These students have almost outgrown their school uniforms and are now preparing to close a significant chapter that will have shaped 13 years of their lives.
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The Free Press sat down with six students from Kyabram P-12 College’s class of 2026 to get their thoughts as they head into their final year of schooling.
We asked them what their goals were, what they were most looking forward to, their advice to the incoming Year 7s, and what messages they would give their end-of-year selves.
Lachie Rodriquez
My goals for this year are ... I want to try and be more motivated than I’ve been in the past and try and do more homework than I’ve ever done before.
I’m looking forward to ... spending time with everyone because we’ve been here since Prep and stuff. So, it’ll be good to spend time with everyone.
My advice to Year 7s is ... I didn’t really do any homework until last year, so if you can start doing it from Year 7 and just make it a habit as early as possible, then you’ll be much better in the later years of school.
My message to my end-of-year self is .. I hope I’m having fun. I hope I’m not too stressed about everything. I hope I’m still having fun regardless of anything.
Fatima Bahwich
My goals for this year are ... try my best to do everything and put in all the effort. Make it more memorable, because it’s the last year of school.
I’m looking forward to ... probably all the dress-up days: the swimming carnival, the athletics days, and walk week. Just having fun with my friends.
My advice to Year 7s is ... take all the opportunities that you get. Have fun but also get in the routine of doing your homework because no-one really does it in Year 7, but then you get up to Year 12 and Year 11 and it catches up to you.
My message to my end-of-year self is ... try your hardest, and don’t get really stressed about exams and scores and stuff.
Toby Brassil
My goals for this year are ... mostly just to get through, but I do want to sort of strive to do my best.
I’m looking forward to ... doing everything. Usually, in every other year I’m sort of a bit iffy on getting involved, but I want to really get in and do as much as possible, such as doing all the events for swimming, sports and that.
My advice to Year 7s is ... have fun. It just gets harder from here, so enjoy yourself as much as possible.
My message to my end-of-year self is ... I hope I’m sort of just proud of myself. I’m proud of him and what he’s going to accomplish after school as well.
Ava Turner
My goals for this year are ... just really enjoy it. I also want to try my best and be more focused with everything — like focus on school through and through.
I’m looking forward to ... all the fun we’re gonna have. Good parties, all the dress-ups, and just actually hanging out with each other. We’re gonna be so connected — it’s not funny. Hopefully everyone gets really into it.
My advice to Year 7s is ... just enjoy your time at school, because it goes by so fast. I don’t even believe I’m in Year 12. It feels like it’s been two years since I’ve been in high school. So, just enjoy your time with your friends and your family while you’ve got it.
My message to my end-of-year self is ... I hope I’ve made the best of it — the most of it — and hopefully I wasn’t too stressed. I just need to remember to breathe sometimes, you know, it’s not so important that life is going to end.
Xander Griffiths
My goals for this year are ... to get a score that I’m happy with and not over stress myself because I don’t need anything high. I still just want to be able to enjoy my schooling, but at the same time, get a score that I’m happy with.
I’m looking forward to ... sort of just take it all in. This is my last year here, so just enjoying it with the people that I really enjoy hanging out with. I’m really excited to sort of close it off on a good note. Just enjoy myself and really try and take it all in.
My advice to Year 7s is... allow yourself to just express what you feel and be who you are and it’ll be easy — it’ll be smooth. Don’t try and blend in too much. Just be yourself and hang out with who you want to hang out with and do what you want to do — things will go swimmingly.
My message to my end of year self is ... I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t worry about things too much. Just take things as they come. Keep people close and do what you want to do. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing just now — this is you. Just keep going forward with what you’re doing.
Dakota Scarcella
My goals for this year are ... just get through and along the way find ways to actually help myself more instead of prioritising others. Find little things that can help me get through to the end and graduate happy.
I’m looking forward to ... making memories. It’s the last for a lot of things, so getting through it with a good ending.
My advice to Year 7s is ... don’t overthink it. Just start off at your own pace, find where you’re comfortable and don’t work yourself up. Help yourself get where you think you need to be.
My message to my end-of-year self is ... if you love everything you had, then you have everything you need.