Good morning, Staff, Students, parents and official party. My name is Ashton Teixeira, and it is an honour to stand before you today as your college captain for 2022. Before I begin the substantive component of this speech, I would like to tell you a bit about myself and my Aquinas journey.

My time at Aquinas began almost 8 years ago in the junior schools most prestigious class - 4 White. It was in my earliest years where I began to first understand what it means to be an Aquinian and the weight that such a privilege holds. As time went on, this understanding grew. I now know the importance of the crest which represents more than one hundred years of rich history, and the legacy of thousands of Aquinians who have gone before us.

We must never forget that the Aquinians of today will one day form a part of the story for those who come after us. This is our chance to add to the story. We need to do our utmost to make the best contribution that we can. We will not get another chance.

To others, the crest may appear to be a symbol of entitlement, arrogance, or ignorance, but not to an Aquinian. To an Aquinian it means so much more, it is the thing that connects all of us to the sacred brotherhood which is everlasting, and it reminds us of our connection to the place that we will forever be able to call our home. We must wear the crest with pride. We must wear it well. We must demonstrate to the broader community that we acknowledge that we are privileged to have an Aquinas education, and that will honour that opportunity by being the best people we can be, not for ourselves, but for the people around us. Being an Aquinian is a full-time commitment. We might take off the blazer sometimes, but the values are within us.

Aquinians have long cherished a culture of excellence. We thrive on the successes of ourselves and our peers, whether it be on the sporting field, in a classroom or on a stage. Speaking of stages, I’d like to take this opportunity to formally recognise the incredible work of Ollie Lim over the past months. He set himself the goal of raising $500. At last count, he’d raised $46,000, largely from within the Aquinas College Community. What an incredible effort! When boys like Ollie raise the bar, we all benefit from having such examples to follow. This is what a culture of excellence entails. A desire to be the best we can be. It’s in our blood, the power of the red and black calling on all of us to leave our own personal mark on the College and beyond. To do so we must show courage, and in many different forms. A battle will never be won by a man who accepts what he knows is wrong and chooses to do nothing about it. Courage is found in going for that mark or taking that penalty, but it’s also found in questioning ideas, standing up to bullies, choosing to say no, admitting a mistake or asking for help. Courage is easier to describe than it is to embody. We will all fail to embody this virtue from time to time, myself included. But the measure of a man is not how he experiences success, but how he learns from failure.

Boys, we’re a team, a team with a foundation of support and respect for each other, a team that’s success is a culmination of our courage, our passion and the relentless desire to be more than just an Aquinas College student, but to become an Aquinian. One of the most vital parts of a successful team is the shared commitment amongst its members to hold one another accountable. You must have the courage, and the personal integrity calls out those of your peers who act in ways which may tarnish our reputation, and in particular, the reputation of those who’ve come before us. Men like Alaric Pindaboor, JJ Savage and Brother Bryan Clery. You must not accept anything other than excellence and you must not allow the actions of others to compromise your values and choices. Veritas Vincit; Truth Conquers, is our college’s motto, but have you stopped to think about what it means to you? Can you relate to it? Personally, I believe that not only does it relate to being true to others, but it also relates to being true to yourself. As a team, we’re only as strong as our weakest link, so in striving to do our best, we must strive to achieve, encourage, inspire and support.

The year ahead is going to be a busy one, as myself, Hamish and the rest of the elected captains aim to consolidate what the captains of 2021 left behind. For all of you, 2022 will be a rollercoaster of highs and lows, with each and every journey being unique. Please, boys, try to remember that behind the many faces you see every day are stories and struggles you do not know. This is why it is so important to practise kindness and affirm the value of the people around us.

It is vital that we stick together and support each other in times of struggle, standing beside our brothers with the willingness and courage to start those awkward conversations that need to be had. Always remember that if you’re going through a rough patch, the red and black family will undoubtedly welcome you with open arms. As a school, we have made it through difficult times and I truly believe that as a community we can survive anything. On the other side of any struggle, we will emerge united, because our bond is too strong to be broken.

As James Kerr, writer of the book, Legacy, once said, “a society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they will never see.” In the past week, the class of 2021 has graduated, handing over the mantle to the new graduating class. It’s a surreal feeling and it’s honestly quite scary to think that my time at this great school is nearly over. This is it, our last leg of arguably one of the most valuable journeys that we will ever undertake. Personally, I love Aquinas and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities that it has provided for me. In the coming year, I plan to give back in every way possible, “Planting trees”, which will contribute to my legacy and eventually “provide shade” for the generations of Aquinians who will walk the guard of honour after me. The crest is a powerful thing, boys, and there’s a reason that it's worn so close to the heart. Historically, crests were to tell the stories of families, dynasties, and they were worn into battle. To fight in medieval times without a crest upon your armour was to fight for nothing at all. There are crests to be seen everywhere at Aquinas, but in reality, there’s only one. Cherish your time being a part of it because as any old boy will tell you, in the blink of an eye your time at the college will be over.

The dawn of a new year will provide a clean slate for all of us. It gives us an opportunity to sit back, reflect, and analyse the year that has passed, while also making decisions and setting goals for the future. A new year gifts everyone the opportunity for new beginnings, no matter what bumps you may have experienced in your journey to date. I would encourage all of you to take the time in the coming weeks, to separate yourself from the stress that may come with school or sport. Take time to truly reflect on what you have achieved in your journey, and what your goals and aspirations may be. To my fellow peers; the class of 2022. We each have one final page to write in our college journey. Will your page be filled with the times that you have given back to the college? Or will it be left blank? The crest doesn’t have the power to make you act. In the end, the choice is yours.

Thank you