Kia ora koutou

Today I thought I would share my assembly speech as it contains important messages about education here at Otago Girls’ High School

This has been a disrupted time in terms of industrial action and rostering home of year levels. Good conditions and pay for teachers are very important and education has perhaps the greatest impact of all on our lives. A good education, even in the most challenging of circumstances, can lift us out of poverty, give us security, give us a roof over our heads and food on the table. A good education gives us independence and choice in our lives and guarantees that, no matter in what terrible circumstances we may find ourselves, we can always find a well-paid job to get us - and our family - through - even if we are on our own. More than this, education opens up to us a world of knowledge and understanding, creativity and curiosity. Knowledge is also power, literacy and numeracy are power, creativity is perhaps the greatest power of all. If you are not willing to learn, noone can help you. If you are determined to learn, noone can stop you.

We must grab our education and squeeze out of it the best outcomes for ourselves. We have this special five years - years that we can remember and recall all of our life because this is when we become who we are, this is when we emerge into our adult selves, this is when we are conscious - and unfortunately over-critical - of who we are. Reach very high, set the best expectations for yourself, raise the bar and embrace every lesson, every day of school. There is no time to cruise around or be late or out of class. There is no use for wasted energy or too late nights scrolling through what will never matter in the future. Your education counts. You count. Sit up and take notice. You are an Otago Girls’ High School student. Before you - sitting where you are now - were the first female lawyer in NZ, the first female medical student in NZ, the first female doctor in NZ, the first gold medallist in NZ and a long list of alumni including Dame Sylvia Cartwright, the Honorable Rachel Brooking, Mai and Mindy Chen who are about to receive Honorary Doctorates from the University of Otago, Dame Judith Jonas Mayhew, Dame Alison Holst and a whole long list of women who competed in Olympic Games and who are musicians, opera singers and artists. Our own Gabi Summerfield currently holds the Otago University Six60 Scholarship, living the dream at 660 Castle St. Juliette Lequeux and Hannah Matehaere are on the New Zealand Rowing Pathways stage (as well as Harriet). These are big deals and big inspiration.You are here - in the place where it can happen. In our NCEA results we are third in Otago over 27 schools. Be proud of this. Wear your Otago Girls’ uniform proudly, knowing that you are part of our story and that your future is bright. Seek help and support from your friends. Make an effort to get to know people different from yourself. Work through the anxiety or challenges you face.

Finally, appreciate the superb facilities, teachers, support staff and education that you have. In this room are people who could not go to school at some points in time due to political upheaval in their homelands. In this room are people who have had to learn another language in order to access education here. In this room are people who have had their education interrupted by relocation, living in refugee camps or centres or who live with disability and challenge in their learning. And yet they are the ones who grab their education the most.

When you are rostered home, keep learning. Seize time to reflect on and plan your learning - and what comes after. Take all five years and make them memorable. Dress up for Library Day, learn the House Haka, talk to new people in Whānau Time, have a shared lunch with your friends. When you are older you will be surprised which memories of school remain - it will be the little things as much as the large.

Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōnā te ngahere
Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōnā te ao

The bird that consumes the miro berry owns the forest
The bird that consumes knowledge owns the world

Ngā mihi nui