The Hallifordian - 2016-2017
3 Tom Snape: Head Prefect My first experience as a Hallifordian was very poor… or brilliant - depending on which way you look at it. I was about five years old with my two older brothers at the school fete when one of their teachers, Mr Nicks, started mocking me about my hair, which was very long at the time. Not know- ing his legendary, fierce reputation I simply said, “Shut up!” I still remember the shock on my broth- ers’ faces. The awful silence. For, in my total igno- rance, I had just challenged one of the most respect- ed teachers in the school. Luckily for me, Mr Nicks saw the funny side. Looking back at the pictures of myself, Mr Nicks was totally right; my hair looked absolutely ridiculous. One of the many lessons that Halliford School has taught me, is the value of respect. Re- spect for teachers, your peers, friends and also your- self. Being able to demonstrate respect is vital in any walk of life, but being able to command respect is just as important. You’ll find yourselves in situations where people will be looking up to you to make the final decision. Maybe, not soon. Maybe not even during your time here. But some time in your fu- ture it’s going to happen. And what will you do? Here at Halliford School you’ll certainly learn from the example of others around you how to meet those challenges. Strong leadership it is a very useful skill to have, and the everyday environment around here is what helps to make it second nature. The best way to adopt these skills is simply to buy into all of what Halliford School is offering, because you can gain so much. I know I did. Not just by how I treat others, but also the pride that I take in my own achieve- ments. I respect my own judgment and decisions which is vital for anyone to get the most out of their schooling career and out of life as well. As Clint Eastwood said: “ Respect your efforts, respect your- self. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power. ” Having spent a large proportion of my life here, I have not only grown to be proud of myself, but I am proud to be a Hallifordian too. And, the reason for this is that the teachers have given me so much to be proud of. The sport, whether it be rugby, football, cricket, athletics. The drama, music, public speaking, art. These are all things that you as Halli- fordians can get involved in, and I’d encourage you to do so wholeheartedly. I am humbled when I think of the opportunities I’ve been given to represent Halliford School. Whether it be actively involved in the Super Six winning rugby side, or even losing in the semi-finals this year. Losing?! Of course, we all want to win. We all want success in what we strive for. But losing in that game wasn’t heart-breaking because I could see the grit and determination on everyone’s faces. I could see just how much we wanted to win for each other. But why? Pride in the badge. The badge that you all wear on a daily basis. When we stepped out onto that pitch everyone single one of us was wearing that badge. For me, there is no greater feel- ing than everyone coming together and fighting for one common goal. You may not always reach the goal - we didn’t. But we punched above our weight, and for that reason, we could all walk out with our heads held high. At Halliford we are no strangers to being the underdogs, and coming out on top more than we really should. That is because of the passion and desire that every single one of us in this room show when it comes to competition. It’s something that I’m always proud to witness and a feeling that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. In order to perform on that scale, it takes a great deal of confidence. I don’t feel that people are born with confidence, some just acquire it sooner than others. For me, Halliford School is where my confidence grew. At first it was a testing time. A test of nerves! Would I fit in? Would I be accepted? But I need not have worried. One of the great things about Halliford is how small it is. You feel part of a big family. Nothing is perfect though. Despite the very best efforts of the PE department I still can’t find any pleasure in playing cricket! I gave it a crack when an extra player was needed, which our coach was
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