James bonds with new status

James Matthews has paid his dues at Nelson College since year seven at its preparatory school.

But he didn’t expect to be announced as its 2025 head boy in November last year since he believed there were a plethora of destined candidates.

The New Zealand basketball and baseball representative with two NCEA excellence endorsements to his name is “excited to get to work” in the talismanic role at Aotearoa’s oldest state secondary school.

“My first [goal] is inclusivity within the entire school… I think it’s very important that we understand, listen to and value everyone’s perspectives, no matter where they are in the school,” he says.

“My second goal is to help each student leader focus on their strengths and use their skills to make meaningful contributions to the school and in the area they’re most passionate about

“I think that Nelson College is a school of traditions, so my final goal is for every student at the school to feel proud of their uniform, knowing that they’re part of a community that is always going to support and value them, and that they’re part of a legacy.”

James says he’s always gone the extra mile at the college in academics and sport and is an eager member of its newly-implemented Students Against Dangerous Driving (SADD) group which endeavours to empower rangatahi to prevent losses on Kiwi roads.

He will be studying history, te reo Māori, economics, statistics and English in his final year and is looking to university study in the USA with a basketball or baseball scholarship upon graduating.

His predecessor, Oliver Morton, says being head boy was “not all about the rah-rah”, and that listening to the student body would be paramount.

“I think that Nelson College is a school of traditions, and I just want to help create and foster in our school where everyone feels heard, equal, and they’re proud and excited to come to school every day,” he says.