Student Voice
Beginning Of Term 4:
College Captains
On behalf of your 2025 College Captains, we would like to congratulate everyone on making to term 4 of this year. In this newsletter, we would like to reflect and celebrate on our schools achievements and recent highlights, followed by things to look forward to.
As term 4 commenced, our year 12 students experienced their final few weeks of schooling before graduating. On the final day of their schooling, the year 12 students celebrated with a costume parade, dressing up as whatever they wanted to with their friends, followed by a visit to luna park that same day before they finally said goodbye to our school, being a sad and emotional experience. We would like to acknowledge the hard efforts our year 12's put in this year and support them as they further grow and develop in the future. Furthermore, in that same final week of schooling the year 12's also had a signing day, where students could visit them and sign their shirts as a way to farewell them, followed by a "what do you want to be when you're older day" earlier that week too, where students could dress up as whatever they desired to be in the future. As our scored students placed countless hours in studying for their final exams, as well as attending school on the holidays for all of their trial exams, we would like to wish them luck as they continue to work hard in this final stretch. To our unscored and VM students, we would like to congratulate you on completing all of your coursework throughout the year that rewarded you with your year 12 certificates, your hard work is noticed and we wish all our year 12's across scored and unscored luck in the coming years with whatever they wish to pursue. Additionally, our year 12's also competed against the teachers in a staff vs students futsal match, dominating the teachers with a massive gap of 11-4.
Apart from the wide variety of experiences the seniors received, our students across all year levels have been working hard to complete their coursework and prepare hard for their upcoming semester 2 exams for year 7-11. To these students, we wish you all the best of luck once again in your studies and remember to not be afraid to seek support and guidance when needed. Our students will also be experiencing their step-up program in the concluding weeks of school, where they will receive an insight into their classes for 2026, followed by the activities week for the junior school students in the final week of schooling.
As a way to celebrate the achievements of our students, we will be having our award ceremony held in December in our college theatre. Here, we get to recognize the range of talent and hard work in our school, and congratulate our students as they further excel. Furthermore, the class of 2026 will have their year 12 retreat held during late November, where these students will engage in a multiple day program that focuses on study techniques, and advice for their final year of schooling.
Moreover, a reminder for our community members that there is a pupil free day on November 3, followed by the Melbourne cup on November 4, meaning no schooling for those two days. We are so proud of the achievements in our community these past few weeks, and look forward for what's to come in the coming weeks. To our community members, don't be afraid to reach out if you have any concerns, and remember to aim for success which we encourage our community to do through the use of our HRRRT values.
Your College Captains
Kristina Andreev
Stefan Krozian
2025 College Captains
College Vice Captains
Nearing the end of our time as College Vice-Captains, we would like to reflect on the end of Term 3 and start of Term 4 for our school community.
On 5 Sep, the winning athletes of our House Athletics Carnival weeks prior filed onto buses to head to the Monash Division Carnival in Knox. Competing against schools John Monash, Wheelers Hill, Brentwood and Wellington, South Oakleigh found some delightful successes from our students, most notably Will Amiatu who placed first in High Jump, Discus, Shotput, Javelin and Triple Jump in the 17yrs division. Students who placed first in their events were able to go to the Eastern Metropolitan Region Carnival at the start of Term 4. The school brought roughly 25 student across all divisions. It was a fantastic day of sportsmanship competing against a wide range of schools, and we again saw Will Amiatu place first in 4 of his events and Sophie Volpert place first in Discus and Javelin in the 16yrs division. These two students progressed to the final State competition one week after and saw great success once again. Will came first in Discus and Shotput and second in Javelin and High Jump, and Sophie came first in Discus and third in Javelin. We are extremely proud of Will and Sophie and all students who represented a school to the highest standard at these interschool competitions.
In Week 2 of Term 4, tears were streaming down all our faces as we farewelled our beloved class of 2025. With ‘dress as future-you’ day on the Wednesday, uniform signing day on Thursday and dress-up day on Friday, the Year 12s had a very eventful last week. On the Friday, it was amazing to see so many creative costumes, and inspiring to see the Year 7s make a guard of honour trailing outside of the gym after the Year 12s last assembly. To all graduates, congratulations on your incredible high school career, and the whole school community is wishing you prosperous and fortunate futures as you move through your post-high school life.
On 20 October, the class of 2025 had their Valedictory Dinner. Dressed in their fanciest get-ups, the dinner was a chance for the Year 12s to spend one last night together and to celebrate their entire high school journey. Filled with nostalgic photo montages and bittersweet video messages, this night of laughing and crying was no doubt one to remember.
We congratulate Lauren Olver for her nomination as Valedictorian and the whole class of 2025 for the incredible mark they all left on South Oakleigh College.
River Zielinski
Emily Lay
2025 College Vice Captains
S.R.C. Newsletter Article
As Term 4 arrives, it marks both an ending and a new beginning for the SRC. While our time as the 2025 SRC Presidents comes to a close, we’re excited to see what the future holds for the SRC under new leadership.
We are thrilled to announce Soham Dhital and Mai Pandjaputra as the 2026 SRC Presidents. Both Soham and Mai have been dedicated, hardworking, and passionate members of the SRC for years, and we couldn’t be prouder to hand the torch over to them.
