Speeches
Friday, 15 September 2023
Concordia College Opening of Gymnasium and Activity Hall
I am very pleased to be with you today at the official opening of two significant building projects for Concordia College – Fortiter, the new ELC to Year 12 gymnasium in which we stand, and Wirrkuta Trruku, the new Activity Hall, just across the Oval at the St John’s Campus.
Lutheran schooling has a long and rich history in our state.
The oldest Lutheran school in Australia – St Michael’s Primary School at Hahndorf – was established in 1839, only three years after South Australia was settled, and still exists today.
Concordia College has been an important member of the local Highgate community, and the local Lutheran community through partnership with St John’s Church at Unley, for more than 100 years.
In the past decade, you have welcomed St John’s and St Peter’s schools into your fold, creating a vibrant, multi-campus school community in which to educate your 1,400 students.
As Governor, one of my priorities is to get to know secondary students across our state, by visiting schools and hosting students at Government House.
I am inspired by the goals that young people have for their lives, and by their commitment to being active citizens in their school and broader community.
Here at Concordia it is pleasing to see that students are encouraged to pursue excellence in their academic, artistic and sporting pursuits, within a nurturing environment that prioritises service to others.
There is no doubt that the quality of facilities for students to learn in – and for educators to teach in – can play an important role in enabling young people to reach their potential.
This is certainly the case with your new gymnasium, a world class facility for students which will also be available for public use, giving the local community the opportunity to enjoy its amenity.
The name of the gym, Fortiter, sums up perfectly the mindset that students will bring to their activities here: participating strongly, powerfully and bravely.
The second building we celebrate today is the creation of the new Activity Hall.
This multi purpose space - which can cater for everything from a basketball game to a Chapel service – will be enjoyed by students and teachers for many generations to come.
I thank the many people and organisations involved in the building of these new facilities: the Concordia College Board, Head of College, the City of Unley, the architects, landscape designers and builders.
I also thank the school community and its generous donors for their financial contributions, which have played a vital part in bringing these facilities to fruition.
Friends, Congratulations on the completion and opening of your new buildings, which will play an important role in equipping your students with a dynamic, 21st century education.
I thank Concordia for – in the words of your school vision - ‘Inspiring and equipping hearts, hands and minds for a world of possibilities’.