The Term 2 Leadership Afternoon tea, hosted by Year 11 Student Leaders, Dante Pellegrino and Lily Cronly, was “exactly what was needed at this point of the year", according to many of our students in attendance. This term's presenter was author, business coach and motivational speaker, Mr Trevor Ambrose. Our students were enthralled by Mr Ambrose's presentation which commenced with him recounting his early life growing up in Mossel Bay on the Western Cape of South Africa and experiencing huge success, which quickly turned into humiliation and shame when he froze in front of his whole school during a debating competition and vowed to never speak in public again. As a teen and into his twenties, he did a stint in Johannesburg where he worked, earning a minimal wage and lacking in any kind of confidence and direction, at a power station shovelling coal. Through sheer determination, Mr Ambrose worked his way up the ladder to becoming a Senior Technician and Engineer, eventually writing a book, mentoring business people and speaking globally to audiences of thousands.
The story of Mr Ambrose's journey and the learnings derived from it, roused motivation within our students. He spoke of challenging our assumptions and perceptions by looking at the facts when “something happens" in life, as opposed to making up stories, which is what we, as humans, often do. In the lead-up to the Semester One exam block, Mr Ambrose reminded us to “focus on what you CAN do and get your head in the game".
A huge thank you to Mr Trevor Ambrose for sharing his time, energy and experience with us so generously. We are certain that everyone in attendance benefitted greatly from the injection of grit and inspiration provided by Mr Ambrose.
Marnie Chetter
Teacher of English & Student Leadership Coordinator