Courage Takes Centre Change
Having spent much of my professional life involved in sport, I have always admired the courage that young people demonstrate on the sporting field. Whether it is the determination to keep pushing when physically exhausted or the bravery required to stand under a high football knowing a contest is coming; these are moments of courage that we rightly recognise and celebrate.
However, earlier this week I was reminded that courage takes many forms.
Attending our Westminster Co-curricular Dance Performance, I had the pleasure of watching students from Year 2 through to Year 12 take to the stage and perform in front of an audience of family, friends, and peers.
What struck me was not simply the quality of the performances, which was wonderful, but the tremendous courage demonstrated by every student who stepped onto that stage.
It was also particularly pleasing to see many boys embracing the opportunity to be involved in Dance, demonstrating that courage can also be about having the confidence to pursue your interests.
For some performing in front of an audience comes naturally. For most, it requires overcoming nerves, self-doubt and the fear of making a mistake in front of others. There is a real vulnerability in putting yourself out there, particularly when you are young, and that deserves enormous respect.
In sport, we often talk about the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing challenges and being prepared to take risks. These are exactly the same qualities we witnessed on stage this week.
The courage to perform a dance routine, sing a solo, deliver a line in a production or play an instrument in front of an audience is every bit as worthy of recognition as the courage we admire on the sporting field. The setting may be different but the personal challenge can be just as significant.
At Westminster, one of our core values is Brave, and I cannot think of a better example of this value in action than students having the confidence to step forward, embrace the challenge and share their talents with others.
As a school, we should have enormous admiration for students who demonstrate this courage on the stage. We should also recognise the staff who create the supportive environments that give students the confidence to take up these opportunities.
Our Co-curricular program is about so much more than sporting results or polished performances. It is about providing opportunities for students to challenge themselves, discover new strengths, develop resilience and grow in confidence.
Sometimes courage is standing under a high football with an opponent bearing down on you. Sometimes it is standing alone on a stage with the spotlight shining on you.
Both deserve our admiration and both are wonderful examples of what it means to be Brave at Westminster.
Congratulations to all our students involved in the Co-curricular Dance Performance and to the staff who supported and encouraged them. You should be enormously proud of what you achieved.