Valedictory Address

from Annual: Trinity 2007

Volleyball

Speech Night

Speech Night – Valedictory Address

Good evening Mr Banks, special guests, ladies and gentlemen, and my fellow students.

On the eve of closing an important chapter of our lives, it is only now that one realises the magnitude of the imprint that Trinity has left upon us, the class of 2007. We leave as men of faith, men of fortitude, and most especially, men for one another. Instilled within us now is an intangible spirit and at its core is the notion of serving others; standing in solidarity with our fellow human beings in order to make a difference in whatever field of life the future holds for us.

To commence I would like to tell of a first-hand experience that embodies the very essence of what being at Trinity is all about.

It was a cold mid-winter night in Kolkota, India and at 11 o’clock three of us joined Jim McGuiness, a former Trinity staff member, to hand out blankets and clothing to the homeless at the nearby train station. After an hour of work we approached a young man with cerebral palsy. He sat timid and helpless on the side of the track as several people walking past threw money at him as if he were some kind of sub-species. He was covered only with a singlet and a tattered pair of shorts, and had a large gash in his leg. After contemplation, Jim decided that this man needed to be taken back home

Nicholas Barbas

Head Prefect with us, and then to one of Mother Teresa’s institutes to be properly cared for. As one of my fellow pilgrims propped the man up and began walking through the station, two of us organised a rickshaw to take him back to the school where we were staying and we set up a bed for him just outside our dorm. Something I’ll never forget was the smile of this destitute man. He had been given shelter, a comfortable bed and, most importantly, altruistic love and compassion that defines the Trinity Spirit.

The benevolent manner in which I saw my mates beside me treat this man is a reflection of Trinity’s legacy, that in life we are all challenged to serve others. And this does not have to be on a pilgrimage to India; it can be much closer. In our families, in our friendships, and at school, we are all called to work as one, for one another; to extend a hand to those left out, to those left behind. This is what distinguishes Trinity’s distinct culture and communal life.

Embedded in the 200-year-old tradition of Trinity is the strong ethos of Edmund Rice, a man whose unwavering dedication and selflessness to the disadvantaged, left a powerful example for us all. In our quest to emulate everything he stood for, we truly have become men of the gospel, and men for one another.

At an impressionable age, young Trinity men served the poor in India on the 8th Trinity Pilgrimage Through India, worked with remote Indigenous communities on the Kimberly Immersion experience, served each other on the spiritual Kairos Retreats and were involved in a myriad of other Christian service experiences such as

Speech Night – Valedictory Address

the Eddy Rice Outreach programs, Amnesty International and the Red Cross Soup Patrol. Through the resilience and faith we gained in our service, we have become capable of anything we set our minds to – capable of overcoming any challenge or adversity that lies on the road ahead.

It is this resilience and faith that has enabled Trinity to excel in so many arenas this year, beginning with an inspiring victory at the swimming inters – something never before achieved in Trinity’s long history. From the incredible efforts of the rowers taking out both the Head of the River and Hamer Cup, to victories in the respective basketball, cricket, football, soccer and cross-country competitions, we were truly a force to be reckoned with and for the fourth consecutive year we collected the esteemed Zenith Award for the most outstanding school at the Performing Arts Festival.

While these achievements deserve the highest accolades, we must never forget the importance of how we respond in the wake of our success. Unless we respond by becoming better people, these victories are hollow. Whenever we fell short this year, our heads remained high, dignified in defeat, and we held the knowledge that we gave our all to the cause, regardless of the result.

This engulfing spirit is also imbued in those who have helped us through the Trinity experience – never once have we been alone on this remarkable journey. We only have to look toward the example set by our parents and our teachers to see serving others in action.

The selflessness of the staff and their belief in us is a defining characteristic of Trinity. If any of us needed extra help, it is a certainty that you would stay behind and assist us. Your efforts this year have always gone beyond the confines of a classroom, so thank you.

To our parents, thank you dearly for giving us the opportunity to wear the distinctive three crowns and to experience Trinity Spirit. We are forever indebted to the sacrifices you have made for us. Sacrifices that have given us every opportunity to achieve our dreams and achieve the ultimate in our ambitions.

No stronger did I see the Trinity Spirit than in the friendships of my fellow Year 12s. Within us now lies an unbreakable bond, adhered by the mateship and brotherhood of our experiences. To my classmates, thank you for the unforgettable memories, for the friendships forged and for always being there for one another. In particular I would like to thank Mark Luca, the deputy, and the prefects for their loyalty and service to Trinity this year.

Edmund Rice provided an opportunity for disadvantaged boys to fulfil their potential and Trinity College reaffirms his dream. With the incredible opportunities that are presented to us, it is our duty to use the Trinity experience as a stepping-stone for the world beyond. Also that we recognise our talents and use them to serve others in our everyday contact with people. For the most fortunate of students who still have years to come at Trinity, seize every opportunity and never hold back. Each one of you has the potential to be great, to be unique and to achieve the extraordinary. The great Nelson Mandela said “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure… it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us”. There is a light that flickers in each of us; the challenge is to find that light and make it shine. So get involved in as many aspects of school life as possible – make the most of what God has given you.

Jesus Christ died on the cross for us; Mother Teresa spent her entire life serving the poorest of the poor in India; and Oscar Romero gave his life to the downtrodden of El Salvador. Each of these people had a catalytic effect on all around them. Similarly, Trinity calls us to serve others in the spirit and compassion manifested within each of these powerful examples. What lies behind us and before us are small matters compared with what lies within us – a spirit that drives a desire to serve one another and to do our very best at whatever life throws our way. In the end, we will be judged only on what we do with the gifts we have been given.