Great Scot December 2017 GreatScot_152_Dec_Online | Page 22

School Captain's Report
Listening with
open minds
It is ironical that when some consider
diversity, it often stems from a
preconceived idea of what diversity
represents: perhaps that diversity is
dictated by ethnicity or religion, or that
diversity is cultural difference.
ABOVE: PETER HO AND MICHEL NEHME IN CONVERSATION
In reality, the concept of diversity is
elusive and dynamic. If anything, it is
a necessary acknowledgment that our
common humanity manifests itself in
vastly divergent ways, and that of those
ways, none are superior, more credible or
more esteemed. It is in this sense that our
common existence is enriched by plurality
and authenticity.
During our time as leaders at the
school, nothing has been quite so
uplifting as sharing in the diversity of
the community of Scotch College, and
bearing witness to the manner in which
that diversity is interwoven in the tapestry
of the Scotch experience for everyone at
the school.
Within the pages of Great Scot, we
have read many a time about the diverse
talents, interests, passions, opinions
and exploits of our students and staff.
Ensconced within our school gates is a
diverse ensemble of beliefs, dispositions,
sexuality, ethnicities, and cultural
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heritage, each of these contributing to
boys’ unique identities.
We recognise that to be a Scotch
Collegian is to partake in an experience
unique to each boy, albeit interlaced
with the unifying tradition, camaraderie,
and value system of our school. While
politics may stir the spirit of one student,
Indonesian provides the impetus for
another. While one may have been born
just a few kilometres down the road at
Cabrini, another may hail from a far-off
country. While one may envision himself
with a girlfriend, another simply may not.
It is these very differences which
animate our lives in school, which make
our conversations compelling and which
kindle within us a desire to embrace and
learn from each other. Our education
at Scotch College lies as much in our
debates and interactions with each
other as it does in the daily routines
of curriculum content, services, sport
and the vast diversity of extracurricular
programs on offer. Our education also lies
in our experiences on exchange in France,
our immersion in the communities of
Nepal, and in our intimate relationship
with our friends at Tiwi College.
It is this ability to connect with others,
to listen to their subjective and diverse
outlooks on our world and to share our
own outlook in equal measure, which will
in turn serve us immensely as we leave the
confines of our school grounds to pursue
new relationships and opportunities. Our
willingness to embrace diversity at Scotch
should remind us to broaden our horizons
and actively appreciate, rather than just
tolerate, the inexhaustible variety within
our world.
The Class of 2017 is testament to
the strength and acknowledgment of
diversity. It is our hope that all boys will
listen with open minds and talk with
open hearts: only then will the school
have left the greatest impact on the
community.
MICHEL NEHME – SCHOOL CAPTAIN
Great Scot Number 152 – December 2017