29 Finningley House Head of House report Very few boys get to experience the "Finningley College" journey—to feel their hearts skip a beat while singing "Old Boys of Finningley..." or to hold our beloved mascot "Congo" the elephant. I had the privilege of calling this extraordinary house my home for four wondrous years, leading it to many exhilarating victories this year. As the Head, I witnessed the boys of the house, both seniors and juniors, working in unison to achieve a common goal, epitomising what makes Finningley so special. At the beginning of our tenure as prefects, we sat down with Mr. Waldburger and set goals for the year that was to follow. Two goals stood out—one was to win the Veldman Top House Trophy. We came agonizingly close; there was no clear winner until after the last inter-house event, where we unfortunately missed out and ended up coming second. To quote Mr. Willows, "It was the first time" that it has ever been that close”. Nonetheless, I was extremely proud of the effort the boys of the House put in throughout the entire year, and I commend them for pushing until the very end. The primary goal, however, was to change people's perception of Finningley, and we achieved that. Throughout my time at the College, Finningley was not viewed as a favourite in inter-house competitions, but that changed this year. In 2023, Finningley dominated all the "major" inter-house events, winning the inter-house gala, plays, athletics and choir competitions. We fell short in other departments, but as the leadership body of 2023, we leave satisfied with what we have achieved. We were able to put Finningley back in the spotlight and lay a foundation for future matric groups to build on—that is the biggest victory a leadership group can celebrate. Luckily, we did not leave empty-handed and managed to win the inter-house cultural trophy. We continued integrating traditions that had disappeared during the COVID years—a process started by the Class of 2022 and welcomed with open arms by the house. Juniors, especially, were eager to learn and bring back all the House traditions, highlighting the pride and passion the boys have for Finningley. I would like to thank Mr. Walburger and the duty masters for the tremendous work they put in throughout the year to ensure the house remained intact and for being there for the boys in times of need. To my prefect body—Otsile Ntsele, Dhiyarv Govender, Guy Roberts, and Hayden Davel—thank you for always being there during demanding and challenging times, serving the house with pride and honour. To the Matrics of 2023, thank you for leading the house and working in tandem with the prefects to ensure the house ran smoothly. To Matthew Mendes de Oliveira, his prefect body, and the class of 2024, I wish you the best of luck for the year that follows. Remember that winning the Veldman trophy is not your main job; rather, it is to preserve the traditions of the House and ensure that Finningley is a home away from home for all the boys who walk through the illustrious halls of Finningley College. I have no doubt that you will lead Finningley to greater heights. Per Ardua Ad Victoriam Sange Mdunyelwa Head of House
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