“E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le nu’u”
“From the high mountains are the blessings of the village.”
Fa’afetai tele lava to everyone who made Thursday night so special.
This year’s theme reminds us that our strength, wisdom, identity, and blessings come from the strong foundations laid by our ancestors, our families, our faith, our culture, our language, and our community. It reminds us that none of us succeeds alone -we rise together through service, respect, and supporting one another.
It has been a true privilege to celebrate alongside our sister school, Villa Maria College. Thank you to our parents, families, and staff for all that you do for our young people. A special thank you to Steve, whose genuine care and commitment to our Samoan students and staff is deeply appreciated. To our committee, thank you for all the work behind the scenes -from the food and decorations to the set-up and pack-down. We are blessed with an amazing team. Thank you also to Matafeo Johnny for once again putting together tonight’s program and keeping us all organised, and to Biggsy for always capturing these special moments.
As a staff member, Chairperson of our Pasifika Parents group, and a proud STC parent, I feel incredibly blessed to be part of this community.
To our students from both schools -be proud of who you are and where you come from. Your language, culture, and identity are gifts. Carry them with confidence, honor those who came before you, and remember that when you stand strong in your identity, you inspire others to do the same.
A massive shoutout to Ezra Neal for creating our 2026 wellbeing video, which secured us the prize of $500 for being the most creative (You are super talented and we love you). Thank you Salatielu Tiatia and the team from Tagata Tangata Atumotu Trust for coming tonight and presenting these awards to our students.
A heartfelt thank you also to our St Thomas family, friends, fans, and supporters who viewed and engaged with our video helping us achieve the highest number of views and securing an additional $1000 and a shared lunch for our Polyfest 2026 team.
It was a super successful night, and we cannot thank you all enough -our Villa Maria College students and families, and our St Thomas of Canterbury College students, families, and community.
Fa’afetai tele lava, Soifua ma ia manuia.
