11 I stand here today looking out at a group of unique individuals, all with different pasts, different futures, different religions, and different beliefs. Although there are all these differences, there is one thing that unites us. One thing that makes us one school. One thing that makes us the same. Brotherhood. Good morning to the headmaster, Mr Nkosi, special guests, staff, and boys of the College. When young men of different backgrounds and beliefs who practice good faith in their fraternity values by following in their founder’s footsteps - this is brotherhood; when there is an understanding between one another and a feeling of friendship between people - this is brotherhood; when there is a fellowship, an alliance and a sense of trust that cannot be broken - this is brotherhood. At Kearsney, this sense of brotherhood is what has kept us going strong for 98 years and is the reason we will continue to grow and excel for the 98 years to come. This brotherhood is what has united us and is the reason that 2019 was no different from all the successful years before. We will soon end another chapter in the history book of Kearsney College; we will put a full stop at the end of the 2019 page in the chronicles of the College. But I can assure you that this full stop, does not mark the end, but only the beginning of what lies ahead for each boy who leaves. Over the course of this year, one question has come up very often when speaking to Old Boys, parents and even some teachers. Has it been a successful year? But how can a successful year be defined? Some could base success on sporting results. Some could base it on academic results. The problem with these physical attributes is that they will subside. It is almost impossible for an institution to be the best at everything year after year. If you decided to base success on these physical attributes, then no matter how you judge it, 2019 has been a successful year. This school is in its golden age: our classrooms are full; our waiting lists are long; our academic results are outstanding. We have developed into a world-renowned cultural institution and we continue to compete against the biggest and the best on the sports field. But can we really base success on what goes down in record books? Do we base our judgment of this school on material accolades? Is the purpose of this school to win trophies, better previous results and keep the record books from getting dusty? The real magnitude of our success is not depicted by these physical attributes, but rather in the things that cannot be recorded. When you choose to look at these things, this is when it can be said that we, as an institution, are successful year after year. I believe Alber t Einstein got it right when speaking of success said, “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” I believe this school is successful because we strive to create men of value and men of value produce success. Our motivation lies not in the accolades, but in the calibre of the young men who walk out of these gates. The values and morals that have been passed down from generation to generation, and that are present in every pupil, is what makes us successful. The honour, the respect, the discipline and the sense of pride for the school that is present in every Kearsney pupil, old or young, is what makes us successful. These things are fairly easy to predict based on the common trends of the past, but the most predictable thing about a boy’s time at the College, is that af ter your five years here, just as the Class of 2019 will do, you will leave Kearsney well equipped with all the fundamentals needed to contribute to a better community, having entered the system as a big-headed small boy, and leaving as a level-headed young man ready for the world. Class of 2019 THE CLASS OF 2019 Valedictory speech by Headboy, Kade Mindry–September 2019 The real magnitude of our success is not depicted by these physical attributes, but rather in the things that cannot be recorded.
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