Year 12 Celebration Week

Last week, our Year 12 students marked the end of their school journey with activities full of fun, laughter, and reflection.

Monday kicked off with VCE Celebration Day, a chance for students to unwind and enjoy each other’s company. Dressed as their favourite book characters, they decorated the school entrance with, among other things, favourite quotes from their teachers collected across the year. They also brought smiles to campus as they handed out treats to the younger year levels.

The festivities continued with their final excursion, beginning with a lively session of go-karting. With students broken up into ultra-competitive and—shall we say—less competitive groups, things got interesting. This was reflected in the lap times: with the sole exception of Ms De Zilva (the group's resident rev-head in the ultra-competitive group), everyone in the ultra-competitive group recorded a faster lap time than the fastest person in the less competitive group. Students would have been happy to go-kart all day—and plan to return as a group after exams—but they had to change venues for lunch and mini golf.

After sharing a wonderful pizza meal together, it was time to gear up for mini golf. There were, to say the least, some interesting putting techniques, but all students made it through 18 holes unscathed.

Tuesday marked one of the most important days for the finishing Year 12s, beginning with the Year 12 Final Assembly. School captains, prefects, and others reflected on their time at Christway, expressing heartfelt thanks to friends, families, and teachers for their support. Parents and guests joined in applauding the students’ achievements, and the assembly concluded with a time of prayer and the presentation of farewell gifts from the school community, followed by a delicious morning tea. 

The celebrations culminated in the Valedictory Dinner at the Southern Golf Club. Parents, teachers, and students shared a beautiful evening together, enjoying a meal and the opportunity to honour and bless each student individually. Continuing what has now become a Christway tradition, students presented those who had played a significant part in their journey with handwritten cards expressing their gratitude for all they had done.

Our valedictorian, Luke McCracken, inspired his peers with words of wisdom and encouragement as they stepped into the next chapter of their lives. It was amazing to see what a remarkable group of young men and women our Year 12 cohort has become.

As a school, we are incredibly proud of all that our Year 12s have accomplished. We pray God’s blessing over each of them in the weeks and years ahead, including as they prepare for their upcoming exams.

Dr Phil Bergen

Head of VCE