PARENTS, students and teaching staff filled Port Macquarie High School’s multi-purpose centre to capacity to witness 95 year-12 students graduate.
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams and Minister for Ageing John Ajaka attended the ceremony to hand out some of the special awards.
Patricia Clark from Charles Sturt University and Jane Titterington from the Parents and Citizens Association were also invited guests to assist with the many presentations.
The audience warmly welcomed Chantelle Cooper and Nick Goss as vice-captains and Emma Piper and Rhys Boreham as school captains.
Jack Budgen and Chelsea Mavin were named Outstanding Students. Taylor Young received the Cultural Blue Award from Mrs Williams and two other cultural awards went to Alex Cosato and Casey Henderson. The Learn to Live Award recipient was Joshua Pring.
Sporting awards went to Ryan Kenny-Wilson, Ella Collins, Nathan Robinson, Jack Budgen, Aston Howard-Chen, Scott Mackedie and Tyler Layton. Tyler Layton also received the Sportsman of the Year Award while Dalei Wilson and Jordin Sheaves shared the Sportswoman of the Year honour.
Teacher Damien Huens was the students’ choice for coach of the year.
School captain’s Kiralee Munday and Mitchell Davis and vice-captain’s Sidonie McLaughlin and Chris Reed were recognised for their leadership roles.
The Ruben F. Scarf Foundation Award went to Shaun Way, whose diligence and application were recognised while Sidonie McLaughlin’s teamwork and leadership were acknowledged when she was presented with the Australian Defence Force Long Tan Award.
The principal’s award for the Best All Rounder went to Samuel Hunt. Academic awards were presented to Bryden Kouwenberg (Metals), Kelsey Pierce (Hospitality), and Joshua Pring (Retail). The top traineeship award went to Jade Jones. First in subject awards went to Jacinta Bailey (Retail Operations), Laura Batchelor (Community and Family Studies), Zac Cheney (Metals and Engineering), Tenille Cook (General Mathematics), Alex Cosato (Standard English and Music), Crystal Hayburn (Japanese Beginners), Casey Henderson (English Extension), Hudson Hodge (Food Technology), Chris Reed (Mathematics), Bill Roberts (Standard English), Jordin Sheaves (Hospitality), Joshua Smith (Applied Mathematics), Zerife Taylor (Drama) and Shaun Way (Business Studies).
Ten students received academic excellence awards: Jasmine Forbes, Elleke Hoogland, Samuel Hunt, Kyle Johnson, Bianca Kenny, Daniel Patrick, Justin Spicer, Ashleigh Tod, Alex Twycross and Taylor Young. Student representative council awards went to Courtney Kriis and Casey Henderson.
Tara Ferguson was the standout for the 2013 Citizenship Award and Bianca Murray was recognised with the School Spirit Award.
Many hugs were shared and tears shed as year 12 filed out of the hall to a standing ovation.
