Damaris Dumitrean - Arts Prefect. Address to students at the end of Term One in Assembly

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa

At the outset, I want to acknowledge the significance of this ANZAC assembly, in the year. 101 years ago today families in New Zealand were receiving news of the deaths of sons, brothers and loved ones on the battlefields around the world. As a community, we should reflect on the effect of that news on the members of our whanau and acknowledge both the loss and the sacrifice of those brave men.

To the sea of Queen’s Blue which has already been an exhausting term for many of you - some finishing up internals and planning your study towards Term Two, others busy embarking on a well deserved term break. Today is your last official assembly for the first term, what a superb, cohesive group of energy, of talent, and leadership Queen’s has had so far in 2019. The effort that has been put into the success of each of us all by teachers, coaches and parents has truly been a source of pride to all of the Queen’s community.

I would also like to take this time to congratulate everyone who has given their service this term you have been a credit to Queen’s and our values. A school with a proud heritage of educational excellence in all aspects of girls education. Our teachers who have taught us this term and the prefects who represent the school have done so with distinction.

Finally, to all of you who are already successful in so many ways as this term has recognised. I suspect that the surface has barely been scratched as far as success and leadership of Queen’s girls has been concerned. Amongst you perhaps a future Prime Minister, a teacher, a policewoman. Each and everyone one of you has and will be equipped with inquiring minds to further seek out knowledge. You will gain skills and the ability to do whatever you put your mind too.

My advice to you is to take the time to consider other points of view and to find common ground with others. It may begin in your form-class or in Arts Council. This will be reinforced yet again after you leave Queen’s to follow your future pursuits. Do it by empowering young women - a motto that Queen’s girls will always strive to. Honour and treasure your whanau and friends. Be bold but not too reckless. Give the scariest of things a go, I can assure you that nothing is nearly as bad as you first think it will be. And when you feel that the going is about to get tough take a breath. Bring in that family and those friends and confidently start again.

Thank you to everyone who has given so much to the first term of 2019; Ms. Agnew, the Senior Management team, teachers, staff and students alike.

No reira, Tena koutou, tena tatou katoa