From the Principal
One of the great privileges of school leadership is that you get the opportunity to regularly speak to students and staff on a range of topics that you value.
Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed speaking at Junior School assembly this week and even dancing with the staff at the Preparatory School assembly, for my last Note Day article this term I thought I would share some key aspects of my address to the Secondary School End of Term assemblies.
Getting the Strength to Carry On
In his book Something to Smile About, Zig Ziglar tells the story of Steve who was hiking through the mountains when a blinding storm enveloped the area in a thick covering of snow. Steve’s hands and feet grew numb as he wandered through the storm in search of shelter.
Suddenly he came upon a man who had collapsed in a snowbank. ‘Hey, are you okay?’ asked Steve.
‘I’m so cold, and so tired,’ stammered the man. ‘My legs are numb and I don’t think I have the strength to make it any further.’
‘Let me help you,’ Steve said. He removed his gloves and began rubbing the man’s arms and legs. After several minutes, the man felt strong enough to stand on his feet. The two men supported each other and made their way through the storm.
Once they reached shelter, Steve thanked the man for all his help.
‘Thank me?’ said the man. ‘Son, I never would’ve made it out of there if it wasn’t for you. I owe you my life.’
‘No, you don’t understand,’ Steve countered. ‘I was tired, cold and ready to give up. Helping you gave me the strength and determination to carry on. I owe you everything.’
A powerful story about the impact of giving to others and looking beyond our own needs.
I was moved by a story in the media this week titled “Two young girls wrote to Cate Campbell in the dark days after Rio. The letters saved her career.”
After the Rio Olympic Games, Australian swimmer Cate Campbell was left shattered by her sixth placing in the 100m freestyle final, having been the world record holder and clear favourite, personally claiming it was ‘the greatest choke in Olympic History.’
Even though Cate had won a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle event, she faced a barrage of criticism and vitriol on social media.
Two sisters Elin, 10, and Nele Schulz, 13, decided to write Cate two personal handwritten letters of encouragement, letting her know that she had nothing left to prove and that in their eyes she would always be their role model.
Elin wrote “If you think you have to go to Tokyo and win a medal to prove yourself, please don’t feel that way. For me you have already proven to be an amazing athlete.”
And Nele stated “You can be really proud of what you’ve done. I want to be just like you one day!”
The letters had a profound healing effect on Cate and a knot that had been inside her since Rio started to unwind, and she felt the burden of expectation just lift. “I remembered then I had a choice.”
So fast forward to 2021 and Cate is swimming in Adelaide at the Tokyo Olympic trials and leading up to the event, had the opportunity to connect with Elin, now 15, in person and Nele, now 18, via FaceTime as she is studying overseas.
Two young girls decide to think beyond their own needs and reach out to someone they admire, who was struggling. It is wonderful to witness the ripples of positivity that flowed from their actions.
Here I am, sharing the story with you and their generosity of spirit five years ago continues to inspire today!
As Mr Corcoran’s father would say “the little things matter.”
This term has been full of wonderful events and there is much to be thankful for and to celebrate in the life of the School. I thank all members of the school community for your ongoing support and wish you and your families a relaxing and reinvigorating school holiday period.
Mr Stephen Webber
Photo Caption: Yr 8 students presenting their pitch at the Futurepreneurs Masterclass, an experiential learning framework that activated students’ entrepreneurial ‘DNA’.
