Marsden High gives Year 12 the compass

It is with great privilege I have the honour to farewell these wonderful young people who have come to the new station in their lives. My sincere thanks the dedicated staff  for their outstanding organization of the graduation of 2011.

I welcome all the friends, parents, family and special guests to the graduation of Marsden High school class of 2011.

I spoke to the whole school on Monday about year 12, how they were about to embark on a new course, and how we will remember and honour them.  You have been outstanding leaders of our school. Marsden High is a fantastic public school which has given each year 12 student a compass in which to sail  out into the blue wide world,   School is only the beginning  of your learning 4 life journey.

How the world has changed since the day you entered kindergarten in 2000 the year of the millenium bug called the Y2K problem. How were we  going to write the date in the new millenium,  we could just write 00. How interesting?

2000, was a leap year and the year of the dragon. Most of us had never heard of Ebay and Facebook was not even a twinkle and a thing called ‘twitter’ was just  someones crazy imagination,  it was the year of the Sydney olympics and we saw the worst floods in 40 years.

My how things have  changed or have they?.

The things that were important  when you started school are  still important.  Friends, family, being connected to your world and always doing and achieving your  best.

Your  parents , guardians, and your teachers have given you the map and your HSC is the compass in which to point to the path you will take.

Which way will you point  your sailing boat ?

Year 12 your talents abound. You will all make great sailors. I am in awe of the talent that is amongst you today. Your achievements just this  year alone would rival any  Year 12 in any school across Australia.

From outstanding athletes, you have  both an Australian  and NSW Schoolboy representatives in 2 sports, first class musicians who  have performed at the opera house, schools spectacular  and who both create and perform their own work. You have brilliant  scientific minds who have blown away university lecturers with your clever and perceptive scientific theories.  Your mathematicians, your multi-language genius’s and your software designers, who I dare say we will be hearing about across ‘twitter’.  You are state finalist in Mock trial,

And of course who could not forget the cheese cake boys.. my favourite dessert, “cheese cake” performed by our wonderfully creative drama students. With your talents comes, your outstanding contributions to achieving your best. The Lithgow campers, the best coffee in Ryde from your Doonya Café crew, the numerous charity’s you have supported whole heartedly, from the flood victims in Queensland, to the wrapped with love knitting, cancer research, the list goes on .  We are going to miss you.. more than you know.

Over your time at Marsden, things have not always gone as you planned, but you have endured, persevered and worked hard, so here you are, celebrating the end of a journey and preparing for another. As they say, smooth seas do not make ‘good sailors’, you have built strong skills that will guide you safely through the waves, rips, and changing currents of life.

When I was thinking what would be my finishing thoughts to send with you, I asked my 24 year old son, we talked about when he graduated, and what he knows now and what would he say to year 12 students. He said , don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do or be, just be a good person, be kind and do your very best and opportunity will come.

From all the Students, teachers,  support staff and your wonderful year Advisor Ms Bernyk, we wish you the best to surf the seas and get to the safe port where you achieve all your dreams and fill  an arc of great friends along the  way.  You have the compass to learn for life. Congratulations Year 12 of 2011.