The Last Word

By Eddie Burgess | Posted: Wednesday February 26, 2025

It has taken me a while to think of something to talk to you about. I could talk about many things.

It is important to talk about our five school values, but what I think is the most important thing to talk about is pride. Pride in the school you attend, the uniform you wear, the old boys of this school, and the school's traditions. Without pride in your life or school you can’t show the five school values.

• Showing the school respect, cleaning up after yourself or others, having your uniform tidy. Showing pride in what we wear to school, having your tie done up, shirt tucked in and socks up.

• Showing excellence by giving 110% on the sports field. Stepping up for your team, at school, both inside and outside of the classroom. Putting the extra hours in studying. When I was behind on an assessment I sat down during my weekend and got caught up with my work.

• Showing courage to stick your hand up, not out. But what does that look like? If you see bullying, injustice, or anything that’s wrong, speaking out with confidence takes courage. Not expecting anything in return.

• Showing perseverance by staying positive during setbacks. Not everything will go according to plan. Perseverance means facing setbacks head-on without giving up. If you fail a test or struggle with a subject, approach it with a mindset of learning and improvement and maybe next time you will get the result you want. 

• Showing honour to the old boys that have come before us, fighting for this school at the same age you boys are. 

I take pride in Otago Boys' High School because many of my relatives have been through this school before me. I am most proud of the fact that I am the 3rd generation from my family to come through this school. 

My grandad in 1953-57, my dad from 1983-87 and now me. My brother and my dad were also prefects at this school. That is a very special thing to me and my family, so I take great pride in this.

To be proud means to feel satisfied about something that you have done or relate to. We should all be proud to be a representative of Otago Boys' and not just in the Hoops or school uniform, but in everyday life. 

Otago Boys' is a very traditional school, it is an old school, we are not the first to come through this school and we won’t be the last. As with tradition, I will end with a quote.  "Faces change, but colours don’t."

Which means, as the years go rolling by, I may not be here, but the pride and tradition remain.