High Achievers Assembly

Nicholas's Sartor Dux Speech

Good morning students, teachers, and members of the College community. I feel extremely privileged to be Marian’s dux of 2022 and would like to thank the College for the past 6 years; it is truly an honour to have achieved this title.  

When writing this speech, there were a few things I attempted to keep in mind; one of them being that most students tend to zone out during this part of the assembly. So with that in mind, I’ll do my best to keep this short and to the point. 

To begin, I’d like to acknowledge that the honour I feel can not only be attributed to myself; this is something that I could not have possibly achieved without a lot of support. Therefore, a huge thank you goes out to my Year 12 teachers; Mrs Sparkes, Mr Herb, Mr Lyon and Mr Mason; My homeroom teacher Mrs Brooker; and my year coordinator Mr Lawler. I would like to thank you all for the hard work, advice, and numerous hours put in to ensure I achieved such a high ATAR in the HSC; this thanks of course extends to all the teachers I have had since year 7 in my time at Marian.  

I would also like to thank my parents, Jeanette and Glen. There is no way I could have achieved this ATAR without your constant support; I am eternally grateful. And a final thanks goes to my older brother Marcus, who actually happened to achieve a 97.30 ATAR in the 2020 HSC; I hope he feels good being the dumbest child of the family.

To echo the words of Miss Brooker and countless other teachers “the HSC is a marathon, not a sprint”. And, although this may seem a cliche, I must stress the importance of keeping this in the back of your mind. Know your limits. Know what you can handle. High school is a long battle, and it can feel impossible at times if you’re not taking proper care of yourself. Work hard, put your all into everything you do, but not at the expense of your relationships and personal wellbeing, which are equally, if not more important. 

However, it is crucial to acknowledge that your schooling journey is inherently yours; what you want out of your time at Marian can only be decided by yourself. Set a goal or general direction of where you wish to be when you finish school which should be rounded upon the basis of what you personally believe success is; what you believe is attainable, and what you think is worth striving for. The main point you should gather from my little spiel, is that you do not have to fit the mould of what is typically defined as success. Find your own way and do what you enjoy; success will follow.  

Now aside from learning about what metatheatre is in English, or what a letter of credit is in Business Studies, Year 12 has taught me a number of valuable lessons which I’m sure you can all take away with you after leaving this hall. Remember to never try to be better than others. Never hope and wish for a day to come. Appreciate each moment, and help your neighbours along the way, it won’t slow you down any - I do not say that lightly. Do not spend your time chasing a goal and forget to reflect on the steps that brought you there. The last 6 years at Marian have flown by in the blink of an eye, and I know us graduates all wish we could go back to one normal day in the quad, having a laugh with mates and discussing our weekend plans. 

As promised, I will wrap this speech up as quickly as possible; good luck to all of you, particularly the current Year 12’s. Do your best, that's all anyone can ask of you, and I sincerely hope that you enjoy your time at Marian as much as I did. 

Thank you. 

High Achievers and their families