Great social vibe as school days end for LSC Year 12 group

A MORNING of celebration at Leongatha Secondary College (LSC) marked the end of an era for the Year 12 contingent, students dressing up and enjoying breakfast together before heading to a final assembly.

That will be followed by Thursday’s Valedictory event at Leongatha Memorial Hall at which students will reflect on their time at LSC with family and staff, everyone enjoying canapes and a presentation evening.

With a near even split between those tackling VCE and VCE Vocational Major, one group’s school journey has ended with VM students shifting their focus to building their careers, while those completing traditional VCE prepare for exams.

Those preparations are no doubt well advanced, with the English exam held next Tuesday, October 27, LSC students this year sitting their exams at Leongatha Recreation Reserve due to the school’s current building works.

Assembly included plenty of lighthearted moments, with humorous awards and a slide show highlighting the LSC journey current Year 12 students have taken since starting at the school.

LSC’s time capsule tradition continues, Principal Brad Hutchinson explaining that when they were in Year 7, students wrote letters or notes to themselves and included some little mementos, with those dug up and presented at the end of their Year 12 days.

“Some are surprised, some are still on the same journey they had way back in Year 7,” he remarked, noting that of course the students have experienced a lot of change and growth over their years at secondary college.

Mr Hutchinson urged the Year 12 group to, “Never forget your roots and where you’ve come from; you’re incredibly lucky to have gone to a school in a local country area where there are wonderful connections and supports.”

“Those people will be here for you in years to come,” he added, wishing all the Year 12 group the very best for the future.

While the goals of those in VCE and VCE VM differ, LSC places equal importance on the two streams.

“We knew that for our cohort and our community it was a really important qualification,” Mr Hutchinson said of the school’s outlook when the State Government introduced the VM.

“What we’ve seen is the contribution those students make to the broader community during their time at school can be really impactful and strong, and their effort to complete their studies needed to be recognised,” he said of the VM contingent.

That’s why the school awards a VCE Dux and VCE VM Dux.

Sentinel-Times chatted to some finishing students, both those undertaking VCE and VCE VM.

Olivia Allen (VCE) and Hannah Worthy (VCE VM) dressed up as characters from the Trolls Movie.

Hannah is already undertaking a hairdressing apprenticeship, having started that in Year 11.

“It was good to get a head start in my apprenticeship,” she said of the value of the VM option.

Olivia is looking forward to the freedom that awaits after exams, studying Standard English, General Maths, Health and Human Development, PE, and Legal Studies, planning to work over Summer and see what happens next.

Joshua Hunt (VCE VM) was suitably wearing his lifeguard shirt, planning to work in that field for now.

His VM studies focused on aviation drones and obtaining his licence to fly drones weighing from 250 grams up to 25 kilos commercially.

That provides a broad selection of career options, including in the military, search and rescue, the police, the real estate industry, and even delivery of items such as Amazon packages.

Bailey Trevena (VCE) studied English Language, which focuses on the language and how it works as opposed to the emphasis on reading and analysing texts in Standard English.

His other subjects are Maths Methods, Physics, Specialist Maths, Extension Study Maths and Analysis, having completed Business Management last year.

He plans to do a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in finance, followed by a Masters in Mechanical Engineering.

He’s enjoyed the school journey, hanging out with friends, and looks forward to the chance to relax after exams, noting for now, “It’s study, study, study.”

Good luck to all VCE and VCE VM students as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.