College Chaplain

Building Community - Why Events Like Founder’s Day Matter 

Article by Reverend Peter Landry, College Chaplain 

Building Community Together 

This term, in Chapel and in Whispers reflections, we have been exploring what it means to build authentic community, and why it matters. 

Research consistently shows that students who feel a genuine sense of belonging at school demonstrate higher levels of engagement, wellbeing, motivation, and academic achievement. They are more likely to enjoy school, invest in relationships, and feel connected to the people and values around them. This is why community sits at the heart of who we are as a College. 

We want to create an environment where every child can truly thrive, and that capacity to build belonging will serve them well long after their time at Overnewton. 

Why Events Like Founder's Day Matter 

A few weeks ago, I reflected on the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu:

"I am, because we are." 

Community is at its best when its members actively choose to participate in it. Western thinking often places great value on the individual, but Ubuntu reminds us that we flourish through our relationships with others. 

The saying captures a simple yet profound truth: there is strength in the idea that we belong to one another, and that our lives are enriched when we contribute to something beyond ourselves. 

Later this month, our Middle School, Year 9, and Senior School communities will gather at the Cathedral for our annual Founder's Day Service, one of the most significant events in the College calendar. 

Together, we will remember the vision, faith, sacrifice, and commitment of those who established the College. We will celebrate the values that continue to shape us today and reflect on our shared responsibility to carry this legacy forward. 

For some students, this may be one of the few opportunities they have to step beyond the routines of everyday school life and participate in a tradition that connects them to something larger than themselves. 

These occasions remind us that schools are not simply places where we receive an education; they are communities to which we belong and contribute. 

Founder's Day is therefore about much more than marking an anniversary. It is an opportunity to practise the habits that sustain healthy communities: showing up, participating, expressing gratitude, and celebrating together. 

These are the same habits that help young people become engaged citizens, supportive colleagues, faithful friends, and active members of their future communities. 

By prioritising participation in important events such as Founder's Day, we help our students learn an enduring lesson: belonging is not only something that we receive from a community, it is also something that we help create.