MORISSET High School principal Cheri McDonald delivered an inspirational farewell message to the school’s year 12 class of 2018 at an emotional and, at times, quirky graduation ceremony on Friday.
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The graduation featured a dog, ducks (rubber and real) and duxes, and even a song by Miley Cyrus.
The key theme of Mrs McDonald’s message was that life’s uphill climbs were more important than the destinations.
“It’s about your challenges, not your successes,” Mrs McDonald said.
She likened each student to a pencil, noting that sometimes a pencil needed to be sharpened, and that “pain sharpens”.
“If you think you can’t, sharpen that pencil,” she said.
“And don’t stop. Keep sharpening that pencil and move confidently because you are writing your story with that pencil. You decide the pathway.”
She said the only “given” in life was that the students would face challenges. She urged them to keep moving forward in the face of adversity, and to “rewrite your story” when necessary.
“Be proud of who you’ve become because of where you’ve come from.”
On muck-up day, the year 12 students had placed hundreds of squeaky rubber duck toys around the school, which made for a cacophony of noise.
Mrs McDonald got her own back when she presented the outgoing school captains with a gift of live ducks.
Duxes reveal the school’s most important lesson
JAYANNA Gibson and Amber Harridge were named joint duxes of Morisset High School at the year 12 graduation on Friday.
Both students were full of praise for their school, their cohort, and teachers.
Amber, 18, of Mirrabooka, said the most important lesson the school had delivered wasn’t found in a text book.
“It’s how far being a good person can take you,” she said.
“Ultimately, what the school encourages is raising good, kind people.”
Amber thanked all of her teachers, and singled out her English teacher, Katelyn Parrott, whom she described as “just the best”.
Amber said she hoped to study at the University of Newcastle to become a primary school teacher after she completed the HSC.
“I think being a teacher would be so rewarding, and I want to give something back to the education system.”
Jayanna, 18, of Bonnells Bay, said she “couldn’t be more grateful” for the role her teachers had played in her high school experience.
“The school has taught me what it looks like to be passionate about learning and education,” she said.
Jayanna said the thing she’d miss most about Morisset was “all the warmth and happy faces”.
While she hasn’t got a definite career path in mind, Jayanna said she had applied to study at the University of Newcastle for a bachelor’s degree in communication as her first preference.
In keeping with its reputation as an innovating cohort, the year 12 group became the first to gift a companion dog to the school as its parting gift. The year 12 group said it hoped the dog would provide senior students with therapeutic benefits.
Among the special award recipients at the graduation were.-
Maddison Pratt (Avondale College President’s Scholarship); Hannah Cowan (ADF Long Tan Excellence in Leadership); Lachlan Vane (Year Advisor’s Award); Thomas Steel (Consistent Achievement); Tori Smith (Improvement); Alana Bannister (Service Above Self); Chelsea Field (Reuben F Scarf Commitment Award); Aaron Kachel (Caltex Allrounder); Amber Langley (Excellence in Performing Arts); Dylan Butler and Adele Gifford (Excellence in Music); and Melissa Deaves (Excellence in Support).
