The Captains of School

Captains of School

BY WILLIAM L AND IMOGEN M

OUR YEAR STARTED AS EXPECTED, CHARACTERISED BY GOOD HUMOUR,

RESOLVE AND ENERGY. Simpson’s historic victory at House Music will be remembered for a long time — it could even be another 17 years before another DJ Louden comes along. We also saw the return of the gladiatorial 1st XV Rugby vs the 1st VII netball match. None of those dresses will ever be the same again but there is no doubt Finlay W especially wore his exceptionally well!

Since then we have hit some turbulent times but the resilience and strength of the Strathallan community has shone throughout. This spirit was at the forefront in November when we tragically lost our friend Alistair. This was an unimaginably tough time, especially for Ruthven House and of course Alistair’s family. The Ruthven boys and AJ’s friends from other houses shared their closest memories with us all and showed just how much AJ meant. He will always be remembered.

Addressing the school on Speech Day via YouTube is something we could never have envisaged. But it is testament to the determination of our community that we did go ahead and it was a pleasure for us to be able to reflect on this extraordinary year.

It is a great reassurance for all the U6th leaving this year that no matter the direction we go, Strath will always be there to guide and galvanize us for whatever challenges we must face. We have certainly drawn on them this year.

Though Spring Term ended as scheduled we did miss our performances of The Addams Family. The Easter trip to Kenya was cancelled as were several sporting events including cup finals. We knew that the Summer Term would have to be radically different.

When the plans for Summer Term were announced, the school and the student body rose magnificently to the challenge this presented. With the introduction of Strath WorldWide, all pupils have been able to maintain schoolwork and other activities, albeit behind a screen and the success of this is testament to the staff and pupils alike that this has been such a positive and enriching experience overall.

We have provided meals to the elderly or those living alone in our local community, we have piped outside care homes and we have sent letters to care home residents who might be feeling lonely.

Our DT department hit the headlines by manufacturing face masks and other forms of vital PPE for frontline workers throughout NHS Tayside and a wide range of frontline services. It has been an extraordinary privilege to represent the school at a time like this when its ethos and values have never been more obvious. Rev’s Chapel services on our values this year were perhaps more important than we realised at the time.

We can’t help but think about what the end of school should have been like for the U6th: the valedictory service, sports day, cricket, tennis, tug of war, Mr Lauder wailing and weeping in his speech and Jamie G’s dance moves at

We are proud to have been part of a community with such an irrepressible desire to nurture and support. From House staff, to tutors, to matrons, to the Health Centre and more, we have an army of people who have been there for us while growing up in school, celebrating successes and helping us recover from mistakes.

the Leavers’ Ball. It has been hard not being together with our year group this term but I hope that we will all be able to meet up soon and say goodbye to our schooldays together. It’s been great and it would be a shame not to mark this. We would like to give our thanks to some key people without whom our year would have been hugely different. Our prefect team this year, what would we have done without them? Through 3rd form retreat and meetings at the Headmaster’s house, the team bonded well. Special thanks must go to Vice Captain Bryony B for her endless enthusiasm and (in his own wording of his title) the ‘Deputy Boy Vice Captain of School’ Struan G. We look forward to seeing their names up on the new Vice Captain of school board that they have badgered the Headmaster for all year!

We would like to finish by wishing our successors, Suzie and Fergus, the very best of luck for next year. It’s impossible to know what your Captaincy will look like exactly, but if we have learnt anything this year it’s that as members of the Strathallan community, you will have developed the resilience and the tenacity to cope with whatever comes your way, as well as the skills to adapt and the support to flourish.