Award winner Blake doubly honoured
Blake Bambrook, a Year 12 student at Ballina High School, was recently honoured as one of 38 students to win a NSW Education Minister’s Award for Excellence. He was honoured again when he was chosen to give a speech of appreciation on behalf of the winners. This is his speech:
I would like to show my respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, of Elders past and present, on which this presentation ceremony takes place.
It seems so long ago, that arriving home rather nonchalantly from a day of school like any other, a small square protruded mysteriously from the mailbox, begging to be removed and opened. Wandering inside, I puzzled over the contents of the letter, slowly opening it, to discover, first an invitation, then a letter of congratulations; something that had come as a complete surprise.
What had I done to deserve such a prestigious honour that recognises the excellence of public school students for their academic, sporting, leadership, cultural and community attributes?
It took a moment of pondering before I could quite justify such recognition. Everything I have done over my high school years has seemed normal to me, never seeing myself as being extraordinary, but rather going along for the ride, making the most of opportunities afforded to me, taking up the challenge, and most of all enjoying the experience.
I don’t doubt that my 37 public school colleagues, from all over NSW, have experienced something very similar, driven by the same passions, with the most extraordinary stories and achievements; yet the people I see before me, the people I have had the pleasure of meeting this morning all share a very noble humility and modesty, that epitomise true Australian values, values embodied in the public education system.
One story seems to me particularly appropriate. Ty Swadling, award recipient from Whitebridge High School in the Newcastle area, is unfortunately unable to be here today.
He is competing at the NSW Combined high Schools trampoline championships, in which he has been Champion of Champions for the past two years.
What appears at first to be a somewhat unusual sport, I believe exemplifies the spirit of today’s award recipients. The trampoline, to the child: the essence of freedom, innocence and fun; to the adult: a challenge, the perfect combination of art, strength and agility, striving to reach new heights with every jump.
Such is the calibre and passion of our 2006 award recipients that I feel very honoured and humbled to be counted among such amazing people.
Thank you, Minister, for providing NSW with a public education system that affords its students the opportunities that have brought all 38 award recipients here today while fostering values of excellence, empathy, passion and humility.
Thank you especially for the honour of receiving this prestigious award, and providing this occasion to meet and be amazed by the achievements of NSW high school students.
Finally, I feel that our dedicated teachers deserve considerable thanks for their efforts in bringing ideas into action and encouraging us to achieve our best in all aspects of school-life and in the broader community.
I wish everyone well for their HSC exams and beyond, into a future that certainly dazzles the mind with the vast possibilities before us, laid down in the foundations of a solid education.
I am reminded of a saying by Sara Henderson that my sister taught me in Year Seven that has stayed with me throughout my school life: “Don’t wait for the light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the thing yourself.”
To read more about Blake’s achievements, visit the department’s site.
