The motto of the DPS Society – “SERVICE BEFORE SELF” – captures its founding ethos: education must shape character rooted in empathy, civic duty, and quiet leadership through service. Enshrined with the torch in the Society’s crest for years, the motto conveys a tradition of lighting the way for others – prioritising the well-being and safety of the community over personal comfort or gain. Across the DPS network, schools explicitly interpret it as serving others “willingly, graciously and selflessly,” finding the deeper joy of giving rather than receiving, and recognising that by serving people, one serves a higher purpose.