Kids Corner
In the final Kid’s Corner for the 2022 school year, I would like to share our School Captain’s speeches from their Graduation. Thank you, Tiana and Nevin for being outstanding captains and I trust everyone enjoys their speeches as much as the graduation audience did.
Nevin’s Graduation Speech
Good evening Mr Catalano, teachers, parents and my fellow peers. As you may know, my name is Nevin and I am honoured to be standing here today at our Year 6 graduation as your school captain. Here we are, in our final days of our primary school Journey. Where did all those years go? It feels like it was only yesterday the first day of prep began. Now, we’re in Year 6. We’ve gone from colouring outside the lines to plotting linear equations on cartesian planes.
But as we progress to Year 7, we need to remember that this journey is more than just about ourselves. Every moment we have spent in school has had an impact on us. We can attribute these changes to our wonderful teachers, our parents and our beloved principal, Mr Catalano. Our learning journey doesn’t begin when you start university or when you join secondary school, it starts when you’re born.
Our first teachers and the most under-appreciated teachers are our parents. They dealt with our tantrums, they dealt with “I don’t want to eat my veggies”, they dealt with our constant “That’s not fair”, all for our benefit, and look at us now, GWPS graduates... Wow!
And to our teachers, thank you for being our guide through our first few years at school, and thank you for moulding us into not only good learners but respectful, valuable members of the community. Although our school teachers are vital to our development, we cannot forget our teachers outside of school. Your soccer coach, your dancing instructor, your music teacher, or even a website that taught a random fact that you didn’t need to know. Like did you know that some fish can cough? And every day they give that tiny bit of wisdom, that together, makes us such skilful individuals.
Now to you, my friends. It is truly inspiring to see each and every one of your faces today. It’s unbelievable that it was 7 years ago when we first met each other. The last few years have been weird, to say the least. From COVID to an actual earthquake. What’s next? Throughout our time at GWPS, we have faced our challenges together, always picking each other up when we stumble, and cracking jokes to get us through anything.
So, on behalf of the entire Year 6 cohort, to show our immense gratitude for our teachers, parents, Mr Catalano and to each other, could we all please give everyone one big round of applause?
Year 6 has been filled with so much excitement. Our teachers have given us countless opportunities to strive through real-world experiences. On the last day of school, while you’re packing your bag for the one last time, recall all the fun we’ve had this year. We marvelled at art exhibitions at The Lume, at camp we went canoeing for the first time for most of us, we zipped through the campsite on the flying fox and we even learnt how to tie knots and build a raft, Bear Grylls style. And at interschool sport, we really came together as a school, channelling our GWPS competitive spirit. Through all these experiences, I’m sure if the whole Year 6 cohort was stranded on an island, we would all easily survive, though it would be quite chaotic.
Finally, I’m so grateful to have been given this opportunity to be one of your 2022 School Captains. Thank you for working with the student leadership team to make GWPS a better place than it already was. We as a cohort must continue to never give up on each other, and never let each other down. We will never run around and desert each other.
It is hard to think that our primary school chapter is over, and I will cherish every single second spent in school, but let’s look forward to the path ahead. Life is like a staircase; no step is more important than the other. Secondary School is a prime example of this. One step closer to achieving our goals. So graduates, let’s climb the steps together. Thank you so much for listening and supporting me in our journey at Glen Waverley Primary School. I wish each and every one of you the best of luck for your school years, and beyond.
Tiana’s Graduation Speech
Life is our journey, and primary school has only been the beginning. Yet each and every one of us have made everlasting memories that will burn for a lifetime. I am grateful for everything Mr Catalano, our parents, our teachers, and my peers have all done for us. Thank you for being here tonight, it means a lot to me. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Tiana and I am the 2022 school captain.
We have all had unique experiences here at GWPS, good times, hard times, times of laughter and joy, school spirit, of creating those cherished memories and having the best times of our lives. Graduation marks the end of this chapter, and I’m sure we all have mixed feelings.
The very first year at primary, prep, where we began this whole journey. That was the start, and from then, it’s hard to describe how we grew, matured, and learnt so much more. To put it very basically, it was the first step in growth and change, from an M&M to a Smartie. (Laugh)
Primary school has been like a never-ending road, which has taken a sharp turn, and now suddenly, unexpectedly come to an end. The fact that I might never see most of you again still hasn’t sunk in, but I know I will miss you all. Our road has come with trips and bumps, but looking back, overcoming the challenges just adds to the satisfaction of achievement and success. It has been an exhilarating ride; one I will never forget.
One of the very first things we got to know, was follow your passion, stay true to yourself, and never follow someone else's path… unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost, and you see a path then by all means you should follow that. (Laugh) But the person you are is not who other people tell you or expect you to be. You, the people around you and your challenges shape you, so see every challenge, every person around you as a new opportunity.
Every day at school is another of being ignited. By discovery, improvement, learning, and the multitude of specialists, innovations, activities and programs we have. We have all made new friendships and learnt from our numerous experiences. Like year six camp, where we stumbled around in the mud as it rained cats and dogs over us, or district cross country, where we lay in a sweaty heap under the blazing sun. Year 6 sport has always been a highlight every week. Doing something fun and something we want to achieve never fails to bring laughs and smiles. Innovations for the past years have been something special where we can learn even more about the things we are interested in, or passionate about and has been so enjoyable to take part in.
I know for sure that I will come back and visit our wonderful school and its strong community. It’s atmosphere of acceptance, achievement, learning from mistakes and working hard to reach a goal will never leave me.
As school captain, I have to say I have improved so much in confidence, collaboration, communication and taking challenges, and I appreciate all the opportunities that my role has presented to me. We featured in a marketing video without preparation, assemblies, school tours, writing school newsletters, meetings with my team and Mr Catalano, everything has helped me as a person to strive and grow.
Now, it’s thank you time. I would like to thank Mr Catalano, Mr Welsh, Mr Lewis, Ms Krsteska, and all the other teachers who have taken the time to coach, guide and support us to becoming the leaders we are today. I appreciate and am deeply grateful to all the teachers who have made every day interesting and memorable, the effort and time you put into us do not go unnoticed. Thank you to all my fellow year sixes, all of you have made a difference, and words cannot express how much you mean to me. Thank you to all my wonderful friends, who always had my back and shares the innumerable memories I have created here. And thank you to my family, who have been with me every step of the way. Three cheers to these amazing people! (Hip hip hooray x3) Thank you!
How lucky I am to have something so hard to say goodbye to. But graduation won’t be then end, and after all this time, I’d bet you can think of memories which will still make you smile. Today is for facing the fears, embracing some tears, and feeding our flames with cherished memories that’s will forever be vivid and heart-warming. These are my last official words to you. Always live your life the way you love it, and never give up. Dare to dream and persevere to reach your goals. When you go home today, just look at yourself in the mirror, knowing you have achieved so much in primary school, and there are so many people who love you for who you are. So, keep on being yourself whatever challenges you may face not only in high school, but in life. May today hold the promise of many bright tomorrows, don’t forget to spread your wings and fly. Thank you.