Dear Dr Bishop,
Now that Bence has “left the building” wearing the Sheldon College uniform for the last time, I wish to thank you for the many aspects of your college I valued the most over the last 13 years.
Thank you for the amazing collage grounds that are always clean, orderly and exceptionally beautiful. Bence might have taken it for granted to grow up in such an environment, but I trust that he will appreciate it more and more out in the real world.
Thank you for having a vision and a philosophy of progressive thinking. We have seen the college grow in the most amazing way, from a humble cluster of buildings to a world class spread. The resources you provide are second to none and has surely helped Bence explore the many facets of life.
Thank you for the many compassionate and dedicated teachers Bence has had the privilege to learn from over the years. A special thanks to Mrs Gravlev for recognising Bence’s love of drama and for guiding him through the social maze; Mrs Wimhurst for building his confidence; Mr Trotter for nurturing him through humour; Miss Coss for teaching him with warmth and enthusiasm; Mrs Moore for mentoring him with so much love and understanding; Mr Bauer for recognising his love of music and providing the most accepting environment to play in; Mr Van der Merve for being the most outstanding maths teacher Bence was willing to labour an entire Summer for; Mr Tomkins for guiding him with humour and respect; and Mr Thomas and Mr Altschul for treating him as a friend.
Thank you for the most amazing music program Bence has been able to participate in and grow from over the years. All those bands he played trombone in have not only shaped his personality, but provided a safety net and a social testing ground as well. I hope his passion for music will lead him to places he could not have dreamt of without such opportunities.
Thank you for the many magnificent events such as Night at the Movies, Arts Academy, Jazz Night, musicals, etc. Bence has had the honour to participate in. He absolutely loved those events and thrived in the lead up to them as much as on the nights themselves. He grew in confidence tremendously over the years, greatly due to these extra-curricular activities and the friends he made through them.
Thank you for supporting extracurricular activities such as Debating, Theatre Sports and Space Design, all providing stimulation and challenges for Bence in his Middle College and Senior years. A special thank you for going along to these events and encouraging, supporting and praising Bence when he deserved it. Your presence and belief in him must have propelled him to reach further and further heights.
Thank you for the many amazing school camps Bence had the pleasure to participate in. He learned to face his fears year after year, and always came home with pride and satisfaction for achieving goals he could not have achieved without the gentle encouragement and strong support of his teachers and peers.
Finally, thank you for noticing and recognising Bence’s efforts by honouring him with the title of Vice-Captain this year. I know he represented Sheldon College with much pride and responsibility and tried his very best.
Sincerely,
Aniko