International Student Program
Celebrating Our Year 12 Students
On 14 October, we gathered for one of our favourite ISP traditions: celebrating and farewelling our Year 12 international students as they prepare to graduate from Northcote High School.
For many of our students, this marks the end of a journey of some 3-4 years with us. Studying overseas requires courage, independence and resilience, and we are proud of how much they have grown and become young adults. Along the way, they have overcome the challenges of adapting to a new country, culture and education system, while becoming increasingly confident about their goals and the pathways they hope to pursue after Year 12.
The celebration was also a wonderful reminder of the relationships that make our ISP community special. Our teddy bear signing tradition brought everyone together, as students and staffs wrote messages and took photos to remember the occasion. Seeing teachers and students standing shoulder to shoulder, sharing memories and celebrating this milestone, captured something that extends beyond the classroom. Our staff support international students not only in their learning, but throughout the experience of studying and growing up far from home. We are very thankful to all the staff who have been part of their journey.
During the evening, we also recognised two students for their outstanding achievement:
- Eros Wu – 100% Attendance
- Mevo Lu– 100% Attendance and Community Contribution
A big thank you to our current ISP Captains Michael and Ives for helping out at the dinner!
The ISP Journey Continues Beyond Graduation- Alumni Successful Story 2024
As we prepare to farewell our Year 12 students, we recently reconnected with our 2024 ISP alumni, Khoi Nguyen.
After achieving an outstanding ATAR of 99 in 2024, Khoi is now studying a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne. When he first arrived in Australia, he was shy about speaking English. He shares that the support and encouragement he received at NHS helped him become more confident in communicating with others and seeking help when needed. These skills continue to benefit him at university, where he feels more comfortable approaching lecturers and tutors for clarification, feedback and advice. With this growing confidence and independence, Khoi is now looking towards an exciting future, with the hope of pursuing a Doctor of Medicine.
“I really valued the fact that my teachers were approachable. I never felt like I had to deal with a problem completely on my own.”
The confidence and independence I developed during my time there are things that I still carry with me today, and I am very grateful for the support I received.”- Khoi
Khoi’s experience shows how a supportive school community can help students grow in confidence, become independent and embrace new opportunities. We wish Khoi all the very best in his university studies and future ambition to pursue a Doctor of Medicine.”