High School assembly celebrates Carol Fowler, QSM

June 26th, 2012
[by David Armstrong, photos by Judy Thorp]

Carol with Damien O'Connor after the assembly

Motueka High School students, teachers and friends yesterday celebrated the award of the Queen's Service Medal (QSM) to the school's truancy officer, Carol Fowler, in a joyous and moving special assembly.

Carol was the only person in the Nelson-Tasman region to receive the Queen's Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours earlier this month.

It was in recognition of her dedicated work above and beyond the call of duty in caring for schoolchildren who for whatever reasons choose or are forced by circumstances to skip school. Scores of students over the years, including current Year 13 girl Hita Moaho, have thanked Carol for helping them cope with school and personal difficulties.

The assembly was addressed by MHS principal Scott Haines, West Coast Nelson MP Damien O'Connor, TDC councillor Eileen Wilkins representing the Mayor, and student Hita. Carol gave a thank-you speech - a rare occasion for her to speak in such an assembly.

The students presented flowers via the head boy and girl, the whanau group gave a rousing and emotional haka, and Harry Townsend led the whole student body to proudly proclaim the pride of the school. Finally Scott presented Carol with her QSM badge.

Other community leaders along with Carol's family and close friends were on stage and at the back of the hall to show their support for Carol. This writer's impression was that the students as a body were very much involved in the celebration, listening keenly to the speeches and applauding enthusiastically, especially after the speeches of Hita Moaho and Carol herself. Clearly the students have a great respect and love for Carol.

Scott opened the assembly by talking about Carol's work and how the QSM award came about. "Whenever Carol sees a student or family in need, she launches into action and she won't rest until the appropriate support has been put in place, even if that support comes at her own personal cost," he said.

"The work Carol does here at school and around town often involves hours well beyond those she gets paid for." He said she is paid for 20 hours a week, but taking into account her early starts for the Breakfast Club, her day work and then work in the evenings and over the weekends and school holidays, she works about 60 hours a week.

Students and families instinctively know that they can turn to her in times of need, he said. "Whenever they need food, a place to sleep, somewhere safe, or they find themselves in some sort of trouble .... Carol is frequently the person asked by students to be their support person.

"They know that Carol will never excuse their behaviour, but they also know that she will always support you as a person."

Hita Moaho

He also spoke of Carol's huge role in helping families and students who arrived in Motueka after the Canterbury earthquakes. "The school sprung into action, with Carol leading the charge. She worked countless hours over those weeks seeking out the visitors, finding out what they needed, assisting with shelter, delivering hot meals and extra food. And most of all, she offered compassion and a friendly face."

Twelve months ago a group of people conspired to nominate Carol for a QSM, many of them writing letters of support in the process. One of them was Hita Moaho, who read out her heartfelt letter.

"Carol is a rock," she said. "She is the most generous-hearted, loveliest, toughest truancy officer ever. She always goes beyond the call of duty to help me with anything. She's always just a call away when I need her. When I'm in trouble she's there to lift me out of it; when I'm upset she cheers me up. Carol is the motivator who encourages and supports me in everything I do."

Damien O'Connor also supported the nomination of Carol for a Queen's Service Medal. He told the students the process as the nomination goes through a high-level committee, cabinet, the Prime Minister and on to Queen Elizabeth herself.

"We're here today to celebrate someone who quietly gets on and helps our community and this high school, and helps New Zealand. And one day, when you've left school and moved on and you look back, Carol Fowler will be one of those people you'll always remember because of the good things she did with your friends at school here in times of their need."

"It doesn't matter where you are from, and it doesn't matter how rich you are or how poor you are. It doesn't matter what colour you are or what type of life you have. Every person has the potential to succeed in life, and if you take opportunities put in front of you and make the right decisions, the decisions you make will unleash the potential within you."
- Carol Fowler

He said that Carol's early life in Australia ("have you noticed her funny twang?") helped her to become a good truancy officer, given that Australians started out as trouble makers, having been sent there from the UK.

Eileen Wilkins spoke as a Motueka resident, saying there were "many people here who have been touched by the work that Carol does, much of which goes unnoticed, and definitely not talked about by Carol herself".

Then it was time for Carol to tackle what was clearly one of her hardest tasks ever - to address the assembly herself. As Scott introduced her: "Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to be treated because Carol never speaks at assemblies. When we have tried to get Carol here for other things, she's always conveniently found a truant to find somewhere. This will be a first for us, so enjoy the moment."

After a nervous false start, Carol spoke of how she was just part of a great team of Motueka. Her work here has been a journey, sometimes tough, sometimes a joy. She praised the work of others in the earthquake relief group and how the whole community came together to help out.

After naming and thanking many of the community groups that she has worked with, as well as her family ("who call me Secret Service"), she addressed the ordinary parents and students.

"To the parents, thank you for trusting me to work with your children. To the students, thank you for allowing me into your lives and letting me help whenever I can. Without your trust, I haven't got a job."

Pinning the QSM badge

Carol finished with a simple message. "It doesn't matter where you are from, and it doesn't matter how rich you are or how poor you are. It doesn't matter what colour you are or what type of life you have. Every person has the potential to succeed in life, and if you take opportunities put in front of you and make the right decisions, the decisions you make will unleash the potential within you."

The assembly was not without some moments of drama and laughter. When Scott dropped the QSM badge as he prepared to pin it on Carol and Damien knelt to find and pick it up, Scott recovered by claiming it was a deliberate slip engineered to see an MP on his knees.

And Damien showed his thinking agility when, during his speech, a poor young lad near the front row succumbed to a stomach condition and threw up and had to be helped out of the hall. Damien said that that was the effect his speeches had on some people.

Carol gives her first ever speech to the school assembly

Carol and Damien with Carol's husband John, son Simon and Simon's partner Sarah Saucer.

>> , to be added to the page. [If this link doesn't work, use this form instead]

[ Return ]
[ Other news articles ]

We wish to thank these local community-minded businesses who generously sponsor our site. They recognise the value of supporting this community asset, and in return Motueka Online is pleased to use and recommend their services whenever appropriate.

Ray White Motueka, Motueka Floral Studio, Nelson Building Society, House of Travel