Today brings to an end the formal King’s journey for the class of 2021.
All cohorts have a unique spirit and this group is no exception. As a community, we have enjoyed their passion, humour and creativity. There is such diversity within this group; students who are passionate about their sport, widespread talent in the arts, and we have a special group of students who have led the spiritual growth of students right across our Senior School.
Personally, I would like to thank them for the way they have embraced the House culture we have created in the Senior School. As the first cohort who have experienced this from Year 10, they have been a driving force in growing the spirit which we now see within our Houses. This was epitomised this year in the way the Year 12s led the creation of a House chant that was embraced not only by their peers in the Senior School, but also by the other sub-schools. They played a significant part in creating a culture that places an importance on ‘team’ and being part of a team encourages all of us to be more outward thinking in the way in which we live out our lives. In this way, they have left a legacy that will be present for years to come and built a foundation upon which future cohorts can continue to grow this spirit right across our School.
In our final assembly today, I shared the following message with them - one which I borrowed from a recent service I attended. It was based on 1 Thessalonians with a message about courage and consistency:
"At a time when persecution was commonplace for Christians, Paul reminds his people that courage is required to stand firm in the face of challenges. In our context, and as you leave the safety and security of the King’s Community, you will come into contact with a wide range of people in lots of different environments. You will come across a diverse range of views about the world. Challenge one is for you to show courage in these environments in the face of materialistic, individualistic and self-serving attitudes. We hope and pray that your experiences at King’s provide you with the confidence to be courageous in the midst of these attitudes and that you would use Jesus as your role model to guide you.
"The second message was around consistency. Being consistent in the person you are and how that translates into your words and actions. Are you the same person on social media, with your close friendship group, with your family, with your work colleagues, when you are with your sporting mates? The challenge I set for you Year 12s is for you to be consistent in who you are and what you stand for. Again, in this space Jesus is our ultimate role model as He was able to be a consistent source of love for all those that He encountered.
"So as you leave King’s today and enter wider society, I challenge you to live out your lives in a way that honours the FISHER principles in a courageous and consistent way. I pray that you would be open to the Holy Spirit working in you to create God’s Kingdom for all those you come into contact with.
"Go well and remember the best way to prepare for tomorrow is to do your best today."
To the parents of our Year 12s, I thank you for entrusting the care of your children to us. It has been a privilege for staff to journey with them throughout their time at King’s. I trust that along the way they have felt supported and feel prepared for the next phase of their lives.
Lee Swiderski,
Head of Senior School