Fate allowed us to relive our past freedoms for the first half of the year before reminding us of just how fragile that past life really was. And while the temptation is to fall into the trap of endless negativity surrounding Covid, I feel like we have all heard enough of that recently.

The changes unwillingly thrust upon us, may have felt like a detriment to our learning as we struggled to cover seemingly endless content, alone but for the help of a single textbook (and this was certainly how I felt at the time). However, now that these academic challenges are mostly behind us, looking back on them I realise that beyond the scope of this year, or even my entire high school journey, these experiences may have done more good than I initially thought.

I won’t deny, the far from ideal learning situation Covid put us in may have led to us having a slightly worse understanding of organic chemistry (of which I for one am definitely guilty), however, this year’s trials and tribulations have taught us many skills which are not as easily learnt as those which can be found in a textbook. Whether we wanted to or not, every one of us had to overcome new challenges, improvise, create strategies, and sometimes just sit down to put in the hard work where we may not have had to otherwise. Some have felt it more than others, yet this year has tested each and every one of us in our own way. The result of this is that we have all been forced to become more adaptable and resilient than most of us would have liked to be at the start of the year.

Thus, for me to be standing up here alone does not reflect the hard work and effort put in by so many of my peers, who at many stages along this journey I felt deserved the title of Dux far more than I did. In the end, it came down to the grade boundaries on a handful of papers to separate us. As is unfortunately, yet most often the case, there were many top-of-subjects which came down to subtle differences in individual questions, or even words, to decide which of us would receive these prestigious awards. So I would like to congratulate every student, whether you have received a prize or not, because every one of you has achieved something worth celebrating this year, no matter its perceived significance or the recognition you received for it.

Of course, all of our successes and achievements would not have been possible without the group of teachers who make Boys’ High what it is. It would be unfair of me not to thank each and every one of them, yet I must make a few special mentions.

Mrs Morine; your depth of knowledge and insistence that I study more than I actually ever did have been influential in growing my passion for Economics throughout the year. Your willingness to prioritise helping your students above yourself is something that I, and many others, are exceedingly grateful for.

Dr Wright, while all of our motivation fluctuated at times, the effort you put into teaching us never faltered. To this day I don’t think that I have ever walked into your classroom and seen you without a smile, ready to impart your unwavering motivation onto us. Not even late scholarship sessions with just two or three of us were able to dampen your enthusiasm towards making sure we all did as well as we could with every answer we wrote.

Mr Prasad; your understanding of the fact that Physics is much more effectively taught at the teahouse than in a classroom has created many lessons which we will all remember long after we have left. And Mr McLellan; despite my best efforts, I haven’t yet asked you a scholarship Physics question that you haven’t been able to explain.

Without the dedication and commitment of every teacher here, the school would not be the place it is and every one of us would be a lot less fortunate. So on behalf of all the students at New Plymouth Boys’ High School, I sincerely thank you for your contribution to the next generation.

To my parents, I will forever be grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made to provide me with the opportunities that you never had. It’s the habits that you’ve instilled into me that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. You have supported my growth by allowing me to find out where I want to go and what I want to achieve.

For the Year 13s, now that the sun is setting on this first chapter of your life you, quite literally, have the opportunity of your lifetime before you. The opportunity to make such choices as you will never be able to make again and will lead you onto paths you don’t yet know exist. So lament not what could have been, rather rejoice for what is yet to be.