College Captains 2025: Jaida Raco and Caleb Tobin

Jaida: Good morning students, teachers, families and friends, and the Class of 2025. Firstly I’d like to thank you all for coming today to celebrate the last Whole College Assembly, and the final day for Year 12s. This day came much quicker than some of us ever thought it would. I’ll begin with a reflection of our memories at school, and Caleb will follow with a message he would love to share with you all.

Today symbolises growing up, becoming adults, beginning our future, and all the obstacles we’ve overcome both as a year level, and individually. We’ve spent 6 years making memories, learning lessons, and for lots of us, leaving homework until the last minute. We look around today and realise this is the last time things will ever feel this familiar.

Let’s reflect back to the beginning of the year. It was clear we had our priorities straight. Hoping we had a top locker, sussing out which of the old microwaves in the Year 12 kitchen works the best, and hoping we’d get our rugby jumpers soon. Life as we’d always known it was coming to an end, which was terrifying but overwhelmingly exciting. Although everyone describes Year 12 as a stressful year, it’s also been a year filled with many highlights.

Retreat, where our cohort felt more like a family, the senior footy boys creating history, making it to the Herald Sun Shield Final for the first time in 32 years (clap), then there was the whole rugby jumper incident, where 2024 was embroidered on all 176 Year 12 jumpers… getting drenched before our grad photos, getting our licenses, well most of us, and of course our last school events: Caritas Ks and Mercy Day. These are the moments that stood out this year. But we would like to reflect further on the moments that at the time, we didn’t realise would become a valued memory. Our last SAC, our last lunch time laughing with our friends, our last class with our favourite teacher, our last downball comp, rugby match or basketball game at break, our last time leaving early on a Friday, and finally, our last day of school.

We survived the awkwardness of Year 7, where our days consisted of lockdowns, pretending our Zoom camera wouldn’t work and Covid bike rides. The interesting haircuts of Year 8 and Year 9 when, for some reason, the boys decided to buzz or bleach their heads, and looking around it seems it’s still a trend. The scariness of Year 10, where the reality of working hard set in, and the future seemed closer than ever before. The challenges of Year 11, balancing work, sport, school, friendships, deb practice and the thought of actually needing to know what you want to do after school.

And then there was the enjoyment of Year 12, where your whole year is an emotional roller coaster consisting of dedication, privileges, priorities, sacrifice, 18ths, studying, driving, stress, tears, more stress, more tears, laughter, and a lot of memories. But we did it. Whether you have or haven’t loved your high school experience, we have all created priceless moments that we will always remember. We’ve laughed together, stressed over English SACs together, and now we are graduating together, and making our own paths.

In saying this, on behalf of my peers, we would like to give the biggest thank you to our parents and families sitting over there. I personally would like to thank my mum and dad. There's no doubt Year 12 is tough on parents and siblings, so I’m sorry for those extra greys Dad! We hope you know that without your endless stream of support, we could not have gotten through Year 12. Thank you for your guidance, the sacrifices you’ve made for us and every quiet moment where you chose to put us first. You are our biggest inspirations, our biggest supporters and our biggest driving force that motivates us to work hard like you all do.

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt throughout my time at high school and especially taking on this role, it’s that you don’t have to be constantly worrying about what people think of you, if people like you, or comparing yourself to everyone else. We all have our own strengths and challenges, so focus on running your own race, because you will never win someone else’s. I was scrolling on TikTok not long ago, (as you do) and I came across this video. It said, “your normal day is someone else’s dream”. Do not take any day for granted. What a privilege to get to wake up every morning, put on a uniform and go to school. What a privilege to have a family to go home to every day. What a privilege to be able to go exercise or go see your friends or have a phone to call your family. It’s so easy to get caught up in life, or small things that don’t actually matter, that you miss the things that bring you joy. Appreciate everything, especially school, because as we Year 12s have come to realise, it’ll be over before you know it.

Caleb: Thank you Jaida. As she mentioned at the beginning, we wanted to share a couple of messages to you all today. When we were trying to think of what we wanted to talk about today, I thought of how at home, there’s been this old story for as long as I can remember. It is called ‘The Tale of the Two Wolves’.

When I was little, I used to stand on my tippy toes just to read it. Back then, it didn’t really mean much, but as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to understand its message and we’d like to share it with you.

One evening, an elder told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, and ego.
The other wolf is good. It is hope, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked, ‘Grandpa, which wolf wins?’

The old man simply replied, ‘The one that you feed’.

Every time I walk past this story, it reminds me that who we want to become depends on which wolf we choose to feed. But it also made me realise something else, it’s not just about which wolf you feed, but why you feed it.

***

As I’ve made my way through high school, I’ve learned that our ‘why’ changes.

It becomes less about getting through the day and more about finding meaning in what you’re doing — whether that’s in your studies, your friendships, your passions, or even your challenges.

Because every person and every experience you encounter helps shape that ‘why’.

I want you to imagine the people you come across as being like rocket boosters — they help us reach our potential.

Some boosters stay with you for the whole journey — your family, your closest friends.

Others drop off once their job is done — maybe a teacher, a mentor, or someone who helped you through a tough time.

And then there are the boosters you don’t expect — the ones who make life hard.

Maybe it’s someone who challenges you, frustrates you, or even doubts you. But looking back, those people often push you in ways you didn’t realise at the time. They build resilience, determination and ultimately, they help launch you further than you thought you could go.

So, to all the boosters in our lives, both good and bad, say thank you. They have shaped us into who we are today.

***

Recently, when I was doing my daily procrastination ( as we all do), I came across this quote “You don’t realise you’re in the good old days until they’ve passed.”

But standing up here today, I really hope the Class of 2025 can see that these — right now — are what we will one day call the ‘good old days’.

Because we spend so much time trying to chase success — the marks, the study score, the achievements — thinking that once we finally cross the finish line, then we’ll be happy. But I think we forget that happiness isn’t sitting somewhere in the future, it’s here. right now, in this very moment.

So, take a second to look around. These faces, the people, the memories that make this moment matter.

And if there’s one thing I'm grateful for, it’s that I’ve started to understand that happiness lives in the present and that success means nothing without joy.

Jaida: To every teacher who's been on this rollercoaster with us, supporting us, responding to our late night emails, being patient with us when we don’t understand, working with us until we do, cheering for us when we’ve succeeded, the occasional, but much needed, therapy sesh: we cannot thank you enough. You are more than just teachers, you are role models, leaders, and selfless inspirations that we have so much respect and admiration for. You are the reason we leave here today hopeful for our futures.

We will miss having you around to support us, encourage us, and guide us. To Ms Lichnovsky, and Ms Watts, our Year 12 mums: words cannot express how appreciative we are to have had your endless dedication, advice and organisation through one of the most difficult years of our lives. You have helped make Year 12 such a memorable year for us all, so thank you.

Caleb: To our peers: it’s been a privilege to spend the last 6 years together and I am excited to see where your futures take you. Thank you for making our high school experience so incredible and something I know we will all cherish forever; these are the good old days!

To everyone: I want you to remember this:

Keep feeding the right wolf.

Keep moving forward.

And never stop asking what is ‘my why’ because together, we can all make the world a better place.

Congratulations Class of 2025. We’ve done it!