Head Prefect Michael Ward’s 2024 Academic Assembly address

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

That’s Anne Frank and I want you to keep that in mind throughout tonight’s Address.

It’s my pleasure to stand here and address you one last time as Head Prefect.

I would like to start by thanking God for the gift of this year and ask His blessings upon us as we bring to a close this major chapter of our lives and get ready to embark upon the next.

It wasn’t hard to write this speech. Growing up with all you boys and being guided by the teachers here tonight has been an absolute joy. Don’t get me wrong, at times it has been difficult and challenging, but these challenges have also been transformational. I’d like to compare it to being put through a great sifter, or a refinement process, like turning ore into gold – removing the impurities and revealing the beauty within.

From pulling all-nighters to study for tests or finish assignments, to fantastic academic, sporting and social achievements, to working 20-hour weeks at our part-time jobs and the countless “academic comebacks” (I can’t even count how many times I’ve said those words!) – our school journey has been a rollercoaster, and it’s really special to take a moment to reflect on it tonight with you.

This year began for us on January 30. I distinctly remember our cohort gathering on the front lawns under the pavilion, near the gym. There was a surging energy as we discussed the year’s upcoming events – the Year 12 retreat, interschool events, formal and our extremely optimistic ATAR estimates, with most of us aiming well above 95.

That energy may have dipped slightly when we got to our first lessons and received our external and assignment sheets, but it never truly went away. It re-emerged at all the big events, starting with the carnivals. The swimming and athletics carnivals were filled with a tremendous team spirit and funny costumes, highlighting our commitment to our Houses.

Some of the swimming carnival highlights were the fun swim with the inflatables and Horten and Aquinas taking the win for their second consecutive year – well done, fellas! For the athletics carnival, we saw a flamboyant range of costumes and coloured morph suits, with the win going to Denifle and Jarrett. Well done!

Our next big event was the Year 12 Retreat – an incredibly precious time for our group. Some of the favourite memories included playing poly pong and the heartfelt sharing moments where we opened up about what was significant to us. The Retreat brought our cohort together, dissolving the usual social groups for a few days.

That beautiful experience was followed up just a few short weeks later by our Formal. What a night it was; a chance to dress up so formal and present a high level of maturity … which may or may not have lasted very long.  There were many award winners that night and I don’t know about you, but I definitely danced the night away. Thank you again to the Formal Committee – what a wonderful night.

These experiences, seasoned by the stresses of reality, have created the tight-knit group we are today. Of course, these were the big highlights of our school experience this year – I’ve left out all the small moments for fear of keeping you here all night. But they include all the chats during recess and lunch, the in-class discussions, all the sporting highlights and stream of 18ths as we transition to adulthood, providing many memorable moments that we’ll carry with us well into the future.

Throughout the year, it’s been an incredible time of learning and I’m sure we’ve had some hard-won lessons. I thought I’d share a few of mine with you. In summary, these are: take it one day at a time, get up no matter what and embrace uncertainty.

Take it one day at a time

At the start of the year, we were all hit with what felt like an overwhelming amount of work. Many, many assignments, exams that would shape our futures, part-time jobs and extracurriculars like sport or other commitments.

At the start, if you’d told any of us just how much we’d have to juggle this year, it might’ve felt impossible to face. But, as the year went on, it became obvious; the only way to get through it all was by focusing on the present moment.

Tomorrow hasn’t happened yet, and the past can’t be changed, so the best thing we could do was tackle each day as it came.

With the support of our families (thanks to all the parents here tonight who’ve helped us stay grounded and encouraged us to work hard), our friends, and, for some of us, our faith in God, we made it through. A guiding plan and taking it one step at a time was all we needed to get here.

Get up, no matter what

We’ve all experienced times when life didn’t go as planned; when we didn’t perform as well as we hoped on a test, missed out on something we worked hard for or had to deal with unexpected challenges.

It’s easy to feel defeated when things don’t go our way. But in those moments, what matters is not how hard we fall but how quickly we get back up. There’s a saying, “Fall down seven times, get up eight” which really hits home. No matter how many setbacks we face, or how tough life can get, the most important thing is to keep moving forward. Challenges, mistakes and failures are just stepping stones to success. Growth comes from getting up after falling and learning from the experience.

Embrace uncertainty

If this year has taught us anything, it’s that life doesn’t always go as planned.

As we prepare to step out of school and into the real world, many of us are unsure about what lies ahead. Some of us will go to university, others will enter the workforce and some might still be figuring it all out. And that’s okay. The future is full of unknowns, but instead of fearing it, we should welcome it.

Embracing uncertainty means being open to change, ready to take on whatever life throws at us and trusting that we’ll figure things out along the way. It’s in the unknown that we find new opportunities, new strengths and new paths we never thought possible.

The future is not something to be afraid of; it’s something to look forward to, because it’s where our greatest potential lies. With the lessons we’ve learned, and the support of those around us, we’re more than ready to take it on.

Dominican learnings

As we step out of our Dominican heritage, we shouldn’t forget what we can take from those great saints who went before us and the importance of faith in our lives.  We have been taught in the Dominican tradition in the four pillars of prayer in our lives, where the study for truth should always take us forward, where we apply ourselves and talents to the community and service in our world.

St Thomas Aquinas prayed this following prayer, and I pray it tonight: “Grant us, O Lord our God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.”

As we look to the future, it’s natural to feel both excited and uncertain. We’re stepping into new territory, whether through further studies, careers or other paths. And while the unknown can feel intimidating, it’s also where our greatest opportunities lie.

There’s no doubt these great years at Blackfriars have equipped us to handle the challenges ahead and it’s in these moments of uncertainty that we discover our strengths.

The future holds endless potential for each of us to make a difference, to grow and to embrace the opportunities that come our way. Let’s face it with a great confidence and purpose.

It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past – every day is a new beginning, where you can start again, try harder than yesterday and give more than before. In the end, that’s what being a Blacks boy is all about. And remember, once a Blacks boy, always a Blacks boy.

Thank you, and good luck with your bright futures.