Captains’ Corner | Vice Captain, Patrick Gleeson

Thank you - Yes, you!

Whether big or small, recognised or overlooked, every single member of the Terrace Family has done something worth a little thanks.

This week saw the recognition of four of our sports teams Football, Rugby, Tennis, Cross Country and our representatives for Culture with the Chess team – I would like to wish them the best of luck. On a different note, these gentlemen prove that the best teams at Terrace are not made of teammates, but brothers. Likewise, our greatest moments are shared not as the Terrace community, but the Terrace Family. Family seems to be the highest honour we can bestow, and the more you think about it, the more it seems to apply to the red and black.

For starters, no family is perfect. Every family has its problems, some bigger or more immediate than others. Always know that there is support for everyone at Terrace.

But my focus today is what happens in the shadows. Plenty goes unnoticed and unappreciated in a family of five, four, even three. Take a moment to imagine just how much must be overlooked in a family of over seventeen-hundred students and countless staff, families, and other individuals. For one, last Thursday a group of Year 12s spent lunchtime with the Years 5 and 6 students, a great time for everyone – and most of the College has no idea it happened. The preceding Tuesday saw the first morning mass in a long timeless recognition, yet beneath it all lies the actions of individuals, most of which are done with neither the expectation nor reality of recognition.

This is the realm of Be the One, a motto that at first glance, seems to miss the fundamental notion of Terrace as a family. Hopefully, it is now clear that Be the One doesn’t mean being at the front, or on the stage, or in the spotlight. Be the One embodies the tiny, individual contributions that keep the Terrace Family strong. That is my challenge to you this week. Be the One to lend a hand. Or to have a chat. Be the One to say thank you.