From Br Steve Hogan fsc
It is with great pleasure I welcome all members of the Oakhill College community to the 2024 academic year, especially our new Year 7 and Year 11 students and their parents and also those new to Years 8-10.
In the opening assemblies in the first week of school, I took the opportunity to explain our theme for the year to all staff and students – ‘Aim for the stars’. Aim for the stars means to be ambitious, to aim high and to follow one’s dreams. It encourages us to take big risks and set ambitious goals. It's about reaching for the highest possible outcome and not being afraid of failure because even if you fall short, you'll still achieved something significant.
I also shared with the students the famous Rice Moon speech of JFK (John. F. Kennedy) given at Rice University, Houston Texas, in September 1962.
“We stand today on the edge of a new frontier … but the new frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises – it is a set of challenges”.
John F Kennedy believed that in an enlightened world, driven by science and technology, it was possible to increase one’s capacity in every way and that there was no limit to one’s potential. As we know, the USA landed on the moon in 1969 with less technology than what's in our modern-day smart-phone. JFK’s speech is about attitude, self-belief, and aspiration.
I also introduced the students to Theodore Roosevelt and his famous speech, ‘The Man in the Arena’, which was given at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1910. Theodore Roosevelt wrote: “It is not the critic on the side who makes judgement about how things ought to be done, but the one actually in the arena of life, doing the stuff that makes life better, failing often but getting straight back up and continuing on”, – striving for excellence.
Marianne Williamson an inspirational author also writes: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure”. It is our light that frightens us (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles", Ch. 7, Section 3 (1992), p. 190.)
Often our deepest fear is our talent and ability, and we learn and are encouraged and motivated by JFK, Theodore Roosevelt, Marianne Williamson and Master Shifu, to be confident, to aspire, do the hard work, fail, get up again and that is the secret of success and fulfillment. It is not always easy and there are no shortcuts.
It is our hope that we at Oakhill College provide this learning context for each and every student, but it is up to each student to take up the opportunity, even if it is just little steps at a time. The famous Chinese philosopher Laozi at the time of Confucius explains it is like finding the stepping stones in crossing a river.
As we start a new year we too stand on the edge of a new frontier, be it starting high school in junior secondary or senior secondary, or the HSC year, each with their own challenges.
Winston Churchill encourages “When you feel you cannot continue for another minute, and that all that is in your human power has been done, that is the moment when one step forward will give you the fruits of the struggle you have borne”.
At Oakhill College, we are something more, we never say die, never give up, we pursue with the virtues of courage, velour, daring and mateship.
At Oakhill College, we have the responsibility, while pursuing academic excellence, to grow every gram of leadership and inspire every act of human flourishing, for the world of tomorrow needs men and women more caring, more compassionate, more collaborative, more creative and innovative, more global, more ready to resolve. Oakhill graduates as men and women, have the foundation from home, and opportunities from school, to achieve this.
Because a thing is difficult for you, do not therefore suppose it to be beyond mortal power. On the contrary, if anything is possible and proper for man to do, assume that it must fall within your own capacity. (Marcus Aurelius)
Wishing you good health and wellbeing for the year ahead.
Br Steve Hogan fsc
Principal
