By JESSE GRAHAM
LAST week marked the end of an era for 54 students who wound up their studies at Healesville High School with a graduation dinner.
The event, which was held at the RACV Country Club on Thursday 21 November, saw VCE and VCAL students finish their school year officially with drinks, dinner and presentations from staff members.
The Graduation Dinner is the penultimate time the students will be gathered together as one, ahead of the school’s Presentation Night on 17 December.
Healesville High School principal George Perini said the school had elected to hold the dinner after exams to add an extra element of celebration.
“We chose to let them get through and concentrate on their exams – when it’s all over, we can celebrate,” he said.
About 200 people attended the dinner at which every year 12 student received a photograph of their first and last school photograph and a glass marked with their year and all the year 12 students’ names.
Students were also given subject awards, which were decided by teachers assessing the children’s performance, rather than the official results which will be released next month.
Mr Perini said he was proud of this year’s group of school-leavers.
“We think that this group have been leaders – they have been a cohesive, co-operative, intelligent, creative group of students,” he said.
He added that the class of 2013 was particularly notable for him because they started at the school the same year that he took up the mantle of principal.
“I have absolutely linked my time with that group of year sevens,” Mr Perini said.
“It’s wonderful to see them grown up from the little kids we saw in 2008 – to see them as young, mature adults coming out of 2013.”
The group of students will reconvene on Tuesday 17 December for the Healesville High School Presentation Night where students will be awarded based on their end-of-year results and ATAR scores.
The presentation night will begin at 5pm in Healesville High School’s Performing Arts Centre.
For more information, call 5962 4088.
