From Elizabeth Watson, Director of Learning and Teaching
“There’s a famous quote that says, ‘I’d rather aim for the sky, and hit a tree, than aim for the tree, and hit a rock’, and this is something that I strongly believe in.” Angus Mullins – Class of 2017
Inspiration, commitment and hard work was personified on Thursday 15 February as students, staff, parents and members of the Waverley community gathered together to welcome back and celebrate our high achievers from the Class of 2017.
These assemblies set the tone for the Academic year ahead. They inspire hope and propel us to strive toward something better, greater and higher.
Waverley is a diverse learning community and in 2017, 176 boys chose their own path to complete Year 12. Whether our students selected an ATAR, Non ATAR or nationally recognised qualification through Vocational Education, each boy’s journey was unique. Their chosen learning path played to their strengths. It engaged their interest and passion to help them succeed.
A common theme among our 2017 Graduates was the resilience and determination shown throughout their learning journey. We commend the grit that many of them drew upon to make significant and impressive progress throughout their time at Waverley College.
We were delighted to hear two of our 2017 graduates speak at the assembly. Thank you to both Angus Mullins and Hal Cumpston who shed light on their experiences and offered some wonderful words of encouragement and advice to our student body.
Hal reflected on his time at Waverley College, highlighting the importance of choosing subjects that you enjoy. He entertained us with upbeat anecdotes and offered some words of wisdom to the current Year 12 students sitting before him. We wish him every success as he pursues a career in acting.
Angus spoke eloquently about his time at Waverley and said he felt honoured to be speaking at the High Achievers Assembly. He spoke about what inspired and motivated him and the study techniques that worked for him, offering advice to each of the year groups. He attributes his success to setting goals and targets.
“There is no question that having goals, whether they be career, university or ATAR goals, help focus your efforts when studying. There’s a famous quote that says, “I’d rather aim for the sky, and hit a tree, than aim for the tree, and hit a rock”, and this is something that I strongly believe in. I recommend to every single student to set a goal that is difficult to achieve, yet still within reach.”
It is safe to say that the class of 2017 found their success in very different ways. Whatever path our Year 12 boys chose, it is important to remember that they leave the College with much more than just a number, mark or rank. The journey that brought each student to this point has been far more valuable.
I congratulate the entire HSC Class of 2017 on their fine results and wish them all the best in their future endeavors. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and give thanks to the outstanding commitment of staff and the tireless support of parents during their son’s learning journey.
