From the Leadership Team
Matt Brinson, Head of Senior School
Character word for Semester Two - Diligence
It has been communicated to students and staff in the past week that the trait of ‘diligence’ has been chosen as our character word for Semester Two.
Diligence means a purposeful and careful nature in one’s actions and work; it is the virtue of a decisive work ethic and the capability of not giving up. It means being steadfast and not allowing obstacles to discourage you or force you to quit. It implies effective time management and guarding yourself against laziness. It is also about staying true to yourself and your convictions.
Diligence is one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues. These virtues are principles of Christian religion that evolved as a counterbalance to The Seven Deadly Sins. Diligence is the virtue of hard work, counteracting the sin of sloth, referring to reluctance to make an effort.
Diligence has many uses and contexts, and whilst it is mostly referred to in an academic sense, there are many more. We have all been very diligent over the past year in following COVID guidelines to stay safe, by wearing masks, washing and sanitising hands, maintaining social distance and adhering to restrictions. All working hard and together to remain healthy and keep our community COVID-free.
Most of us are currently very diligently watching the Tokyo Olympic Games. Watching well-known and obscure events and sports in the name of competition, national pride and admiration of the athletes.
Sharing the joys, triumphs and heartbreak of and with the amazing Australian and international competitors. Witnessing the results of their incredible diligence in training, practising and preparing to compete in the ultimate test of their respective sport.
Hopefully, some of these people will inspire us to work hard to set and achieve our own goals.
As we emerge from lockdown 5.0, it is timely to remain diligent, not only in our COVID-safe practices and in our school studies, but also in our wellbeing. It is important to take action to fill ourselves up, be diligent in self-care, and align our heads and our hearts.
The importance of daily rituals is something that can keep us regularly checking in with ourselves in mindful ways. A ritual can vary in length and activity. What matters most is its consistency of practice. Self-care rituals can be yoga, meditation, walking the dog, exercise, gardening, listening to music or simply laughing.
The simplest things can make the biggest differences. It is all about the process. There is no finish line when it comes to self-care or our mental health.
So how can we be diligent? By working hard on whatever it is we currently need to do, in school, work, sport and home. Diligence furthers us when we need to accomplish something. Without it, so many things can remain unfinished.
Some simple tips to cultivate more diligence are:
- Keep a planner or create to-do lists.
- Get an early start on assignments and projects.
- Learn to be flexible.
- Avoid distractions.
- Focus your energy on your goal.
- Reward yourself along the way to spur motivation.
Study Award for Excellence in VCE Biology
Finally, I would like congratulate Jake Fitzgerald in Year 12 who has been recognised with a Premier’s VCE Award for his outstanding academic result in 2020.
The annual Premier’s VCE Awards recognise the top-performing students in the state. This year, 297 students were recognised with awards for their outstanding results. Jake was rewarded for his diligence and received a Study Award for excellence in VCE Biology.
The entire Kilvington community is proud of Jake and would like to congratulate him on being the recipient of such a prestigious award. To read more about the Premier’s VCE Awards, click here.