Principal
This morning we held our Valedictory Mass and presentation of our Senior students on Ross Oval. Following is the speech I delivered for the occasion:
Good morning and welcome to the parents, family members, carers, staff and, of course, the young men of the graduating class of 2020. In particular I welcome those Boarding families who have travelled long distances to be with us. I also welcome those people who are viewing this event via live-stream. Today’s Mass and ceremony bookend the conclusion of Year 12 along with the day of farewell, which is now some four weeks ago. Nudgee College men, since that time, many of you have completed four weeks of external exams. Others have completed projects and pieces of assessment. Some of you have found jobs and apprenticeships for next year. In doing so, you have all started to go your own ways.
So today is an opportunity to come together for one final time. How blessed are we all that this Valedictory occasion – your final hours as Nudgee College men - are here on our beautiful campus, in this special setting on Ross Oval. My role today is to express a few words of gratitude, to reflect on the deeper meaning of this valedictory occasion and to honour the Year 12 class.
Soren Kierkegaard - Danish philosopher and theologian from the 1800s - suggested that "life can only be understood looking backwards; but it must be lived looking forward".
So it is appropriate that at a threshold moment, such as Valedictory, that we pause momentarily to look back over the past 12 months and to also consider the past 12 or 13 years of schooling. In doing so, hopefully you understand yourself and life a little better. Importantly, we need to look to the future; one that is now beckoning you beyond the gates of the College.
The last time we gathered in large numbers, as we do today, was in February. We commenced the year with no awareness of what was to unfold. Like previous generations, the Nudgee College community commenced the year in prayer filled with optimism and hope. The Commencement Mass was inspired by the presence of Bishop Tim Harris, himself an Old Boys. His homily reflected on what it means to be a Sign of Faith. This faith has been tested this past year. On that occasion Injarra Harbour shared with us the Year 12 motto for 2020 - 'strength in the stripes'. How prescient this motto was to prove. Staff and students alike have used the motto as a rallying call throughout 2020.
COVID-19 has reshaped and continues to reshape our world. Life in our homes, in our workplaces, in our social spaces has changed. Our perceptions of borders (interstate and international) have altered dramatically. Our economy and our wellbeing have been threatened and in some cases, harmed. How we gather, where we gather and when we gather has required reconsideration. 2020 has not been the year we imagined. It has been a tough year. In looking back we can lament what was not to be. Alternatively, we can acclaim what we have learnt and what we have achieved. And what might that be?
Life lessons in resilience, overcoming disappointments and never giving up. Creative responses to challenging situations. Staying connected when we could not come together. Changing our perspective about what is important and not taking aspects of our lives for granted. Focussing on what we can do rather than what we cannot. In doing so, it is evident to me that COVID-19 has not defined your year. It has challenged you, yes, but this challenge has strengthened you. In the gifts that you will receive shortly is a special memento for the class of 2020. One we have never given before. One to remind you of the year, but one to remind you also that life’s problems can be solved and overcome when you respond with creativity, with a positive mindset and you use your God-given toolkit of personal skills and qualities.
Nudgee College men, in the years ahead you will always remember 2020 as your Senior year. You arrive here today as students of the College but shortly you will leave as the newest Old Boys. Perhaps a bittersweet moment, but certainly a moment for reflection. You have been a Nudgee College student for a few short years, but now, you will forever be a Nudgee College Old Boy. For the students who will follow you in 2021 and beyond, you will become one of the 10,000 brothers about whom you have been singing. In the years ahead, your echo joins those of the 10,000 brothers booming back across Ross Oval to those Nudgee College men who will take your place in the grandstand. As you well know, your days in that hallowed place are almost over.
To Injarra Harbour, Oliver Horwood, Patrick Kelly, Michael Jones and Lastus Auakai - thank you for an outstanding year of service. You have led from the front and by example. Your leadership, commitment and passion have made a tangible difference in this school. These young men have been well supported by House Prefects and, indeed, by all of Year 12. We thank the Year 12s for the example that they have set to everyone in the Nudgee College community by the manner in which they have responded so resiliently and positively in the face of disappointment.
