Captains' Corner

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner Address

"Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate the incredible class of 2026!

As I look around this room tonight, there isn’t a single person who shouldn’t be proud of themselves. Whether you’re a student who has worked for 13 years to reach this moment, a parent who has put up with our complaints and attitudes after long days at school, or a teacher who has pushed us to become the very best versions of ourselves, tonight is an achievement we can all celebrate.

Although each of our journeys has been different, we share 6 years of memories that have brought us together. Whether it’s Year 8 camp were we created new friendships and faced our fears on the giant swing, work experience where we all got a taste of where our futures might lead us, or the Staff vs Student Cup this year where we watched Mr Wilmott suspiciously take the win in the spoon’s tournament wearing a fur coat and cowboy hat, these are the moments we’ll look back on and laugh about for years to come.

I would also like to congratulate every single student here tonight. We should be proud not only of what we have achieved individually, but of the memories we’ve created together. No matter where life takes us, we will always share the experience of growing up together, the challenges we’ve overcome, and the moments that have made our time at school so special.

We would also like to thank our parents and guardians for their endless support, encouragement and patience. Thank you for believing in us, especially when we struggled to believe in ourselves. Thank you for the countless sacrifices you have made, the reassurance you have given us, and for always being there to celebrate our successes and support us through our challenges. We wouldn’t be standing here tonight without you.

As we celebrate this milestone, it’s hard to believe that our childhood is coming to an end. We’ve spent years looking forward to this moment, and now that it’s here, we realise just how much we’ll miss. We’re leaving behind familiar faces, daily routines and a place that has been such a big part of our lives.

But while tonight marks the end of one chapter, it also marks the beginning of another. We may not know exactly what the future holds, but we leave here with friendships, memories and experiences that will stay with us long after we walk out these gates. Congratulations, Class of 2026. We made it, and this is only the beginning." 

- Emma Campbell

"We would also just like to say a very special thank you to every one of our teachers. From those who taught us in Year 7, dealing with our sometimes out-of-control behaviour, to our Year 12 teachers, for putting up with our messages for help at all hours. We would not be here today without you. For 6 years, you have helped us learn and grow as individuals. We cannot thank you enough. A shoutout to the ones here tonight, your endless support for us means the world and we really appreciate you taking time away from your families to celebrate here with us. To all of our Coordinators and Heads of Years, the amount of work you have put in to running events, camps etc, does not go unnoticed. Particularly for Mr Cole and Mrs Fox, you have gotten us through this year and its all the little things that really mean the most. Can we all please give our amazing teachers a massive round of applause.

For us students, tonight marks almost the end of 13 years of schooling. Throughout that time, we have made friendships to last a lifetime. Some of them began from kinder, others much more recently. But together, we have gotten though high school, the good, the bad and the embarrassing. We have made memories to be proud of, and ones we probably wish will never resurface. That’s all part of growing up, now, here we are. Ready to tackle the world and everything life throws at us. Rely on those friends you’ve made, you will need them more than ever for what comes next. Because whether you are going to University, Tafe, work or taking a gap year, the people in this room will hopefully always hold a special place in your hearts. No matter what you have chosen, we are all taking that next step together, which is both scary and exciting.

Whilst tonight we have graduated, for those doing exams, we are, unfortunately, not done yet. Keep pushing, we only have about a month left. We can do this! Only a few more weeks and then the celebrations can really begin. Stay safe on schoolies but have heaps of fun. Good luck to everyone, both for exams and life next year, we wish you all the very best. Thank you!"

- Heidi Cowie