It’s Time to Celebrate: Year 12 Halfway Day
The past few weeks have been extremely busy for our Year 12 students, between exams, work placements, co-curriculars, and other commitments outside of school.
On Wednesday, the girls had an opportunity to celebrate the achievement of making it halfway through their Year 12 journey.
At lunchtime, they gathered in the Alfresco Area as a year group, to reminisce on how far they have come and think about what the future has in store for them.
The girls enjoyed some beautiful homemade cupcakes, danced along to some classic tunes, and received some words of encouragement from Elouise Parsons, Head Girl, and Principal, Jennifer Oaten.
Jennifer said to the girls, “I encourage you all to appreciate everything you have in the remaining weeks. Every day is precious to build relationships with each other, connect with younger students and do your best academically. The time will go by so fast.”
The Santa Maria Instagram frame was a massive hit, with students queuing up for the duration of the celebration. The bubble maker was also another highlight, which filled the space and created an awesome atmosphere for the girls!
We had a chat with Julie Schubert, Dean of Students, Year 12, to talk a little bit about the importance of celebrating this day and what it means for our students.
“Celebrating Halfway Day is a recent College tradition that marks the halfway point of the year for the Year 12s. In a year that can be stressful at times, it is important to stop and take a moment to gather together as a cohort and celebrate what has been achieved so far, and to acknowledge that they have made it halfway! It is also one of the special memories that the girls will treasure from their final year. The little moments along the journey are part of what makes the final year so special.”, says Julie.
Danielle Spark, Head of Pastoral Care, also added, “Speaking to some of the Year 12s, they tell me that celebrating Halfway Day brings a mix of emotions. There is a sense of trepidation for what may lay ahead, a sense of amazement that they can’t believe they are so close to the end of their time at Santa Maria College, and there is a sense of accomplishment for all they have done. By celebrating milestones such as this we hope that it helps to keep them motivated to do their best and enjoy the opportunities offered to them.”
We asked some of our Year 12s how they found the experience, and what they are most looking forward to for the remainder of the year. Here is what they had to say:
I really admire the effort put in by staff to make the day so memorable. The cupcakes organised by Mrs Schubert, as well as the unexpected bubble machine, really made the day unforgettable. I am most looking forward to the Year 12 retreat at the end of the year, as I can’t wait to spend some time with the rest of the year group reflecting on our time at school together and all the memories we made! Emily Berson
I really enjoyed Halfway Day because we were all able to come together as a year group and celebrate this milestone with some good music, delicious cupcakes, and the company and conversations of friends. As Year 12s, we often get caught up in the stress of homework, exam study, and assignments, that we forget to enjoy ourselves and celebrate the small achievements. It was nice to let our hair down for a while with a sing and a bit of a dance and just enjoy being in the present. Something I am looking forward to for the rest of the year is spending time with all the girls in my year group and soaking up the last few memories with them before graduation and everyone heading off in different directions. Karin Boulton
I enjoyed celebrating with our who year group together through music, dancing, and singing as a fun and positive way to congratulate each other. The celebration was beneficial as it has given a lot of us motivation and encouragement to keep pushing through the last year as the finish line is so close. I am excited to spend the rest of the year with the year group as we all grow and flourish together after school. Gemma Andrews
Halfway Day was amazing as we were able to celebrate the commitment and hard work we’ve all put into our studies this year. The delicious cupcakes and music, as well as celebrating with friends made this day extra special. It was great to see how happy we all were to mark halfway on our final year, after some very stressful last few weeks with work placement and semester one exams. I’m most looking forward to graduation at the end of the year to celebrate both a challenging yet rewarding last year of school. It will be an incredible milestone to commemorate the end of our school life and the start of an exciting new journey outside of school. Ella Connell
A massive thank you goes to all staff who contributed to putting this event together, particularly Julie.
Lastly, we would like to wish our Year 12s the best of luck for the second half of their school year. We are confident they will do the College proud and continue to live out our Mercy values beyond school.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
