Creative education and Valedictory

Welcome back to the final term of 2017; I hope all in the BGS community managed a break over the recent school holidays. It certainly is great to be back with the sun shining and the oak tree in the Quad blooming. The early weeks of Term 4 are always dominated by two key events in the life of the School: two creative education activities and Valedictory.

Perhaps now more than ever, a key element of success is the ability to be creative. The work on display at our annual Senior School Creative Arts Show is a great measure of our success in this particular area of creativity. It never ceases to amaze me what our Senior School boys produce as part of their CDT, VCD and/or Art subjects. The passion, time and care they put into their work (and the pride they have in exhibiting it) is admirable. The Show is a testament to the boys and their teachers.

Similarly, the ideas and items produced by the Year 8s for their iDesign projects – whether it’s a fish tank in a TV, a solar bike charger, a flight simulator, a Neighbourhood Watch app or an electromagnetic hover-board – are astounding. iDesign is a great example of a unique BGS program that is specific to the needs of boys in the 21^st century. I thank the Year 8s and their mentors, and particularly Jamie Watson, who once again led iDesign superbly.

I am sure the Year 12s and their families are finding it a tad incomprehensible that their time at BGS is rapidly coming to an end. We thank the Class of 2017 for their year of effort and achievement; they have led us exceptionally. We will formally farewell the boys at Valedictory Day next Monday, when the students will be welcomed into the Old Brighton Grammarians’ Society. Together we will Beat the Bounds of BGS and then gather at the MCG for the 2017 Valedictory Dinner, before the boys hit the books for exam preparation. We wish them well for their VCE examinations and for their lives beyond the BGS gates.

Have a great week ahead.