Derek Law (O, V), Jonathan
Cheng (I, IV), Sonny Koh (Ch, IV), Tom Dodd (Rb, III) and Alfie Grocott
(PH, III).
From flyering on the Royal Mile at the Edinburgh Fringe to lazy
Sundays in Ridgemount after chapel, this school has so many
experiences to offer which, coupled with the friends you share them
with, make it such a great place to spend five years. I do not in any
way feel a burning desire to escape this place, nor do I feel anguish
at leaving the school behind. I am ready to move off into the world,
taking a piece of Shrewsbury and everything I have learned here
with me.
Will Hunter (Rt)
term, there will be a chance to hear from the students themselves
about their experiences and the way they see the link developing
in the future. Lesley Drew