Toby Hull 

(Class of 2022)

2025 English Prefect, Lucy Ellis, sat down with Toby for an insightful interview, delving into his journey from Cashmere High School to his current role as a 24/7 Youth Worker and Civil Engineering student at the University of Canterbury.

From Shave for a Cure bleach mishaps to Youth Work, this Alumni has an interesting mix of experiences under his belt! On this cold, overcast Thursday lunchtime in the top of S Block, we caught up with former CHS student, Toby Hull. Toby was Head Student, Board of Trustees’ Student representative, and involved in many sports in his busy five years at Te Iringa O Kahukura! Toby is currently a part-time 24/7 Youth Worker, which is a role that involves mentoring students at Cashmere High and running leadership programmes.

What are you currently doing, and when you left school, was this what you thought you would be doing?

I’m currently in my second year of Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury. I’m also working part-time as a 24/7 Youth Worker here at Cashmere and playing a bit of basketball on the side. When I left school, I absolutely did not think this was what I was going to be doing. I knew I wanted to go to university, and I was keen to study Engineering. I graduated three years ago, and I’m only two years into university because at the end of Year 13, I started looking at the possibility of a gap year.

What does a typical workday look like for you? Do you have a particular schedule or timetable?

Part of the 24/7 role is mentoring with students. I have set times in the week that I come in, so sometimes I’ll come in for a lunchtime and catch up with whoever’s around. Occasionally, I’ll come into school for a bit of leadership development, with 24/7.

Have there been any challenges you’ve had to face in your time after school?

I think I found the unknown a bit of a challenge to start with, through thinking and figuring out what I’m passionate about and how I’m gonna spend the time, and also balancing that with study and co-curriculars. To combat these challenges, I think having a good idea of what I value in terms of people and being able to connect with my community has been super helpful. Leaning on people in my community helped me make decisions around how I spend my years after high school.

What have been some of your highlights of your time since you left Cashmere?

Jumping in as a Youth Worker at Cashmere just wasn’t on my radar whatsoever. I knew the Youth Workers and a bit about what they did, but I never saw myself doing it, partly because I assumed that studying would take up all of my time as well as other things. Right at the end of Year 13, there was a space that opened up at Cashmere for a Youth Worker, so I gave it a go, and very quickly, I just thought, this is awesome. This was because I was able to jump in alongside lots of other people I had never met before and get to know a lot of new faces.

What do you look back on as highlights from your time at CHS?

Sports were a pretty big part of my time here! Being involved in basketball and cricket in particular was a lot of fun for me. Not only spending time with my mates, but also just being able to push ourselves as a team to try to achieve things. I remember basketball in Year 13. We’d had a couple of years of cancelled tournaments due to Covid, but in Year 13, being able to push to Nationals, and even though we didn’t do great, the journey there was a big highlight as a team. I also had the privilege of being a Student Board of Trustees representative in Year 12, then Head Student in Year 13, and I really enjoyed both roles. The Board role was new for me, and I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it opened my eyes to the behind-the-scenes of Cashmere High and the interesting people that were part of it. I also enjoyed the ability it gave me to give back and try to build a very positive culture through leadership, as well as being a good influence on others. It’s important to acknowledge the positive impact that leadership can have on a school, and you have the power to set the culture as a leader. It doesn’t change overnight, but at least trying to make a dent is what counts.

Do you have a favourite or funny story about your time at Cashmere High?

I remember it was Year 12 and coming into Shave for a Cure. My hair was relatively long for me at the time, and it was going to be shaved in a couple of weeks, so I thought, why not bleach it? I then bleached my hair with supermarket hair dye, and it was pretty shocking as it was very orange. I had a board meeting the next day, and I spent the evening trying to tone it with a funny coloured shampoo, which didn’t really work, and when it came to shaving my hair off, my scalp was green!

Was there anyone at Te Iringa O Kahukura who left a lasting impression on you?

I remember being in Year 10 at assembly when Mr Eccleton, the principal, was speaking about leadership, and how your impact as a leader is defined by how you serve. I thought service was important, and it formed a lot of the basis of my motivation to get involved in leadership from that point on. My Year 12 Science teacher, Dr. Patterson, placed so much emphasis on curiosity and showed me that homework is important, which helped me develop important study habits. When I got my results, it gave me confidence that the work I put in could be reflected in my results. It also helped me develop an appreciation for feedback, which has been super important in all aspects of my life.

What would be your best piece of advice for students looking to pursue civil engineering or Youth Work? Also, would you have any advice for students who are trying to figure out what they want to do?

It took me until Year 13 to do this, but I’d encourage students to take a step back from the rush or the pressure to shoot straight into university. Spend a bit of time in introspection, looking at yourself and thinking about what you’re passionate about, enjoy, and what really fills your cup. It sounds cliche, but I genuinely believe it. I think if I hadn’t taken a gap year straight after I left school, I wouldn’t be here doing Youth Work, as a gap year allowed me to figure out what I valued and what was important to me. That then framed how I jumped into university and also service in the form of Youth Work. Recognise that it’s not worth jumping straight into university if your heart’s not in it, and make sure to invest in yourself and get an understanding of your strengths and values.

Is there anything else you’d like to include or messages you’d like to send to current students, staff, parents, or the wider CHS community?

Take opportunities and try something different. I look back on high school, and I don’t regret trying something my friends weren’t doing at the time or meeting new people as a result.

Toby’s story illustrates the variety of ways high school helps young people develop important skills, whether that’s for leadership or life. They come from a variety of opportunities and influences, and it definitely takes time. As a Year 13 student myself, it’s very encouraging to see the positive impact that teachers can have on students and how they set up students with knowledge that they can use for the rest of their lives!

June 2025. Interviewed and written by: Lucy Ellis, 13BTE, Year 13 English Prefect