Maggie Gorman's prize giving speech is published below:

My experience with Logan Park has been a very long one. My sister first came to the school in 2012, and as the last of my siblings to come here, it will be a strange goodbye.

Speeches like this force you to reflect, so we'll start with the obvious. Logan Park is unique. The schools community consists of a varied nature of staff, students, and interests, that thrive off each other, leaving it so easy to be proud of it. My time here has been filled with incredible experiences that I will hold onto for the rest of my life, and without the special and positive culture of the school, I would not be who I am today.

5 years here, and what a year to finish it off! We are so incredibly lucky to be here all together, to celebrate the successes we have had despite the unexpected circumstances of the year. 2020 has thrown so many obstacles at us it’s started to feel like more of an episode of Wipeout, but it’s been incredible to see how the students have adapted to that almost constant uncertainty.

Despite a huge chunk of our year missing, unbelievable memories were made; it could be dragging a very heavy bouncy castle through the school at 9pm with Mr Kain while Alex, the lovely cleaner, laughs at your struggle, or awkwardly trying to hide from the Year 10s on the camp out, eating chocolate pudding huddled by a little lantern, listening to quiet rap music coming from Ms Fraser’s pocket.

To the staff, those that were here when we started, and those who have joined along the way, you are such a significant part of our lives. Your patience and kindness, especially this year, have helped us through tough times, and having the privilege of being taught by you, people who we can see genuinely love what they’re teaching, has inspired us every day to learn more.

To the parents, thank you for everything you do. I know you must all be immensely proud of your children. Thank you for keeping us at home this year, I’m sure as Logan Park students, we drove you absolutely crazy.

When trying to write this speech, I asked my dad and he ran out of the room, grabbed his laptop, and pulled up his idea of an inspiring speech, which was from the TV show ‘Brave New World’. After watching, he asked what I got out of it, and I said to him that there is no way I can get up and say “Would you rather be happy or free”. In classic dad fashion, there was a heavy eye roll, but then he said, “Okay, what about Legally Blonde. I love that movie.” Elle Woods does make some good points saying “It is with passion, courage of conviction, and a strong sense of self, that we take our next steps into the world”. So, to the students, whether you are a junior moving up into senior school, a senior gaining more leadership roles, and taking on NCEA, or a Year 13 graduating, just do your best. Your best may not be as good as someone else’s. But yours is all that should matter to you. And to the students who will be here next year, take care of yourself. The teachers understand that sometimes it gets a little overwhelming, and the best thing you can do is to communicate with them because they are there to help.

Finally, to the class of 2020, although our final year was disrupted, we didn’t let it get us down. It’s going to be so strange not to see everyone everyday, but I am absolutely certain that you will all contribute positively to the world in some way, and do great things. The future is scary and, as humans, we are bound to make mistakes. So as Neil Gaiman once said, “Now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here”.