A veteran of 220 NRL games with the Canberra Raiders, Mr Tongue is proof that you can go to a small school and still reach the highest of heights.

“There are a huge benefits in going to a small school,” Mr Tongue said.

“Sometimes we look at the negatives or lack of opportunities, but for me some of the greatest things that I learnt through school was the friendships, the teamwork and the resilience you needed to be in a small school.

“Even competing against those bigger schools, that was something that was ingrained in you – you just had to tough it out.”

Mr Tongue said the skills he learnt at Nemingha Public had served him well in his my own journey.

“If it gets a bit tough, you rip in and you work hard,” he said.

Resilience has been a big focus of the school this year, and Mr Tongue spoke to the students what it meant to him.

“I’m going to focus on the importance of embracing some challenges and failures in life,” he said.

“As long as we learn and grow from those, we’re a better person for that.”

Mr Tongue graduated from Nemingha Public in 1991, and went on to Farrar the next year.

“I must admit, I never actually got to go to this campus – I was just down the road and the new campus opened the year after I finished,” he said.

“It’s still beautiful to be back here and there's still a close connection.”