A rite of passage for many young people on the brink of adulthood has been cancelled by the NSW Government.
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Year 12 students across the state were left devastated when the NSW Government announced on August 17 that schools weren't no longer able to hold formals and graduation assemblies.
Despite the unprecedented turn of events, year 12 students at Moss Vale High School have made it their mission to celebrate the end of school in COVID-safe ways.
Principal Patricia Holmes said she was disappointed because of the COVID school regulation update.
"On Monday August 17 we received an email that said formals were cancelled and that graduations could only go ahead in a limited way," she said.
"We had to deliver that information to the HSC class that has already had a difficult year.
"We are now trying to work out ways that we can celebrate Year 12 and make it a more joyous occasion for finishing their final year of high school.
"Year 12 understands that we are as disappointed as they are."
Ms Holmes said the graduation would go ahead with just students and staff.
"We're going to film it and share the link with parents and family members," she said.
School Captains Allie Kracht and Taylah Denford said that while the news of the cancellation wasn't great but understood that health came first.
"We would rather be healthy than go to a formal," Allie said.
"We want to be positive about this. We were upset at the time but we want to make our year group happier.
"We understand that it's not the school's fault either."
Before the cancellation of the formal, Moss Vale High School was in full formal preparation mode.
"We booked a venue, some of us bought dresses, we designed invitations, a photo booth, decorations," Taylah said.
"It was the little things that kept us excited."
Allie was one of the girls who had already bought her formal dress.
"It's unfortunate but it's a pretty versatile dress so I can wear it somewhere else," she said.
Year 12 advisor Janeen Pepping said the year 12 2020 cohort were very resilient.
"They're an amazing group," she said.
The cancellation of formals and graduation ceremonies has also affected the parents of the year 12 students.
Allie said her mum was disappointed that she couldn't attend the ceremony.
Taylah said her mum was sad to hear the news.
"At the end of the day she was supportive because our health comes first," she said.
The school plans on holding several COVID safe events for year 12 to help celebrate their end of the year.
"There's been talks of a picnic, a games afternoon or a pizza lunch," Ms Pepping said.
"There are five weeks of this term and one week in term four. We need to start holding events for them.
"We don't want them to feel that we aren't thinking of them, they are important to us.
"They're not going to feel unloved, that's our biggest thing; that they will be very well supported."
Despite the setbacks year 12 have had to face, both Allie and Taylah have found a silver lining.
"I think these last few weeks have been the best for year 12," Allie said.
"We've become closer as a year group despite what has happened.
"It's connected us more."
For Taylah it's the shared experience that as brought everyone together.
"All of us have endured the same sort of thing," she said.
"Normally with a year 12 cohort, everyone goes through different things but because we've gone through remote learning together, coming back from remote learning, it has been the same sort of experience.
"I guess that has sort of brought us together and we've been able to support each other because of that."
"We are very proud of our year group," Allie said.
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Vera Demertzis
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
