Once upon a time, two frogs fell into a bucket of cream. The first frog, seeing that there was no way to get any footing in the white fluid, accepted his fate and drowned. The second frog didn’t like that approach. He started thrashing around in the cream and did whatever he could to stay afloat. After a while, his churning turned the cream to butter and he was able to hop out. Be persistent.

It is my privilege and honour to have the last say for the year. I personally did not think that I would be the one to stand up and have a cry, but hey, guess it my lucky day aye? A valedictory speech is an inspirational and persuasive speech as it says in the oxford dictionary. Surely, I’m not that type of person who can be inspirational or persuasive. But what the heck! The time has come, every student in the hall will now move up one in the food chain. Year 11 and 12 have another year or two but for the Year 13s its game over. I stand here before my fellow peers to say “its time to move on”.

Everything in this world had a beginning. God created the earth in the beginning of time. Thomas Edison created the light bulb in the beginning, and you students started Naenae College in the beginning. Starting at Naenae as a year 9, moving up the ranks to become a year 13 is a long and tough journey. I know for sure that everyone remembers their first day here at Naenae. Nervous, scared, shy and lost. Time has passed since then. Over the 5 years, we have learnt many skills and gone through the many experiences that make us who we are today.

Currently the person you are today is a result of times of all the good and bad times you went through here at college over the course of the past 5 years. There must be many memories here, from the first day at Naenae to the Final Closing Ceremony tonight, that every individual has. My wish is for you to “Remember these memories”. People say that your college years are the best and memorable years of your life. But I am guessing that many of the year 13’s in the last week of school started to regret and think of things that they could’ve done better in the past. I surely am one of them. It is thoughts like these that which we can contemplate on and use to better ourselves for the future.

Shortly, I will no longer be a current student of Naenae College, so too are those who are on stage. After this, your life is going to be what you make it; whether that’s to be a member of parliament, the owner of a new shop at Westfield, the next All Black or even a part time worker at the local dairy. All I am trying to say here is that life is based upon choices. We choose our friends, we choose what to wear tonight, and we choose to listen to this guy trying to do a Valedictory speech. The choices you make will result either a success or failure. Don’t be put off by failure. As Thomas Edison once said “many of the biggest failures in life are people who didn’t realize how close they were to success when they gave up”. In saying that, think of it like the second frog that was stuck in a bucket of cream and thrashed it to make butter. Be persistent right to the end.

Yesterday is history, tomorrows a mystery and today is a gift, which is why we call it the present. Honour the past as it can be read, accept the present as it is happening and plan for the future as it can be written. So where ever you go, whatever you do and whoever you see, remember your roots. As the saying goes, “you can take the boy out of Naenae but you can’t take the Naenae out of the boy”. Once you’re naenae, you are naenae for life.

My last wish for all of you that remain at Naenae is simple, remember us. As simple of a request as this year’s deputy head boy can ask. I do not wish for tributes, songs or poems about us. My only wish is simple; remember us. This is my hope, should any passerby come across this place in all the countless years yet to be, may the memory of our time here be remembered

2005
Started at naenae, thort that was aiite. .found new friends and mates for life. 3rd form?. da little ones of da school *neway i was said to be 5th cos of my size* had a watch of da volley for jnr boys, and saw that there were too many boyz and i might hve been outa place, so didnt play at all!.

2006
4th form?. the year i felt its time to hit the sports. finally played volleyball for school, had interclass games and de O.Gs were shocked at how good i am at setting. .Quote "You Should Set For The Jnr Boys" - Jerry. .Came 3rd at Jnr Regionals. .= ) Funny Times.

2007
5th form?. Big Step Up to NCEA!. started to focus more on my school work. also was put up to snrs for volley. *so wacked at regionals* [no game on fri, and playd da last game for da last set vs R.C (prez was playing) haha]. .funny as, didnt quite think dat i was playing until i saw da ball coming my way, just set da ball and Boom! .Game Over!. .Shot Keni and Fau, benchwarmers for Regionals 07!.

2008
6th form? NCEA level 2. .Stressful while trying to fit in another role *year level mentor*. .[fort i should hav a go at it] . Came 5th Equal at Regionals but did give Mana a good game!. last few weeks of school?, People talked to me about da H.B role? still member dat Zara was da first, on da 2nd day of term 4, after dat, teachers, students and even parents asked me about what i think. .just said im 50-50!. thorts about da Pos and Negz.. Closing Ceremony, made prefect team?.. hmmmm??...

2008.5? lmao0oz.
awk, now your thinkin so are you gonna go for it?. Head Boy 09?. Of Naenae College?. Raymond?. Possiblilites!. im not gonna answer this yet but?, what ever happens will happen. so watch dis space!.

Friday 12th December 08
wondering what had happened on dis date aye?. well it was the junior prizegiving!. but most importantly the announcement of the head team for next year!. sorry guys but i didnt get head boy . *guy in da crowd "SHAME PUNK"* but did become Deputy Head Boy!. hahaha good enough when at da start i didnt even think i would even get to this far!. what a wicked feeling walkin up the stairs to the stage!. *buzzing hard*.

well, its done now!. im known as Deputy Head Boy '09, so wacked to hear that now!. haha
The role is known now, The path is clear, Time to walk!.