Reflections

A FAREWELL MESSAGE TO OUR YEAR 12S

To the Graduating Class of 2019, on behalf of your teachers, staff and students of Merici College….congratulations! We would like to thank two wonderful young women who have led the College. Thank you Malia Harrison and Olivia Miles for your enthusiasm for life and vision for the future. You have been great ambassadors. Well done and congratulations. Thank you also to our 2019 Captains. We have valued your generous spirit and the gusto you have instilled in your teams and Houses.

At the Year 12 Farewell Assembly today, our Year 12 students presented a wonderful gift to the College, an outdoor light box. The box has the design of a blossoming tree, representing the tree of life which really comes alive when it is lit up. We chose this gift for two reasons. The first is to represent the way our wonderful school has bloomed throughout these past 60 years. The second is to honour one of our past students for which the gift is dedicated to. A young girl named Annette Taylor was just 11 when she passed away in 1975. At this time she was attending Merici College.

It is with the utmost privilege that Olivia and I conclude our time here at Merici as College Captains as we stand here representing the Graduating Class of 2019. Graduation marks both an ending and a beginning. It is warm memories of the past but also the big dreams of the future.

In my six years as a Principal, I have been troubled by the rise in the number of students diagnosed with mental health issues.  Only yesterday, an article in our local paper highlighted that 1 in 4 students were struggling with a mental health issue and 1 in 7 students has had an episode in the past 12 months.

Anxiety, stress, relationship conflict, body image, grief, addiction and suicidal ideation – all are on the rise.

Congratulations to our 2020 College Leaders who were commissioned into their new roles by all members of the College at a special liturgy held today. The College Captain and Vice Captain, House Captain and Vice Captains and Specialist Captains were officially recognised in their leadership roles for 2020.