Teacher Spotlight

AMANDA MAROCCHI

The College’s 2022 Head of Year 12, Ms Amanda Marocchi, made Trinity history this year when she became the first Head of Year since the system was introduced to follow her year group all the way through from their first day on Wednesday 1 February 2017 to their graduation on Thursday 20 October 2022. In the words of 2022 Head Prefect, James Watson (12.2), “though we will do our best to thank you, this will never do justice as to how you have changed us and the impact you will have forever on the Class of 2022 as we embark on new chapters in our lives”. In this edition of Trinity News, we share the final words Amanda shared with her graduating class and their parents.

Parents, you are probably wondering where the years have gone? As you marvel at your sons’ accomplishments, no doubt it doesn’t seem that long ago when these young adults we honour tonight were toddling off to start primary school. Thank you for your generous support of the College. Schools like TC depend on not only the fees you pay, but the time and effort you put into supporting school activities. The hours are countless but without such help school life would be the poorer. I congratulate you on the milestone of getting your son through secondary school. I am aware that at times it has not been easy, so tonight it is definitely worth celebrating. Your sons have always shown themselves to be young men with generous hearts who are friendly and warm in their dealings with others. Such qualities stem from the home. I am fortunate to have been surrounded by families who are supportive of me in my role as a Head of Year and your sons are so fortunate to have you as their parents. But the people we are here to celebrate the most are the boys sitting here before us. Gents, congratulations on making it here tonight, it sure has been quite the ride. I’ll be honest – at times I wasn’t sure if I would make it. I think back to Year 7 camp, the first real eye-opener to the year group you have been gifted, and it’s fair to say it was a long week. From a non-camper, I’ll be honest it felt like a month. We dropped the hire cars off and returned to school on the Friday afternoon looking forward to a nice cold drink. I remember sitting in the staff lounge with Mr Miskiewcisz debriefing about the week that was. As the staff began to join us, Ms Warner asked the simple question, “how was it?” Before she could even finish, I just burst into tears – I was completely overwhelmed with emotions. I was petrified, excited, exhausted – I had no idea what I was in for, but it was at that point that I made a commitment to myself and the Class of 2022, that I would be fully invested to be the possible leader for the young men sitting here before me. Gentleman – may I commence by paying tribute to each and every one of you. The achievements of this class have been many. There are some outstanding musicians, sportsmen and scholars among today’s graduates. However, my pride in the Class of 2022 is not because of their outstanding achievements but because of the values you demonstrated in your decisions to participate in the life of the College. It’s the choices we make today that determine the character of tomorrow.

Thanks to COVID-19, teaching and learning, as we knew it, changed rapidly with different online formats being introduced. However, you managed to show the adaptability and perseverance that our times demand in the reach for your goal. Perhaps many of you have not yet realised that these are historical moments, and you, in your own unique way, have made history. But this is not the end; it is rather the beginning of a new, perhaps even more exciting, and unpredictable journey that will lead you to the next step. Know that the results you receive at the end of the year do not define or limit you. Your true vocation in life is too sacred to be determined by exam results or qualifications. Most people’s lives bear witness to the fact that how we fare at school is not necessarily how we fare in life. So, what really matters, what really counts, is not your success at school. But it is how you live your life now. It is the choices you make as a graduate from Trinity College, that really matters.

Also, it is not just about big decisions of life, it’s more to do with the seemingly small things in life. The way you greet people, the way you affirm and speak to them, the way you care for other people and encourage them. Understand that a truly meaningful life is made up of a series of daily small acts of decency and kindness, which, ironically, add up to something truly great over the course of a lifetime.

During the pandemic, you all realised how fragile normality is; that in the blink of an eye the whole world can turn around and what you had previously ‘taken for granted’ simply does not apply anymore. Be grateful for what you have achieved. Be grateful for what you have experienced. Be grateful for the support you have been given. Be grateful for the friends you have made.

If I can offer any advice, it would be to slow down and be mindful of the small things.

You will remember days – days like this one. You’ll remember the day you started your first job; the day you left your last job; the day you got your driver’s license; the day you fell in love; the day you won the grand final. You’ll remember the day your child was born or the day you lost someone you loved. But the days you remember are created by all the days you don’t. Every day deserves all of you. Each day you wake up I challenge you to be the best version of yourself no matter what that day might hold. Living in the present is something I admittedly find difficult, and I was always looking forward to the next big event or the next holiday. But it is something that I have been working on and I can promise you that by mastering the ability to be present will pay dividends in your life. Days are important, days are manageable, they are bite size and they all add up to a big picture. And remember, you can do anything for a day! So take things each day as they come, show up and be the best version of yourself each and every day. Who knows what tomorrow may bring to us all? Who can even predict what normality will look like in the near future?

These uncertainties should not be a personal impediment but rather an opportunity to modify your way of thinking, to be creative in your own ideas and redefine your approaches to problem management and solution.

You now know what it takes to achieve the targets that you set and we all hope that we have provided the right ammunition that will make these become a reality.

To the Class of 2022, THANK YOU! Thank you for making me a better teacher. Thank you for making me a better leader, but most importantly thank you for making me a better person. Gents, it has been an absolute pleasure.

Fletcher Cosby (7.1)

Felix Properjohn (8.4) Head of Year 8 Award

Finn Stenning Alexander (9.1) Head of Year 9 Award

Jamie D’Agostino (10.7) Head of Year 10 Award

Liam Stojan (11.8) Head of Year 11 Award

Max Beros (12.1) Head of Year 12 Award

Myles Brown (12.5) ADF Long Tan Leadership Award

Jack Hansen-Knarhoi (10.3) ADF Long Tan Leadership Award

Luca Gosatti (12.7) Old Boys’ Prize

James Watson (12.2) Head Prefect – The Christian Brothers’ Medal

James Watson (12.2) JP Ilich Award

Biork Alia (12.7) Proxime Accessit

Myles Brown (12.5) Dux of College

Christian Marchesani (12.6) Archbishop’s Prize for Christian Leadership

Myles Brown (12.5) Pinder Boor Medal

Luca Gosatti (12.7) Pinder Boor Medal

Christian Marchesani (12.6) Pinder Boor Medal

Kiran Thambiran (12.3) Pinder Boor Medal

James Watson (12.2) Pinder Boor Medal