Ceremony caps year of achievement

A year of achievement and hopes of a bright future were central to celebrations by secondary students and staff of Exmouth District High School at their graduation and presentation ceremony on December 9.

The ceremony was held at Exmouth Shire Hall and marked by a display of photographs, live music and some outstanding speeches.

The valedictory address and responses were read by Year 12 student Jacoba Quayle and EDHS science teacher Susie Bedford.

Jacoba also sung the national anthem and students Jackson Wright and Jesse Parkinson gave a well-received performance of Green Day’s hit Time of Your Life.

The focus was on the school’s eight Year 12 students, but a range of awards marked the range of achievements at the school.

EDHS principal Ray Denholm said he was extremely proud that the school’s Year 12 cohort had achieved a 100 per cent graduation rate and that several had attained ATAR scores enabling them to enrol in the university courses of their choice.

“Overall I thought it was a very professionally conducted presentation that exemplified some of the excellent teaching and learning taking place at EDHS, ” he said.

The future is looking bright for the most senior years at the school, which historically experienced a big drop in numbers for Years 11 and 12, resulting in the majority of subjects being taught through distance education.

That is set to change with a rise in the number of Year 11 students intending to study at the school next year.

Enrolment for Years 11 and 12 is projected to double from 2015 figures to 2017.

Mr Denholm said the school was gaining sufficient numbers to offer more face-to-face delivery of subjects.