Congratulations, Class of 2025!
Congratulations, TKC graduate class of 2025!
Head of Year | Erin McGuinness
To the graduating class of 2025, may you continue to grow in your voice, in your resilience, and in your conviction to fight for what you value.
As you head out into the world, I want to leave you with a few parting words of advice.
Number One | Get the relationships right, and everything else will follow!
At the start of this year, when our staff first met our interim Principal, Mr Bill Innes, he gave us a simple piece of advice: If you can get the relationships right, everything else will fall into place. At the time, he was speaking to us as teachers, but the longer I’ve reflected on it, the more I’ve realised it applies to every part of life.
Because no matter where you go or what you do, your relationships will shape your journey. They will lift you up when things get hard, they will check your ego and challenge you when you need to grow, and they’ll bring laughter and joy into even the most ordinary moments. Achievements may open doors, but it’s your relationships - with family, friends, and God - that form the foundation of genuine success and contentment as you navigate life’s many seasons.
Number Two | Be on time!
Be on time for yourself. Don’t leave your dreams or ambitions waiting for the “right moment,” thinking you’ll get around to them tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Opportunities have a quiet way of passing us by when we’re not paying attention. So be on time for the things that truly matter: the goals you’ve set, the passions you’ve discovered, and the people you love. So, show up when you say you will. Be there for those that need you, not someday, but now.
And most of all, be on time for your own life. Don’t let fear or hesitation make you late to your own story. Being on time for yourself isn’t just about punctuality. It’s about presence. It’s about choosing to show up for your own growth, your own joy, and your own potential while time still allows it. Because in the end, you either work hard now, or you work harder later. There is no in between.
Number 3 | Know how to be silent!
I want you to think back to Year 11 Camp last year, one of my favourite activities was the nighttime bush walk. I wouldn’t describe the walk as a huge success, since we did almost get lost several times and we had to hop a few fences along the way to get back to the campsite. I remember how pitch black it was when we started the walk, not able to see the dirt road in front of us or who was beside us. Naturally, the students were causing a ruckus, occasionally blinding people with their flashlights or trying to scare each other. Eventually, Mr Caizley instructed everyone to stop talking, be quiet and just look and listen around us. Eventually, our eyes adjusted, everyone calmed, and we could enjoy the full visibility of the night sky and the peace of the forest around us.
Looking back, I think that experience holds a powerful message. In life, there will be times of darkness… moments of uncertainty when we can’t quite see the path ahead. But often, all we need to do is stop, be silent, and listen. When we quiet the noise around u and within us, that’s when clarity comes. That’s when we start to notice the gentle guidance that was always there.
For me, that moment is a reminder that even in our darkest times, God is present. He doesn’t always light up the whole path at once, but He gives us just enough light to take the next step. And if we trust in that, if we are silent and let Him guide us, we’ll always find our way back to where we’re meant to be.
And lastly, Number 4 - and you’re probably not going to like this, but it’s true: Always, always listen to your parents!
The Bible tells us to honour your mother and your father, and as much as you might roll your eyes at that, the older you get, the truer it becomes. Because no one - truly no one - will ever love you or want the best for you in quite the same way they do.
Your parents have been there through every version of you: from the baby learning to walk, to the child who forgot their lunch, the teenager who slammed a few too many doors, and the one who needed them most but didn’t know how to say it. They’ve seen you grow, stumble, and find your way, and they’ve quietly held their breath for you every step of the journey.
You might not always agree with them. In fact, you probably won’t. But even in those moments, try to remember that their words come from a place of love, protection, and experience, and one day, you’ll catch yourself saying something to someone younger and realise you sound exactly like them.
So, listen to your parents. Thank them, even if you don’t know how to put it into words. And never underestimate how much of who you are today: the resilience, the humour, the kindness - came from the way they raised you.
And so, to the graduating class of 2025 - as you step out into the world beyond these walls, remember the lessons that you’ve learned here. Build strong relationships, be on time for your own life, and listen to the voices of love and wisdom around you. Life will rarely go exactly to plan, but you are not alone, and you are more ready than you think.
I have one last hope for you, that each and every one of you will come to know how precious you are to the people who love you, that you will have self-worth in abundance, and that the joys of life will outweigh the hardships.
Most importantly, remember that God sees your worth and has a plan to bless your life abundantly. As it says in Jeremiah 29 verse 11:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
So go out there and live boldly, but never forget where you came from. The people, the memories, and the school that helped shape who you are today.
Congratulations, class of 2025! You’ve made it — and we couldn’t be prouder.