Maritzburg College School Magazine Maritzburg College Magazine 2016 electronic | Page 25

PRIZE-GIVING
PRIZE-GIVING
Prize-giving took place on 29 November 2016 and celebrated the academic achievements of College boys during
the year. The guest of honour was Mr T Taverna-Turisan, Old Collegian (2006) and Director of Communications in the
Mayor’s Office, Johannesburg.
Address by the Headmaster, Mr CJ Luman
under the chairmanship of Mr Martin Hellberg, members of
the Executive Committee and colleagues on the academic and
administrative staff at College.
He went on to bid farewell to those staff members who were
embarking on new chapters in their lives, and acknowledged
their valuable contribution to College [see Staff Notes].
The guest of honour, Mr Tony Taverna-Turisan, with the Headmaster,
Rev Delme Linscott and Mrs Debbie Martin.
The Headmaster conveyed his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the
Chairman, Mr Craig MacKenzie, and members of the School Governing
Body, the Trustees of the Maritzburg College and Old Boys’ Memorial Trust
Address by the Guest of Honour, Mr Tony Taverna-Turisan
Mr Tony Taverna-Turisan, a College Old Boy (2006) has accomplished
phenomenal acheivements in his career. He took the opportunity to focus
on how Maritzburg College’s six core values of honesty, integrity, courage,
self-discipline, commitment and respect, are more than mere memorising
tools, but are values which would guide the boys throughout their lives. He
encouraged the young men of College to model their lives according to
them as they would assist in maturing them from boys to men.
“Honesty – it is not always easy to be honest, but telling the truth, confessing
wrong doing and giving genuine advice to friends and peers will always
stand you in good stead. Honesty is the basis on which trust is formed and
having relationships based on trust is key to your success in life. However,
honesty is more than just being truthful with others, you need to be honest
with yourself. Be willing to acknowledge your own shortcomings and seek
ways to address them.
Integrity – a person with integrity has strong moral and ethical values. It is
up to you to live a life of integrity. Your integrity is something that no one
can take away from you. It does not matter whether you are rich or poor,
young or old. However, once you lose it – through your words or actions –
it may be lost forever. Distance yourself from that which compromises your
values and identity.
The Headmaster’s address focussed on knowledge and learning.
Mr Luman highlighted that our current world is an exciting yet
ever-changing and developing one, where learning should be an
ongoing process in which we “need to learn, grow and increase
our knowledge, [that] we must be willing to learn; expand our
frame of reference and discover new ways to utilise our talents
in an ever-changing world. The Headmaster also highlighted the
responsibility of teachers, mentors and parents to guide the boys
“to focus their goals; prioritise their activities and discover new
ideas”.
Furthermore, his focus pertained to the idea of learning and
how learning should be embraced as a continuous and lifelong
experience. He encouraged the boys to see everything as a learning
experience, and to learn from their failures and to always ask themselves,
“What is it trying to teach me?”
Respect – always show respect for those around you. I think this is possibly
the value that College boys are best known for upholding. However, respect
goes beyond greeting our elders with a ‘good morning sir’ and a ‘good
afternoon ma’am’. Respect your teachers who work tirelessly to aid you in
your learning, respect your parents who make sacrifices daily for you to
be where you are, respect your peers who go through the same challenges
you face, and most importantly, respect yourself. Always remember that
true respect is earned, it is never demanded. It is vital for those of you in
leadership positions to appreciate this.”
Further to his focus on these values, he pointed out that courage was by
far the most important of the core values as our youth are the future and
they must not foget the courageous past of South Africa. They should
be pioneers of change, he said, but with adherence to the democratic
understanding and constitutional values of our country.
Mr Taverna-Turisan urged the College boys to embrace and live by
these values. In so doing they would be on their way to creating a life of
meaning, and not just success.
In closing, he quoted from President Nelson Mandela’s final address
to Parliament as President in 1999: “Let’s live the legacy together. The
foundation has been laid – the building is in progress. With a new
generation of leaders and a people that roll up sleeves in partnerships for
change, we can and shall build the country of our dreams!”
Courage – have the courage to stand up for what is right, even when it is
not popular. Always have the courage to pursue your dreams. Never fear
failure. Far too often we incorrectly associate failure with weakness. Each
time you fail at something, it is an opportunity to learn. Many of the most
successful people in the world failed many times before they reached their
goals. Pick yourself up and try again.
Self-discipline – nurture your ability to control your own feelings and
impulses. Try to always make rational decisions. As difficult as it may be,
do not allow yourself to be swayed by peer pressure. Be true to yourself
and do not allow others to cloud your decisions.
Commitment – this speaks to the quality of being dedicated to a cause. Be
committed to your education. Be committed to your team on the field. Be
determined and steadfast to finish what you start.
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