Graduation Time across our Schools… Grad Speech last year….

Principals Message to the Class of 2023

I also acknowledge all our First Nations people who join us today, and particularly our elders and our emerging leaders of tomorrow. You will be the shared future. This was, is and will always be Murramarang Land.

I welcome all our parents, carers, grandparents and friends, your presence has more power than you know.

To the class of 2023,

‘Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can!’

It is almost 12 years, since I stepped into this terrific school as the principal and have treasured the opportunity to work alongside the most extraordinary young people. The class of 2023 is no exception, you have been one of the most terrific year 12 groups. It is a great honour for me to speak to you and your families today.

Despite all our challenges, you have endeavoured to bring a true sense of compassion, dedication, and energy to your years at school. You made it through Bushfires, Floods and of course the worldwide pandemic as students. What a story to tell your children and it is hard to believe things got to where they did. Learning in schools will never be the same. However, as you navigated through your high school years, you have been unwavering in your efforts, putting your words into action. I often talk about having grit and perseverance about what you are trying to achieve, you have epitomised this idea across each and every one of you. If we truly break it down…what most affects your ability to achieve your goals is effort, grit, and resilience. Congratulations on achieving your HSC. A level of attainment that will always be and can never be underestimated.

Across your year group you are champions. Champions for the environment, champions for social justice, champions for mental health, champions for anti-bullying, champions for our First nations students, Champions for all our A-Z students, and champions for public education.

You are exceptional athletes, think Lily Winward, brilliant scientists, artists and architects, poets, builders, designers, mathematicians, geographers, and agriculturists, the list goes on. I have been in awe of your ability to rise to the occasion, whether it be, supporting the landmark ‘gate to gate’ mobile phone procedure, who can forget that very first confiscation of 1200 students, your own McAusland, who very politely put his phone, into the envelop and brought it to student services, taking the responsibility right there. As a group, whether it is advocating about the need for a referendum on the voice of our First Nation young people or making sure that teachers are valued on ‘Teacher Appreciation Day’ or supporting younger students through their struggles.

And of course, the compassionate and caring way, you all came together as a year group at Pretty Beach, with a Special mention to Cooper, a favourite, winning the Trivia Dance off! Or when Ella, Lilly, and Elsa ran the ‘Voice of a Generation’ Community Panel or the incredible performances by Bella, Nazar, Tom, Bam, Aria, and Jordan to name a few. This is only a drop in the ocean of your united potential as a year group.

However, what I have loved about your group is your positiveness and passion for the good. A funny thing happens when a person operates from a place of passion. Their passion spreads, and it elevates the work and thinking of others. This has certainly been true of you as a group of students. You have powerfully and positively influenced those around you.

So with that, my advice, be serious and proud of your strengths,

know when you need help and ask for it,

and finally, know your passions and seek out the passions in others.

You walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of students out there with the same, HSC; there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living.

But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer.

Not just the life of your minds, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul.

People don’t talk about the soul very much anymore. It’s so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit.

But a resume is cold comfort on a winter night, or when you are broke, or lonely.

Here is my resume; I am a good mother of three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being good parent. I no longer consider myself the centre of the universe. I show up, I listen, I try to laugh.

I am a good friend to my husband; I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say. I show up, I listen. I try to laugh.

I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them I would have nothing to say. With them. I show up, I listen. I try to laugh.

So here is what I wanted to tell you today:

Get a Life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you think you would care about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon or found a lump in your breast?

Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water as you step onto Mollymook beach on a strong nor east afternoon or hear the screeches of our glossy black cockatoos high above the casuarinas.

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work.

Each time you look at your HSC, remember you are still a student, still learning how to best treasure your connection to others. Pick up a phone, send an email. Write a letter. Kiss your mum, hug your dad, hug your people. Get a life in which you are generous.

As a year group you know and understand the fragility of life. Live into that wisdom and that small part of your heart for Zoie. Live a good life for her too.

Look around at the trees and flowers where you grew up, look at the brightness of a full moon against a deep blue purple sky over this incredible Yuin country.

And realise that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around.

Once in while take money you would have spent on beers and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister.

All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good, too, then doing well will never be enough. It is easy to waste our lives: our days, our hours, our minutes.

As you transition to your future life beyond school, whatever that may be, you must remember one thing. Know who you are, be proud of who you are and set the best possible example of yourself and put your mark on the world.

At UHS you have learnt to respect your fellow students, your teachers, your parents, your school, and your community. You have learnt to respect other people’s identity, their beliefs, and you have always showed compassion, understanding and honesty to the people around you. Don’t ever lose that.

As I say often, you are the generation to silence racism, sexism, ageism and all the loaded beliefs and assumptions, built on old beliefs and prejudices. The views that have no place now or in the future. #YouhavegotThis. #ownYourWeird #doGood

Before I sign off, A tremendous thank you to our captains Ella and cooper, you truly are incredible humans and equally the vice captains will and Sienna, along with all the student reps. You have done the school proud.#MrsDaleYOuAreAGem, thank you for your huge efforts, passion, and commitment to this terrific group of young people for the last 6 years. Tremendous. To Mrs Smith, #TheperfectWingMan/ Person. Thank you for your devotion, wisdom and very handy Year 12 Mother experience to being the best Year Advisor Assistant ever. #Legend. And to Mr.OKeeffe, Camera man extraordinaire, year 12 Dad, and the one who always kept the even keel. Huge thank you. Finally, to Mrs Bunyan for your extraordinary organisation, cultural wisdom, care and devotion and lastly, to all our teachers. Know you have helped shape the spirits and souls of this terrific group of young people. What you have provided is priceless. I thank you.

It is has been an absolute pleasure year 12… our vision was to ensure, that school did not operate in a vacuum., that you got a real taste of what life has to offer. And now go and make your mark on the world! This will be your future. We are truly proud of you all and will miss you immensely.

#classOf2023AreTrulyAmazing #YouNailedIt #BeTheGeneraration and make big waves that ripple deeply for positive irreversible change.