A tribute in honour of Keaton Reti delivered by the Headmaster, Mrs Susan Hassall, at the 2023 Argyle House Prize Giving.

Before we begin our celebration of all the wonderful achievements we will recognise this evening at our Argyle Prize Giving, I wish to take a moment to reflect on the life, and the tragic death, of a special young man, Keaton Reti.

I will read to you, the words I spoke at our first full school assembly this year, when we took time to remember, and to mourn, this special young man. As we come to the end of the Argyle year for our senior school, it is fitting that we recognise the loss we have felt all year, through his absence.

On the 2nd of February, Keaton was involved in a quad bike accident on his family farm near Te Kuiti, and sadly, he was killed. So, on the 7th, many staff and well over 100 students and Old Boys traveled to his tangi in Taharoa. It was a privilege to attend, and I was so genuinely proud of our young men who shared the day with us. This year Keaton was due to return to Argyle House as a Year 12 student; he was 16.

Keaton has been a very special part of our school whānau, as have his family. His Dad was also a Boarder here; Murdoch was in my husband’s Tutor Group. Keaton’s brother Fletcher returned to complete Year 11 this year.

For many of you, Keaton was a friend, a classmate, a team mate, a fellow Argyle man, and a special person in your lives. He was in our Under 14A Rugby team, then our Under 15 A team, winning the award for the Top Under 15 Rugby player in that year. No easy achievement, when you consider the amazing talent he had around him.

Last year Keaton was in the 2nd XV, and the 1st XV wider squad; he passed NCEA Level 1 as a Year 11, and he was looking forward to an exciting year in Year 12 in 2023.

As we grieve for him, we can, and must take a lesson from the example of his rich, happy life. He made the most of his talent as a Rugby player; he worked hard and he excelled. And he was so fiercely loyal to his friends, such a good team-mate, and a great student for teachers to have in class. He loved his family, he loved the farm, and he loved his life.

We must all live our lives with passion, just as Keaton did, we must all live with the genuine commitment to being the best we can be, just as Keaton demonstrated with his absolute dedication to excelling in Rugby.

And as we feel such sorrow for his death, we must also reflect on how important it is, to cherish those around us, our families and our friends. We will feel, forever, our sense of loss, and in our memories of him, we recognise the fragility of life, the fragility of the world we take for granted. So we must be so grateful for those we love and care for, grateful to those who love and care for us.

It is very special to recognise that Keaton’s life will be forever remembered with the presentation of Tawera Kerr-Barlow’s signed and framed All Blacks jersey, awarded to the MVP of the annual William MacErlich Memorial rugby game, by Keaton’s parents, Murdoch and Kris.

I ask that now, we each take a moment, whether we knew Keaton or not, to stand together as his Argyle House family, in recognition of him, and in his memory, as we sing Kapuia, for Keaton.

Please stand.

Thank you.