Good evening parents, teachers and students.

I’d like to start with an anecdote. Every Friday in Muslim communities there is a khutbah – a speech delivered by a learned member of our society educating us on a particular topic. These khutbah topics range from things like “how to act with greater respect” or “how to have more kindness in your heart.” I find it to be of particular importance that last Friday’s khutbah, before I received my results was about one of these essential human qualities that we all strive to cultivate regardless of belief. It was about trust – “tawakkal.”

And I realise that it is trust which is the backbone of so many of the relationships I hold important – trust in my beliefs and identity as a young Muslim, trust in this school for the education it has provided me, trust in the mentorship of my teachers, in the acceptance of my peers and in the unconditional and ever present love of my family. Any and every academic achievement I possess is the product and testimony of the powerful bond of these relationships, and for a moment I want to give gratitude to the people who built on this trust and aided me throughout my VCE journey.

Thanks first, I feel should go to the people who are too often overlooked, but who also play a vital role in our school community. Thank-you to the office reception ladies, to the school cleaners and to the canteen staff. To the IT support people. To the staff leaders and coordination teams – in all year levels, to the librarians and the career support team – Ms Kennedy, Ms Caputi and Ms Moore. To our beloved school principal, Mr Handley. I trusted you with my future and you provided me with guidance and an amazing school experience, so thank you.

Thank you to the senior school coordinators – Ms Smith and Mr Sturnieks – both your senses of humour have enlivened my time in VCE. Thank you to Mr Roberts, my history teacher for entrusting me with high expectations, thank you to my legal studies teacher Ms Joyner – a teacher known as ‘the Beyonce’ of the legal studies world. Her teaching methods are indeed ‘flawless.’ Thank you to my English teacher Ms Kaur. Earlier in this year, ladies and gentlemen, Ms Kaur entrusted our English class with a dream of her own. That one day a student in her class would get a 50 in English, so that she could retire in peace. Ms Kaur, I’m glad this trust between us payed off and we achieved that 50 together – but I also know and trust that you can bring so many more students to share success in English as well. A double thank you to my economics teacher for supporting me when I needed it most – thank you for teaching me to question rather than memorise facts, to respond to learning with intellectual curiosity. Most of all, however, I would like to thank Ms Broxham for instilling in me a passion for literature that I wish to pursue in my future. Thank you for telling me that I could aim higher, that I had the talent and the ability to work hard to achieve so much more.

Last but not least I would like to say thank you to every single maths teacher in EDSC who has had the misfortune of teaching me. From Yr 11 Ms Christofidis – who also did a stunning job compiling Year 12 photos for our school breakfast, to the late Mr Dusting who taught me in Year 7, explaining basic fractions no less than 4 times in the course of a single maths period. May we always remember him, his patience and his character.

Thank you to my parents. My mum, who is my role model. I see her trust and love in me reflected best in her actions. To my dad who sacrificed so much for me. Thank you for showing me the depth of love that comes with trust.

It is with trust now that I look to the rest of our students in our school. In a time where so much of society faces mistrust and division, thank you for your friendship. I trust that this school will guide you the way it has guided me throughout my education. Trust in your hard-work, in your teachers and in your friends.

Thank you.