CAPTAIN’S REFLECTION “GOODNESS IS ITS OWN REWARD FOR THE CLASS OF 2017 AND THIS SHOWS THROUGH THE IMMEASURABLE SERVICE PERFORMED BY THE GENTLEMEN OF THIS COHORT.” NICHOLAS WATSON COLLEGE CAPTAIN 2017
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BC Fremantle’s motto is Palma Virtuti; ‘goodness is its own reward’. At this stage of our schooling life all of the gentlemen sitting in front of me would know the meaning of this motto. If each one of the 129 boys of the Class of 2017 live by this motto, goodness is its own reward, and change the life of just 10 people, and those 10 people change the life of another 10 people, and another 10, and then another, and another, in a few short years, the Class of 2017 at CBC Fremantle would have changed the lives of potentially millions of people. One good deed at a time, repeated over and over. If you think it’s hard to change one person’s life forever, you are wrong. Over the 1,200 days we have spent together there have no doubt been countless life-changing moments, for us and for others. The CBC Class of 2017 has changed the lives of many people, whether that is playing footy with the locals of Kiwirrkurra, or teaching young Filipino children on the Philippines’ Immersion; whether we change the lives of homeless people feeding them breakfast at St Pat’s Community Centre or standing up to domestic violence through the Polished Man campaign. Goodness is its own reward for the Class of 2017 and this shows through the immeasurable service performed by the gentlemen of this cohort. We, as a united group, have also changed each other’s lives. When somebody who isn’t necessarily in your friendship group says hi to you in the morning, or somebody asking if you are okay when you are going through tough times, it can make all the difference. Life-changing moments aren’t always big, but they are powerful. Goodness is its own reward, and goodness is also addictive, so for the Class of 2017 to potentially CBC 2017
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change those millions of lives we must only continue what we have been doing throughout these six years. CBC Fremantle has taught us many lessons that have well and truly extended out of the classroom and will help us in our day to day lives out of school. One of these lessons instilled into us is to do the little things right. At the beginning I thought nothing of the little things, cutting hair, polishing shoes, tucking in your shirt etc., and I was confused over the meaning of them. But over my six years at this school I can now understand that it is these little things that we do that lay the foundations for creating big things. You must first perfect the little things before attempting the big things. In reflecting on our time here, I’ve had so many memories, emotions and thoughts flooding my mind and I’m sure it’s the same for all of my cohort. The experiences like our last day, and our graduation, create a need for reflection, looking back on our experiences at this school. From our moment, walking round that corner into the guard of honour of Year 12s, to our last, walking through a guard of honour from the next generation, we’ve all done so much, learnt so much and developed into the young gentlemen who graduate tonight. We think back to Athletics and Swimming Carnivals, Cross Country runs, big Grand Finals, Music and Drama performances, Visual Arts exhibitions, camps, tours and immersions, Edmund Rice Days and beautiful Opening Masses; to classes with our favourite teachers where we learnt something that opened up new worlds of possibilities; to hilarious moments at recess or lunch, or just >>