College Leaders

College Leaders 2011

Standing: Mrs Sally Buick, Mr Peter Riordan, Ashton Agar, Patrick O’Connor, Patrick Hanney, Mark Goy, Michael Stizza, Mr Tim Ford, Mr Sam Magree Seated: Jake Williams, Nicholas Pane, Daniel Slavin, Angus Cramp, Br Paul, Timothy Shallue, Anthony Kouch, Dimitri Damianos

Fo me it only seems like yesterday that we were all in Year 7, sitting through an assembly with Mr Ford calling out 150 names we had never heard before, playing with the person’s chair in front of us and waiting for it all to be over. But to my fellow students in front of me staring down at your shoes or picking at the fluff on your blazer, believe me when I say that it feels like a millisecond ago that I was doing the same thing, and suddenly you’re up here shaking the hand of your Homeroom teacher.

The realization comes that time moves very quickly — the Mad days, the Founders days and the Social

Justice masses come up slowly, moving past each year, and it is not until we are given the chance to take a breath is that we realise that they won’t be repeated, and they become nothing but a memory.

We can only remember certain snapshots that define our time at De La Salle — the camps, lunchtimes and lectures. Every one of my peers feels as if it were only yesterday when we began our journey at

De La. It was only yesterday we pulled on a blazer three sizes too big and posed stiffly for the camera, made an effort to put on a brave face, look as big as we could, and tell mum “no worries, I’ll be fine”, because, after all, we were high school kids from now on. Little did we know the transformation that would take place. I have developed into a young man who has grown alongside my friends and brothers who have been my erstwhile companions. We are ready and willing to dive into the deep end of life — we have finally grown into our blazers. Each and every one of us has had a different experience of the College, been influenced by different teachers, and has had different friendship groups. Whether you are a ‘lad’ or ‘jock’, an ‘indy kid’ or an ‘intellectual’ it is my theory that no matter what your experience at De La Salle, the College has had a significant impact on your teenage years, education, and the beginning of adulthood. It is with great pleasure that on behalf of our year level I can thank the College staff for their contribution to each and every one of us. Thank you to the College for moulding the class of 2011 into a group capable of tackling anything the future throws at us. To the other year levels, and in particular Year 7 student new to the College, I offer you one piece of advice — cherish every day, don’t let a single moment be wasted in your time at De La. I said at the beginning of the year “make the most of it and do yourself proud”, because soon it will be you in our position, hoping for just one more lunchtime with your mates, one more MAD day, one more day to be in the Blue and Gold. To the class of 2011, my peers, my brothers striving for excellence alongside me, thank you for a roller coaster ride of a year. I wish you all the best for the future that lies ahead. Our hardest yet most memorable year of our life has come to an end and it is up to us to take on the future in typical De La fashion, with courage, zeal and our mates by our side. I hope that I will not be remembered as College Captain, but a mate who wore the Blue and Gold with pride. Just call me a De La boy, because that’s enough for me. Angus Cramp College Captain