Cayden Buitendach reflects on his five years at HBHS.

Every journey begins with a single step.

And five years ago, on the 30th of January, 2018, almost 400 boys took that first step when they walked through the front doors to start their journey at HBHS. Today we celebrate, amongst other things, the end of that journey for those near 400 young men.

All of us, starting that day, had a life journey that, at that stage, started about 13 years earlier. We arrived as individuals, coming from diverse backgrounds and cultures, with some of our journeys starting from as far afield as Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. But all our journeys and pathways brought us together to start our mutual journey here as students, students who became brothers.

In his 2019 MVP acceptance speech, the NBA basketball player, Giannis Antetokounmpo said: “When you’re young, you don’t see your future but those who care for you and believe in you, they see the future for you.”

We were welcomed here by teachers, support staff, administrative staff and coaches who saw our potential and worked tirelessly to help us not only see that future and believe in it, but help us work towards making it a reality. Thank you for being our role models. Thank you for creating a safe environment for us where we could discover our dreams, where we could learn, and where we could grow. We are all ordinary boys, but you gave us the tools, the opportunities and the encouragement to be as successful as we wanted to be, to be the very best versions of ourselves and to become outstanding young men. Thank you all very much!

During our journey here we were supported and encouraged to explore the large range of curricular and co-curricular activities the school offers and to use this incredible platform to find our interests and to build our goals, our dreams and our expectations for ourselves around them.

Michael Jordan once said: “You must expect great things from yourself before you can do them.” We should always remember that the great things we expect of ourselves differ from person to person. We can’t all be the best scholar achieving straight Excellences, or the best sportsman in the 1st XI or 1st XV, we can’t be the best at everything or at times, even anything, but we can always try to be the best versions of ourselves. And that starts with deciding to be a person who doesn’t give up, when giving up would be the easy way out.

Our dreams, goals and ambitions are what make us unique. As Pele the Brazilian footballer said: “Achieving success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and, most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” The motto on our crest, Sapiens Fortunam Fingit Sibi is a reminder that there is only one way of making those dreams a reality, by crafting your own fortune.

Perseverance is not a personality trait or something that we are born with. It is a deliberate choice we make to persist in our attempts to carry on, and to try to overcome the obstacles that come our way. It is the determination in a person to not let anything or anyone stop you from obtaining a goal.

A massive takeaway for me through my academic and sporting experiences at HBHS has always been that hard work and perseverance will ultimately help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be. This is an important aspect that relates not only to our sports or studies, but to all aspects of our lives.

However, it is important to not be so entirely focussed on the end result that you forget how to enjoy life. You need to have goals and dreams to aspire to, but if you make them responsible for your happiness, you’ll miss out on the best parts of your life, so enjoy the journey!

Take the opportunities that are in front of you and let nothing hold you back from doing so. Don’t be afraid of taking a risk, just because you are afraid of failure. I can remember reading “The Alchemist” in Year 9 English with Mr Emery as my studied text, and a quote from this book has stayed with me throughout my time at HBHS. It is that “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: The fear of failure.”

Always be brave enough to fail, because failing is not the opposite of success, it is part of success. While it is natural, human, and inevitable to feel an emotional low after we have failed, it is how we respond to those failures and disappointments that determine our road to success. Those who experience hardship often develop more resiliency, determination, and courage than those who don’t.

Possibly one of the most valuable life lessons that I will take with me to wherever my journey leads me, can be summarised by this quote from Walter Anderson: “I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that may darken life. Bad things happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilised by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” So when bad things happen, and they will, always remember that you have the power to transform and overcome it with your attitude.

And now, boys, it’s time for us to move on to what’s next. Let nothing deter you from taking those first steps. Don’t spend so much time trying to choose the perfect opportunity that you miss the right opportunity. Recognise that there will be failures, and acknowledge that there will be obstacles. But you will learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, as there is very little learning in success. For five years, we proudly wore our school crest on our chest. We formed connections and an incomparable brotherhood and sense of family that became ingrained in all of us, we became brothers, brothers who will never walk alone.

I experienced that sense of never walking alone very clearly when I suffered a head injury last year and was overwhelmed by the support I received from teachers, coaches and my peers. And also this year when I was named Head Boy for 2022, a position that I could not be more honoured and proud to hold. I always tried my best to represent you and lead in a way that would not let you down. I would not have been able to do so without the incredible support of our Deputy Head Prefects and Captains of Codes.

To my fellow Top 6 Prefects... Hohaia, Levi, Mitchell, Natthanael and Payton. I thank you for the amazing support and effort each of you have shown over the course of the year. You are five amazing young men and it has been a pleasure to work alongside you in my final year. We have, along with the help from our Prefect body, been able to accomplish many things and we leave a great legacy behind that we should be proud to look back on for the rest of our lives. To the Prefects of 2022, you can all be proud of the work that you put in and all that you accomplished this year. I owe you so much, thank you.

To my teachers over the last five years... Thank you for your belief in me, for your patience and your guidance. I am and will always be grateful for the significant influence you had on my life. To the 1st XI Football team coaches and mentors over the last few years: Mr Scott, Mr Foy, Mr Nixon, and although he is no longer at our school, Mr Hakeney, thank you for supporting and guiding me through my football journey at HBHS. You have put so much hard work into coaching me and the players, and without your input, I wouldn’t be the player and person I am today.

This year I have had the privilege of working closely with the Executive team of Mr Hotham, Mr Kirkham, Mr Power, Mr Gibbs, Dr Williams, and Mr Baker. The work you do often goes unnoticed, but this year I saw your consistent and unwavering dedication to the school and the students, and I have gained an appreciation for all that you do, so on behalf of all the students and families, thank you.

Mrs Hassall, from the moment we started our journey here, you provided us with opportunities to grow and develop. You encouraged us to be the best version of ourselves and to always hold on to our core values. Thank you for your commitment to the students and for always believing in us. Thank you for your guidance, leadership and support during this year. I have learnt so much, and I will take what I have learnt with me for the rest of my life.

I need to dedicate a massive thank you to my Mum, Dad and sister. Throughout my life, you have been alongside me, every step of the way. You have guided me through my journey and provided me with all the support I could ever ask to help me reach my goals. You are the most valuable part of my life, and my gratitude and appreciation for you are beyond measure.

To the Year 13 cohort, enjoy the exciting times ahead of you. Each and every one of you can leave this school knowing that HBHS has provided you with the tools to support you in the next step of your journey. I wish you all luck with your endeavours and look forward to seeing and hearing about your successes in the future.    

Prefect Profile:

Quote:  "I don't do if, buts, and maybe's... I do absolutes."

Favourite Memory:  Scoring first game back from injury.

Future Ambition:  Performing open heart surgery in the morning and scoring a goal in the afternoon...