The global video game market is currently valued at nearly $300 billion, making it larger than the combined film and music industries. It’s a sector offering huge career and business opportunities for many of our students at Westlake Boys. We’re proud to announce a new partnership with Mytona, one of New Zealand’s largest gaming companies and a major international mobile game developer. This collaboration has led to the creation of one of Auckland’s first structured, fully sponsored game development programmes in a high school, with a longer-term plan to develop into a curriculum offering in following years. This initiative is also a meaningful step toward supporting Auckland’s vision to become a leading tech and innovation hub – by investing in local talent pipelines and creating stronger bridges between schools and industry.
Offered initially as an after-school course, the programme introduces students to game development fundamentals. It covers everything from coding and design to teamwork and project management. The course has already seen strong interest, with over 130 students signing up – a clear indication of the growing demand for game development education among youth.
"We’re excited to partner with Mytona to bring real-world software and game development experience into Westlake Boys. This collaboration allows our students to showcase their creativity, build real-world skills, and learn from industry professionals – turning their interests into meaningful opportunities with future pathways," said Simon O’Brien, who leads the course at Westlake Boys. “What sets this course apart is direct access to Mytona’s expertise. Students will benefit from mentorship, feedback, site visits, and guest talks from industry professionals."
Mytona recently visited Westlake, joined by two Westlakers who are now part of the company. Wade Kirkland (class of 1995), now Mytona’s finance director, spoke about the company’s growth from twin brothers in Siberia to more than 600 employees globally, with its headquarters in Auckland and main offices in Singapore, Kazakhstan, and Thailand. Joseph Choi (class of 2009) shared his journey from studying engineering to pursuing his passion for game design. He also spoke about some of Mytona’s most successful titles, including Cooking Diary and Seekers Notes — both ranked among the top three highest-grossing games in their genres worldwide. Westlake students also visited Mytona’s offices overlooking Takapuna beach for a behind-the-scenes tour, where they learned about the many elements that go into bringing a game to life.
“In addition to our core mission to make iconic games, Mytona is driven by an important goal: to share our knowledge with young talent, to inspire and educate, and in doing so, bring added value to the community,” said Sasha Baisheva, Executive Director of Mytona.
“Westlake Boys already has significant experience in game development education. After meeting with the school’s leadership, we learned that students have been creating their own games for several years, developing their skills through hands-on practice and laying a strong foundation for game development within the school. We truly value this practical approach and the enthusiasm shown by both students and teachers. We believe that our support – both financial and expert – can help these students fully unlock their creative and technical potential.
“After spending more time with the students, our team was impressed by their motivation and genuine passion – keen minds and passionate spirits! This resonates deeply with our own approach to creating games. Together, WBHS and Mytona are building a meaningful pathway from the classroom to the global games industry,” said Sasha.
This partnership represents a new step in bridging classroom learning with global industry, giving students a head start in one of the fastest-growing creative fields in the world. It also reflects Auckland’s broader ambition to position itself as a hub for world-class creativity, innovation, and technology – with initiatives like this laying the foundation for the city’s digital future.
Chinese Night takes centre stage
The annual Westlake Chinese Night took place on Friday, 27 June at our auditorium, with over 1000 in the audience from both schools and the community supporting the event.
It was an amazing night filled with energy, showcasing a mix of traditional and modern Chinese performances on stage. Since the beginning of Chinese Night, which was 14 years ago, we have donated part of our proceeds to local charities and both schools. This year, we’re proud to be donating $1,500 to the Boys’ First Foundation, $1,500 to Westlake Girls’ High School, as well as $1,500 to the charity group Amnesty International. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the event – we can’t wait to bring you an even more spectacular show next year!
Thomas Wang (2025 Chinese Night committee co-leader)
Raising emotionally strong teenagers
As part of our Parent Education series, we’re pleased to welcome wellbeing specialist and educator Caroline Black for a special session with parents and whānau. Our guest speaker will explore timely and practical strategies for supporting our teens’ emotional development. Her presentation, on Thursday 14 August, will focus on:
• Naming and normalising emotions;
• Understanding stress, anxiety, and the developing brain;
• Building inner resources for self-awareness;
• Tools to support emotional regulation.
This is a valuable opportunity for parents navigating the ups and downs of the teen years and is aimed towards the wider North Shore community.
Parent Evening with Caroline Black – Thursday 14 August, 5:30pm in the staffroom
Tickets: $10 (students and children free). Scan the QR code to purchase a ticket.
Hockey Prems win Worner Shield
Westlake Boys’ Senior Premier hockey team has just won the Worner Shield – a league-format competition featuring six of the top hockey schools in New Zealand. Earlier in the season, Westlake defeated both Whangārei Boys’ High and St Paul’s Collegiate, setting them up well heading into the final round at St Paul’s in Hamilton. There, they continued their strong form, notching solid wins over Christ’s College and St Bede’s College. On Monday 14 July, they faced Timaru Boys’ in what was described as one of the best schoolboy hockey matches seen in years. Westlake led twice, but Timaru pulled back to win 3-2 with a late penalty corner. The result meant it all came down to goal difference – and when Whangārei failed to win their final match by a big enough margin, Westlake was crowned Worner Shield champion.