It might interest you to know that 236 students graduate this year. Eighty of you started in Year 5. A further 69 joined in Year 7 and 31 commenced in Year 10. Thirteen boys came from Eagle Junction, 11 from St Dympna’s and eight from Our Lady of the Angels. Collectively, and individually, you have impressed us through your generous service, your desire to succeed and your commitment to deepening Nudgee Spirit in all areas of school life. We await with great expectations the outcomes for all of you at the end of this year; be that in apprenticeship positions, traineeships, university placements or further tertiary study.
On behalf of the College I extend sincere appreciation to all of the staff (teachers and support) who have challenged, counselled, cooked, cleaned and cared for you, not only this year but throughout your years here. Nudgee College men, you know that countless staff members have taken that extra step to help you when you needed it. Today’s Valedictory Mass and presentation as well as the various events that have preceded them are the result of the planning and organisation of many staff. Their collective effort has been enormous. So please join with me in acknowledging all staff in the normal manner.
To all parents, irrespective of when your son joined the school, I want to thank you for the trust that you have placed in us to educate your sons. This is particularly the case for the Boarding families. Parents are the first and primary educators of these young men. As a school we build upon your efforts. We have walked with you on your son’s journey from the boy who entered the College years ago to the young man who is here with us today.
I echo Mr Peter Todd’s acknowledgement of those families whose time at the College concludes today, we wish you well, particularly those amongst you who have been members of this community for many years. Thank you to those families who have written the most heartfelt and affirming emails about your son’s journey through Nudgee College in recent times.
Nudgee College men, during all that has taken place over the last few weeks, I hope that you have taken the time to thank your parents and caregivers for the sacrifice that they have made to provide you with the gift of a Nudgee College education. It is a gift that you will treasure ever more deeply in the years ahead.
As a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition we have attempted to educate your hearts and minds. We have helped prepare you for this complex and dynamic world that you are about to enter more fully. Our hope would be that this preparation will bring you success and fulfilment, whether that be in a tertiary institution, a workplace or a job site. In particular, may the lessons that each of you has learnt during the disruption of the past year serve you well into your future.
Nudgee College men, I have admired your deep sense of mateship and your care and support of each other. Some of you have faced and overcome some tough times over this past year or during your time at Nudgee College. My hope would be that this support of each other will continue in the years ahead. Reach out to each other - a phone call, a text, a Snapchat message - you never know when a simple act may make all the difference for a mate who is struggling.
So, as you cast off your Nudgee College blazer for the final time we do not want you to cast off the values for which Nudgee College stands: Faith, authenticity, excellence, community, courage and justice. Don’t let your last Hail Mary be the one you prayed a few weeks ago in the rose garden. As Ms Kath Jones said so beautifully, don’t forget Mary up there on her perch. At times in your future, prayer and a relationship with God will be of great comfort when life presents each of you with inevitable challenge and hardship.
So Nudgee College men, after today your lives will never be quite the same, your school days are at an end, you are on the threshold of your future. Embrace the opportunities to learn and to grow. Many of you will return to Nudgee College in the years to come - as an Old Boy, as a parent, perhaps as a grandparent. I remind you of our final time together in the Chapel and our message that you will always be welcome here. Nudgee College will always be your school.
There is a saying that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’. It is a reminder of the responsibilities that come with an education such as yours. You have had the privilege of an education in a great Catholic school like St Joseph’s Nudgee College.
The success of any school can only be judged by the quality of the graduates it produces. This success is not judged by results in December, as important as those results will be. The authentic judgement of true success can only be made in the years ahead. What sort of men will you, the 2020 graduates, become? What will you give back to others, particularly the poor of our world? Will you support each other during difficult times? Will you always treat women with respect? Will you nurture those virtues of the heart planted in you at home and at school? Will you strive to always be Signum Fidei? A true Sign of Faith.
In conclusion, as your time as a student of St Joseph’s Nudgee College comes to a close, leave here knowing that we are very proud of you and that you leave a legacy for others to follow. Know also that as the Senior class of 2020, you will always be a part of the Nudgee College story and that Nudgee College will always be a part of your story.
There is an exciting, ever changing future world beyond these gates that needs young men filled with optimism and hope to shape it to be a better place. Take the lessons that you have learnt at this College, particularly in the past 12 months, and make a better world for yourself and for those around you. Thank you, good luck and God bless you all.
Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal
