Year 12 Pastoral Guardian

Congratulations, parents and graduates, on reaching the end of your high school journey together. These closing years have certainly challenged resilience and called on families to find inner strength and cherish those around you. Congratulations to the students for constantly striving to do their best to succeed and support one another. At our Evolution Day and graduation events, there was an air of excitement and, for some, nervousness about their next exciting life learning journey. It was so enjoyable to listen to the students’ reflective, warm, and fun speeches about their times in Francis, Clare, and Elizabeth Hayes Schools, and to view the graduation videos that were evidence of how the little Year 7s had grown into young adults ready to embark on their future journeys. Thank you to Daisy, Julia, Eliana, and Izzy for all the thought and time you gave to these presentations to represent your cohort at your graduation events. 

Thank you to Aleisha and Hannah, our College Captain and Vice-Captain, for your reflections and thank you to all of the captains for leading with pride this year by the motto Aspire to Inspire.  I believe 2022 and all the years leading to graduation have prepared our graduates well to seize the day in their next challenges and adventures in life.

When I first met this cohort in 2021, the students identified that they were courageous, enthusiastic, bright, fun, and passionate, with qualities of diversity and creativity, symbolised by the colour purple and the colour green, symbolising growing together. Their goals were to develop into inspiring young people, and they have. 

I have absolutely enjoyed journeying with our young adults over the past two years as Pastoral Guardian at all the memorable events in 2021 and in 2022, especially where they led their final college events with spirit and pizzaz – the carnivals, the glitter of the Formal, Reflection Day, the amazing, retro-themed Cultural Festival, the celebratory golden 100 days, the final Pink Day flourish, and our pool leap with the surprise duckies. Finally, heads were down for the final weeks of exams and completion of all commitments leading to their much-anticipated, special day of Graduation. 

My final advice to the graduates as they walked through the college gates on Graduation Day was to “reach for the stars in your determination, follow your dreams, be bold and courageous, be an authentic you, write your own successful story, and never give up”.  I wish every one of our Seniors of 2022 a happy and fulfilling life ahead, guided by and living the college values. It has indeed been a privilege and joy to have journeyed with you as your Pastoral Guardian for your final two years at the College. Congratulations, Graduating Class of 2022. We hope we see you again in the years ahead as Alumnae of the College to share your life’s experiences and personal successes with generations of Mount Alvernians to follow in your footsteps. Farewell from Fazz, Seniors of 2022.