Principal's Message

Striving for Personal Excellence

Students in Year 11 – 13 who gain at least 50 Credits at the excellence level receive a NCEA Certificate endorsed with Excellence. The attached graph shows that Kavanagh College students received Excellence Endorsements at nearly twice the National Average - something that the Kavanagh Community should rightly be very proud of.

At assembly this week, I spoke to students about striving for personal excellence. I recently read an article in the New Zealand Herald where All Blacks coach Steve Hansen heaped praise on Richie McCaw by stating his former skipper is mentally the toughest player he’s ever coached.

“Mentally, he’s the toughest player I’ve had anything to do with, and just a real sheer desire to be better every day. Some people you have to teach that to, but he had it naturally.”

I liked this statement from Steve as it implies that the desire to improve oneself or be more resilient is actually teachable and that an individual’s capacity in these regards can be built up. I challenged our students to strive for improvement and personal excellence whether it be academically, in the sporting or cultural arena, being a good friend, better daughter or son or looking after our environment.

I also pointed out to our senior students that Academic excellence has it’s rewards with Otago University offering scholarships of $5000 to students who gain NCEA Level 2 & 3 both endorsed with excellence. The challenge is set.

God Bless
Steve Read
Acting Principal