A reflection by the 2024 Captain of the School, Hirunaka Ekanayake.
Like the pieces of a puzzle, we all fit in. And yet, we are all unique. We cherish individual identity and honour the shape and purpose of the bigger picture. We also come to learn and love the living paradox of Melbourne Grammar School; it is and is not the same puzzle that it was in the past.
In a school of over 1500 distinct pieces, which branches into a community of thousands of others- Old Melburnians, friends, families- we move from place to place, from link to link, from puzzle piece to puzzle piece. And although our location at any given time may vary, one aspect never falters: our contribution to the other pieces around us and their contribution to us.
This contribution is the essence of a Melbourne Grammar education – mutual beneficence where one’s strengths complement another’s limitations.
Every time a student wears their navy-blue blazer, proudly displaying our school motto, ‘Ora Et Labora’, the rule of St Benedict, they are part of something bigger. Every time a student sings the traditional School Hymn, they are part of something bigger. Every time a student walks through a School gate in the morning, they are part of something bigger. Regardless of the shape, colour, or orientation of their puzzle piece, they are all in accord.
Whether you score a flurry of boundaries on the turf, create eye captivating blind contour drawings, or excel in your subjects academically, you are a puzzle piece. Whether your saxophone’s jazz standards resonate in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall, Wadhurst Hall or Valder Hall, all steeped in history, or take a mark in the Cordner Eggleston Cup, or participate in Walk for Women, Crop-a-Kid, Clean Up Australia, or our i-CARE program, you are a puzzle piece. Whether a family member supporting the journey, a teacher that shares invaluable lessons, or even you, reading this article now, you are an invaluable piece of this Melbourne Grammar puzzle.
When we come together – each with our respective purpose – we create something that is truly ‘puzzling’. Such a seemingly vast community is so deeply interconnected in one form or another. The whole is not merely an addition or sum of the parts; it is a multiplication in being at once both personal and communal.
Video exploration: Leadership in Action
In this video, Hirunaka discusses the importance and impact of community service, and what leadership means to him.
