From the Principal

During this final week of the school year for 2024, we enjoy a number of special events to celebrate a year of learning and development for our students.

Earlier this week, our Secondary students attended a special Subject Awards Assembly where we acknowledged both achievement and effort and attitude across each subject area. It was a delight to see so many of our students recognised. This reflects the depth of talents across subject areas.

As part of the Assembly, Reuben Carter, one of our College Vice Captains, was asked to share some reflections. I would like to share this with you:

I’ve been asked today to share some personal thoughts and insight on the topic of today’s assembly; that being our skills and talents, as well as the importance of attitude and effort.

But before I go any further, a huge congratulations to all those who have or are going to receive awards today, know that you deserve this recognition, and take pleasure in it.

Now, we all have skills and talents, things that make us each unique. For some, it becomes very obvious early in childhood what skills you possess. But for others, it’s not so straight forward. I’m sure that most if not all of you here have had at least one moment in your life when you’ve thought, ‘I wish I had that person's skills,’ or ‘I don’t have any skills.’

Often, we can devalue ourselves with such thoughts, we compare ourselves to others, which leads to self-doubt and feeling that you’re somehow not worthy.

Something that doubt does really well is making a small thing seem big and very scary. When the opportunity to test yourself arises, doubt tells you ‘you couldn’t do that’ and comparison to others chimes in; ‘that guy over there will do it so much better’.

We each have many talents in different areas; art, sport, public speaking, mathematics, science, leadership, or reminding others that they are loved. But just as a worm digs into an apple and ruins it, so too does doubt, comparison to others and laziness take hold of us and ruin us.

Don’t let those voices in the back of your head define you, fight them. The best way to fight them is by stepping out of your comfort zone. When you have an opportunity to test yourself, take it. When you’re feeling low and don’t want to do that homework that’s due tomorrow, think of those negative thoughts as a physical person, look them in the eye, and say; 'I’m not giving into you'.

You’re not alone in your battle, every human on earth to varying degrees fights the same feelings of doubt and hesitation. And you so happen to have the creator of the universe, our God, as your loving heavenly father.

I’m going to end with two verses, that I hope encourage you.

1 Corinthians 12: verses 4-6 says: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

And to finish; from Mark 11: 23: Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Jodie Bennett

Principal