Valedictory Speech 2019

Valedictory Speech

This is the speech that was given at this year’s Valedictory.

 

“Bonjour. Buenos Dias. Buon Giorno. Guten Morgen. Good Morning. I think we speak for all of our peers here when we say our school career has been a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs through the years. Some of us started back in 2006 when we were in nursery while others have joined as recently as last year. But no matter how long we’ve been here, we know that we have made memories and friendships that we will not only cherish but that will lasta lifetime.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, let’s introduce you to our class.

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Khalid – The Baby Genius whose always willing to share his knowledge. 

 

Tristan – The bodybuilder/ adventurer ofthe class, constantly eating rice and lentils through all our lessons.

Thandi – Our elegant Duchess, with the sweetest smile but a strong woman who insists that she is always ‘fine’ and will stand up for what she believes in, but will always be remembered as one of the 3 musketeers.

 

Mikyle – The artsy Queen and Ice cream thrower who has admirable strength in his faith.

Mattia – Italian stallion who always brings laughter and mischief to the group.

 

Fayyaadh – One of the originals. Mr smooth who’s always as cool as an ice bath. But stays calm and collected throughout.

 

Kayleigh: – The poet. The Prince of sleeping in class and finessing in everything.

 

Ruby – Our Old soul whose diverse culinary capabilities are the envy of all.

 

Min – Always there to make and capture the amazing moments. Who we could never find any fault with.

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Masoumeh – The Persian Princess who hasn’t been here long but who we will always remember for her impeccable skin routine

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Derek – The ginger headed man of many names but most notably ‘Naartjie Toes” who will belt out Bohemian Rhapsody and Country Roads at any time but most importantly is the main member of the 3 Musketeers.

Uzzi – The original guardian angel and in house sneakerhead with the biggest heart in a small-ish package. 

Sarah – One of the 3 musketeers, with the voice of an angel and a desire to climb every tree in sight, hence the nickname monkey. A ray of sunshine who makes endless movie and series references and who is always up for a roll down a hill.

 

Izzy – The mysterious girl with a dark sense of humour who seems to know everyone in Cape Town.

Ayanda – The journalist who is  not afraid to let her voice be heard with help from her impeccable note making skills and who is willing to fight for justice 

Ali – Mr Business – the only one who can pull off Louis Vuitton school shoes.

 

Lunga – He’s been here since birth and will be remembered for his weak lungs and youthful nature.

Matt – The man with Hercules’s hair who is usually the one behind the strange noises.

Yumna – Number 6. Our 12 Year old who is always conveniently absent on the day of the test or any time we do sports in general. We will always remember your amazing trumpet skills.

We have become a family, who support and love each other and we know that this will not be the last time we are all together because the bonds we have formed here show us that even though we are saying goodbye, this is not the end but only the beginning of a new chapter. 

And who could forget the many classmates that have left over the years but are still a part of many of our lives. This school experience has allowed us to be exposed to many different nationalities and cultures over the years and make friends that we will always cherish from all around the world and from different walks of life.

 

Firstly, we would like to acknowledge that without God none of this would be possible and He has been even more of an influence due to the Christian ethos that the school has been built on. He has guided and supported us when we were at our lowest points when we had no one else to turn to, therefore, we want to give God the recognition that he deserves. 

 

But we are not going to forget the people who have made this all possible. 

 

Our parents who have helped us with our late-night projects, been at every prize giving and sports game, woken up early in the morning to take us to school, worked hard and sacrificed a lot to pay for this wonderful education that will enable us to achieve our dreams. We love and cherish you. 

 

To the teachers. The strong men and women who have taught us so much not only in academics but in important life lessons that we will use beyond our school careers. 

 

We would like to thank our primary school teachers for the positive influences that they were in our lives from such a young age where they moulded us into the people that we are today. Teachers like Miss Maphosa, whose fantasy-filled Narnia that she would turn her classroom into during book week would not only show what a passion she has for teaching but compel us to realise the power of imagination and that no matter what you aspire to achieve, if you have the willpower, anything is possible. Everyone who has ever been in her class will know what a pillar of strength she is and an inspiration to us all. 

 

From the mates of the class, we would like to say thank you to Mr Sheldon. He not only pushed us to stay in shape but also to excel in every aspect of our school life, he was a mentor that anyone could turn to for advice,  and a father figure for some. I don’t think we would have achieved as much as we did without Mr Sheldon backing us all the way. 

 

Mr Davies we would like to thank you for putting up with us for all these years where most teachers would have left. Even though you didn’t show it much, we know that deep down you care. We’ve loved hearing about your adventures in East Berlin, when you would show up to exams half deaf because of the rock concert you went to the night before and the time you ‘accidentally’ set your high school on fire while in detention. We will always aspire to follow you by staying true to ourselves and not caring what others think about us.

 

Of course, these were not the only teachers who have helped us along our journey, but  it is not possible to thank you all by name. We would like to thank you all for the memories, the opportunities and the knowledge that you have shared so generously and we will always remember the time we spent here fondly and with a sense of nostalgia. We know that our lives will never be the same when we leave for the last time into the big bad world, but we thank you for the foundation that you have set for us to grow to become the future leaders, politicians, journalists, and teachers of tomorrow! 

 

We would also like to add an extra word for the students sitting here today. Whether you are in yr 11 beginning your AS Levels or if you have just begun High school in Yr 7, these will be the best years of your life, even though it might not feel like it at times. Cherish these years, make memories and don’t forget to work hard and listen to your teachers. 

 

Now in the spirit of tradition, we will pass on the flame of leadership to a member of the year 11 class. We wish you the best as you begin your course and embark on your final year and even though it requires hard work this is an opportunity to grow closer to those around you and find out more about yourself as an individual.

 

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be your head prefects for 2019. We have thoroughly enjoyed every moment.  “

 

 

-Speech written by the year 12’s, article composed by Rachel