by Aaron Dawes
Like the song says, “I
hope you had the time of your life.”
This year at Odyssey certainly
has been the time in our lives. Remember last
year at this time? We were gathered in Jan Pickering’s
living room debating whether or not this idea
of “the New school” was going to work.
Today we are first class – in more ways
than one.
We studied some of the most famous
people of the past and of today. Lenin, Lyndon
Johnson, Winnie Mandela and Winston Churchill
– to name a few. For my speech, I decided
to surf the net to borrow something each said
– at the time of their lives – that
fit our experiences.
Lenin said, “To pass so
quickly from persecutions and clandestine existence
to power ... It makes one dizzy.” And we
have certainly been in a daze all year.  Underneath
it all we had faith that Steve would put together
a great school with fresh ideas, love and care.
And he did.
But, to make that happen Steve had to have a secret.
But, what was it? Was it the spirit of Montana?
Not this time. His basketball coaching skills?
Hardly. Let’s face it. It was Lee. She deserves
enormous credit.
I mean, without Lee, how would
we know that Malaysia is made up of a land area
of about 330,000 square kilometers, has two different
regions; Peninsular Malaysia and the states of
Sabab and Sarawak, with about 70% of the land
covered with tropical rain forest and averaging
a rainfall of about 2000 to 2540 millimeters falling
on an approximate population of 13,137,000. But,
in reality, Lee has showed us new ways to think
and to do. It was Lyndon B. Johnson who, upon
becoming President, said, “If I ever got
to power, I said I’m going to do something
about it, and now – I’ve got the power,
and I am going to do something.” Well Steve
and Lee promised us a school and they delivered.
So it was a plain school. I mean,
I can’t wait until I have kids and I get
to tell them the same stories our parents tell
us about how hard it was in their school days.
Now we can say we had nothing. We started with
no desks, no name, no teachers, in the bottom
of a church, all together in one room and we had
to play row-sham-bow to decide who’s turn
it was to use the bathroom. Which didn’t
flush.
But we came together as a community
and made the moment. Winnie Mandela said it with
passion. “Together, hand in hand, with that
stick of matches, with our necklace, we shall
liberate this country’ Our community stuck
together when times were rough and proved we could
do something no one else has
There is much to be thankful
for: Steve and Lee for their vision. All the teachers,
this year and last, for teaching us with dedication
– what they know and enjoy. Our parents
for always staying cool and reminding us that
every mess is an opportunity. A thank you to the
students who ‘spent a considerable amount
of time at this school”, meaning the longevity
winners, for lasting out
Most importantly to all my classmates
for sticking together like glue and for always
being there. We learned that a school is made
up of students, teachers, and ideas – not
buildings on a hill.
We will stay in contact and be
together forever.
As Winston Churchill once said,
“In the past we have had a light which flickered,
in the present we have a light which flames, and
in the future there will be a light which shines
over all the land and sea.” I wish you all
the happiest and most fulfilling future you can
have. Please look back on these years with happiness.
This is it. I hope you had the time of your life.
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