Nadia Officer

Throughout the years I have played many roles, some being Shakespearean, some being musical, but the role I have loved the most is being Head Student for Mōhua this year. Kia ora everyone, my name is Nadia!

A wise old Mr Stock once told me that the hardest part of a workout is putting your shoes on, and that falling over is easy, but picking yourself up is the hardest part. As much as I hate to admit it, Mr Stock was right. Throughout my years at Hornby, there have been many instances where I’ve wanted to just crawl up into a small ball and hide. But I’ve found that with time, compassion, and balance, you can really do anything you set your mind to.

Balance is one of the most important things you should aim to maintain in your life, whether that’s balancing school and social life, balancing a healthy work/rest ethic, or just simply taking the time to ensure you are eating well. I’ve often found myself sitting in Mrs Tafaus office with her going on about balancing life and not fully understanding what that means. While staying on top of your academic goals is important, it is also really important to do the things that bring you joy.

My time at Hornby has opened up several avenues of passion. Whether it is performing arts, health, or being a social butterfly, these passions of mine grow stronger every day. Dabbling in the creative arts has taught me so much about humanity, friendship, and the importance of letting lose and having fun. I really want to extend my gratitude to Mrs Clark and Mrs Beer for always being my ultimate supporters. Without you in my life, I don’t think I would be the strong and assertive woman I am today. The performing arts are so important and the need to nourish this area is so substantial with the state of society today.

A message many Head Students have pushed in the past is to take every opportunity that comes your way. While it is amazing to do as many things as you possibly can, it’s important to take the time to realise what opportunities are best for you to take, and which ones you can miss. Learning to say no has been one of the hardest lessons I’ve dealt with for the past seven years. Sometimes the external pressure from others, but also an internal pressure to validate yourself, can be incredibly strong to overcome. I’ve found that it is just as good to say no to the “nice to haves” and focus on the essentials, as Mr Goodfellow has said to me very recently. Creativity and thriving requires conditions such as rest, energy and enjoyment. Happiness is driven by your life experience and what do you with it, not an assessment requirement or deadline. As difficult as these decisions are to make, it is equally important to look after yourself as it is to focus on grades, your schooling life, and even your social life. Don’t let the pressure that staff or parents exert on you taint your own creativity and drive. You are the author of your destined path, no one else.

I wanted to keep this short and sweet so now I would like to begin thanking those who have been my ultimate cheerleaders on my Journey here.

Firstly, Miss Aitken, my form teacher. Miss Aitken you have been one of the biggest supporters in my life so far. I can’t count the times I’ve spent crying on your classroom floor, or emailing you when I’m upset, or the chocolate and banana fruitbursts that I ate in your classroom. And I for sure can’t count the hundreds of pages you’ve read for my health assessments over the years. You have not only been a form teacher, you’ve been my health teacher, personal therapist and ultimate cheerleader from day one. I thank you so much for everything you have done for me. Your generosity and dedication is something that has inspired me, and will continue to inspire me forever. Also massive thank you to Sarah our school counsellor for looking after me in that rough patch in year 9, 10 & 11. My form class, 13Ak, I love you all so dearly, never change. I’ll miss being your mother after doing so for five years.

Miss Abernethy, Miss A, you have no idea how much your class has helped me survive High School. NCEA Biology has been such a wild ride. Even before you started teaching me, when you were my netball coach you were the most kind hearted and sweet person towards me. I guess that was until I started biology where we would have roast battles and have mean banter every lesson. Now that is something I will miss. Thank you so much. The same goes for Miss Taylor and Mrs Tafau. Thank you for being the best netball coaches in the world, even though Mrs Tafau got bird poo on her pants that one time at tournament because she wasn’t paying attention.

There are so many staff members I could thank, if I had the chance I would be here for hours so I will just like to extend a general thank you to all staff members who have been there for me (which is probably most of you). Mr Mitchell, Mrs Richardson, Mr Heath, Mr Daines, Mr Aitken, the whole Mōhua Kahui, Ms Bykerk and Kelly in the office as well as Mr Sutton. Thank you so so much. You have made my time at Hornby so amazing, even when I was at my lowest.

Finally my parents. Mum and Dad have always been the driving force behind my dedication and drive. My mum has always said if you have no drive you have nothing, and that has really stuck with me. I want to thank you both for putting up with my teen attitude and constantly driving me everywhere. Dad you are my best friend and I cannot thank you enough for always being so willing to take me to practices and rehearsals. I love you both so much.

A massive thank you to the staff and students at Hornby High School. To my friends with whom I have spent all my years with, I love you all so much. I’ll miss sitting in Mr Aitkens classroom during lunchtime, gossipping, laughing, and bullying him. Thanks for being a part of my family.

To everyone at this school I love you all so much, you are my world and it will be very strange not seeing your faces every day. Best of luck to you all for the new year to come!

As Mr Sutton would say, Mā te huruhuru Ka Rere Te Manu, feathers enable the bird to fly. I am sad to go off and fly now but I will always keep Hornby in my heart.