Every person in society has value. Much like each chess piece has its value.

From pawn to the king, there is worth to be had. Much like the real world we all look and behave differently, but we all serve a purpose and have a place in society.

Our Rector, Mr Hall talks about an OBs man being a man of oak, a tall poppy a hand up not out type of man, but in reality we are not all tall poppies, some of us are oak saplings and some have our hands not up nor out, but we all have value and a place in our OB’s brotherhood.

As a society we are all very quick to judge somebody on how they look before we know anything else about them. For example, there are those that look like you and I, normal, kind of abled bodied and able minded and then there are those that look like Jane. Jane is my Aunty. She was born with Microcephaly. She is mute and requires 24 hour care. Due to her disability, she is unable to care for herself. People look at Jane and my family and take pity on us for having someone with a disability because “it must be so hard”. They see it as a life sentence, a burden, but we see it as a good thing. We are so lucky to have Jane in our family because she has taught us how to be accepting of others and how to talk and interact with people who have disabilities. Jane adds value to society as she entertains and loves people. She’s there for you no matter what you’ve done or who you are, and doesn’t question your actions. I can comfortably walk into Dunbar House, where Jane lives with other people who have mental and physical disabilities, and interact with them. Jane is no Kardashian but she still has purpose in society, more than you’d think.

As a community we are all very quick to judge somebody based on society’s superficial norms, and at OB’s we are guilty of this as much as anybody else. To outsiders as an OBs man, you are somebody who lives and breathes rugby and if you don't like rugby you shouldn’t be at OBs but this is so wrong. Being an OB’s boy and contributing to our society doesn't mean you have to be the 1st XV captain or the Head Boy. I think it is conceived that you have to be of importance to everyone to be of value, which is not the case. At OBs we hold the same values: Perseverance, Respect, Courage, Honor and Excellence. These values all bind us together as one, one brotherhood as we like to call it. As long as we show these values in our own personal endeavours whether it be being the 2nd speaker on the debating team, playing the triangle in the orchestra, hyping your team up from the bench on the basketball court, or just being there for your mates. We all have value because we are a piece of something bigger.

So if you are to take anything away from this, remember you are of worth. You are important, you are valued at OBs and in our greater community in whatever you do. Whatever skills you bring to the table they are needed whether people say so or not. In true OBHS fashion I give a quote "All have their worth and each contributes to the worth of the others" - J.R.R. Tolkien. Take the time to know someone before you make your judgement, because you might be surprised.