Their commitment, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas give us full confidence that the SRC will continue to grow and thrive under their leadership next year. We couldn't be more proud of these two and they deserve all the love and support they deserve. Keep an eye out for the new initiatives and events the 2026 SRC will introduce, as we’re sure they’ll take things to the next level.
We’re also excited to announce that Round 3 SRC applications will open soon. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to apply to become SRC representatives in 2026. We strongly encourage everyone to give it a go, as being part of the SRC is a truly rewarding experience. The new presidents will be selecting the successful applicants, so don’t miss your chance to get involved.
As we wrap up our year, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire South Oakleigh College community. We've had so much fun this year bringing our ideas to life and seeing the joy they've brought to the school community. Your enthusiasm, support, and participation in all our events have meant the world to us. Leading such a vibrant, passionate, and supportive group has been an absolute honour.
Thank you for an amazing year, South Oakleigh College.
Jack Wright
Yohan Soju
Abigail Avienna
SRC Presidents
Yr 8 Student Leaders Report
We hope that everyone had an amazing school holiday, with a new term starting, we expect and hope everyone has a smooth transition into term 4.
With exams only being a short time away, we hope that all year 8 students are engaging in class, taking notes, and preparing for our exams. We would like to take this time to congratulate our HRRRT point badge recipients, and our engagement badge recipients. We are proud that most of you are coming to school everyday, showing your HRRRT values and showing us what it's like to be a true SOC student.
We’d also like to take this time to congratulate RubyMae Moroni and Jessie Pavlovic, they recently had their music exams, which as any other music student might know, it's a really nerve wracking experience, especially since it was their first time. They expressed how nervous they were, but how their nerves cooled throughout the day and also told us what songs they sang and the process they went through. In the end they had amazing results and we couldn't be more proud of them!
There's alot going on this term, but we hope that everyone makes the most of their last term this year. Let's end this year with a celebration of our achievements, pride in our hearts and excitement for what's waiting for us next year!
Liyah, Ellie, Michelle and Millie
Peer Support
As the 2025 school year is coming to an end, we pause to celebrate an outstanding year for
our Peer Support Program. This program, built on the kindness and leadership of our
students, has been central to creating a welcoming atmosphere for our new Year 7 cohort.
The yr10s really enjoyed mentoring the yr7s throughout the school year.
This year the year 7s were involved in a lot of different topics that will help them through the
next few school years.
As year 10s we would like to thank all the staff that helped organise
peer support and the year 7s for the participation. we didn't just spend a period a week helping you find your way; we learned a ton ourselves. Special thanks to Mrs. Heppel and Mrs. Carmody.
Agam Bhatia
Yr10 Peer Support Leader
SOC Valedictoran 2025 Speech
Good evening everyone
I’m so honoured to stand here tonight as valedictorian. It’s a privilege to represent our year level, and to celebrate the journey that we’ve shared as a group over our years at South Oakleigh College.
Looking back, I don’t think any of us here tonight could have predicted what high school would throw at this cohort. Spending most of year 7 in lockdown made the start of high school challenging, but it also helped us quickly grow as a year level.
Personally, I found these past six years challenging in ways I didn’t expect, but they’ve also taught me about the importance of resilience, hard work, and most importantly, the value of supporting each other along the way.
Even with all the stress of year 12, homework, assessments, exam preparation and our endless complaining to Mr Cochrane about weeks packed full of SACs, I think that a lot of us would agree that this has been one of the most fun, and enjoyable years of school. From athletics and swimming carnival, having our year 12 jackets presented and even just spending time together in the year 12 room, there’s been so much to enjoy alongside the hard work.
This year, we’ve learnt to adapt, laugh through difficult moments, and celebrate the small successes together. I hope we take away the friendships and memories we’ve made, no matter what path we take next.
Reflecting on how far we’ve come as a group, I know we couldn’t have done it alone. Thank you to the teachers who have supported us over the years, all the way from year 7 to year 12. In particular, I want to thank the senior school team for your effort, patience and encouragement over the past 2 years.
I also want to thank my family for their unconditional support, you taught me the value of hard work and made me the person I am today.
To the class of 2025, congratulations for making it to this point. For those of us who have started exams or will be starting next week, I know it might feel overwhelming, but I hope you know how capable you are. We’ve already overcome most of the challenges of high school: exams are the final step, and an opportunity to showcase our hard work and determination. No matter your final results, celebrate how far you’ve already come, take a moment to feel proud of everything you’ve achieved, and enjoy this milestone as you prepare for what’s next.
Beyond exams, we’re stepping into a future filled with new opportunities that may feel uncertain now, but also incredibly exciting. As we leave the comfort of high school, we’ll face new challenges. Remember to approach these with confidence and carry forward everything you’ve learnt from our time at South Oakleigh College.
These years have taught us about the value of resilience and persistence, but also how to find enjoyment in the small moments. So, whatever comes next, uni, work or travel, remember to keep an open mind, and make the most of every opportunity, while also taking time to appreciate the journey. And remember that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable: growth begins in moments of uncertainty.
Congratulations once again, I wish all of you success, and happiness in the years to come.
Lauren Oler
2025 SOC Valedictorian