Principal's Message
Fostering Gentlemen for Others
One of the many privileges of being the Principal of Trinity College is having the opportunity to observe our boys, their families and our staff interact as part of our large College community. The extraordinary number of events and opportunities provided allows students, families and staff to form important relationships centred on the formation of our young men.
It is also a special privilege to witness the very special intimate and important relationship between parents and their sons. For many families, little changes over the years. The plentiful and generous hugs and kisses that abound in the Junior School can still be seen in the carpark drop-off area in the Secondary School. For others, this overt display of affection and love that manifests itself in the form of a comforting hug or a well-wishing kiss, can ‘go missing’ during the adolescent years, but often makes a very welcome and obvious return at Graduation time.
It is a clear reminder that just as boys develop differently in a physical sense, they also develop differently in an emotional and social sense. It is all a very normal, and sometimes frustrating, part of the emotional growth that boys experience or, in fact, experiment with as they navigate through their formation as young men. It may also highlight the need for all of us to continually examine the way in which we seek to help young men grow in this regard.
An article by celebrated Australian author Tim Winton gives some insight into the pressures young men face in their emotional development. He suggested that some of our social constructs and false media norms may force boys to hide their emotions away. Tim has a real passion for surfing and comments that in this very relaxed environment, he often overhears conversation amongst boys. He states that he hears 'stuff that wants to make him hug them, stuff that wants to make him cry and sadly, stuff that makes him ashamed to be a male.' He surmises that the boys are simply experimenting with their emotional growth; 'rehearsing their masculinity' as he puts it. The cues and feedback that they receive after each behaviour and interaction will determine the behaviour they will most likely adopt and the feelings and emotions that they may openly share into the future.
At Trinity College, we look to complement and support parents in forming Men for Others. This now includes programs and initiatives that have a real and deliberate focus on recognising and understanding emotions, building respectful relationships, valuing true friendships and respecting and celebrating the role of women. Increasingly, a focus on mental health, resilience, leadership and general well-being is emerging within our College. This year, we have celebrated the introduction of The Resilience Project, which aims to cultivate a positive and strong emotional outlook through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM).
As a partnership of family and College, we aspire for the boys at Trinity to be the best they can be and to live in a manner that reflects the values that we share. We hope for them a future that allows them to continue to grow and is based on a set of values that embrace inclusivity, compassion, deep respect and awareness of the other. The vision and hope of the Trinity community is to form young men who are strong yet gentle, determined yet considerate, focussed yet compassionate, courageous yet gentle, proud yet humble, independent yet inclusive, driven yet inquisitive, and upright yet loving. Gentlemen for Others!
Live Jesus in our hearts.