From The College Captain

Steven Tran | 2021 College Captain

Where has time gone? There will come a time when each and every one of us takes a final step outside the gates of our beloved Salesian College. With a bitter-sweet tinge of relief, fear and excitement, we’ve observed this on an annual basis, but in 2021, it’s my turn and the turn of some 160 boys before me. On February the 1st, 2016, just under 200 twelve-year-old boys ventured beyond any zone of comfort, embarking upon the beginning of a six-year journey at Salesian College. To all of our teachers, regardless if I have personally had you as subject teachers, the smiles and greetings that I have received across the years from you all, have truly gone a long way towards making me feel at home. Thank you. To Mr Chen and Miss Capomolla, thank you for always being prepared to drop everything just to check up on me and reassure me. I would truly not be here today, had it not been for your guidance. To Miss Tilley, thank you for being such an inspiring presence for my leadership through this year. To Mr Carter, I’m sure this was not how you had envisioned your first year into retirement, but I truly hope we’ve made it an enjoyable one. Your leadership and guidance this year has no doubt, been a source of inspiration for myself and our cohort, and for that, I thank you. Finally, to Ms Rabot: thank you for making the final years of high school, while easily the most challenging, also so enjoyable and memorable. Thank you also to the Year 12 leadership team, and especially, to Robbie and Keelan. Under the most difficult of circumstances, we have been able to forge such a strong bond as leaders and as mates. Though we had not achieved all of the ambitions that we set out to do under the conditions we were met with, I truly hope that the legacy that we have left behind is remembered and built upon. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the greatest inspiration in my life – my family. My parents are quite easily the hardest working individuals I have ever observed. The countless sacrifices and hours of working and driving us to school over the years have not been forgotten, nor have they gone to waste. I think it is only fitting that I say to them now: Con cám ơn bố mẹ cho nhửng gì mẹ và bố đã làm cho con trong 13 năm trời học hành. Con hứa là con sẽ tiếp tục cố gắng học cho mẹ và bố được hãnh diện và cho nhửng gì mẹ và bố đã làm cho con sẽ xứng đáng. To my sister, thank you for all of the help over the years with my studies and my ideas; no doubt I will return the favour – there is a big future ahead for you. To the boys in the junior years, I think the greatest pearl of wisdom I am keen to share, is to absorb everything. Immerse yourself within this school’s rich culture and most importantly, enjoy it and be yourself. I think it’s fitting that I give my last word to my brothers of SCC21. Although it wasn’t exactly the fairy-tale ending that we had all hoped for, it was one that we certainly owned. I wish each and every one of you boys the greatest successes for the future. Take in your stride, all the qualities we have developed together as a group and come into your own; show the world what a Salesian boy of SCC21 is truly capable of.

... absorb everything. Immerse yourself within this school’s rich culture and most importantly, enjoy it and be yourself.