Year 12 Greater Shepparton Secondary College student Kesalini Muli is not only a vice-captain of the school, she’s also a history maker.
Kesalini is among the first ever graduates of the college, which was created from the merger of four schools in Shepparton and Mooroopna.
“I think it's cool because we're making history basically, we're the first ever graduates of GSSC,” she said.
“It's been a long, long journey for all of us individually.
“It was a long journey, but the connections and the support that we get from the school really helps us and that's why we feel so much more connected now than we did, let's say two years ago.”
Kesalini speaks highly of the facilities and opportunities offered at the college, which Year 7 student Andi Riza has five more years to take advantage of.
This time last year he was a Year 6 Bourchier Street Primary School pupil contemplating his graduation to secondary school — and at a brand new one at that.
“It was difficult to leave primary school, I was a bit nervous to come to Year 7,” Andi said.
“It was first year it was being built, but, you know, I felt calm and stayed calm.”
One of GSSC’s assistant principals, Julie Walsh, said the school had a carefully designed program that made the transition for Year 6 students into Year 7 as smooth as possible.
“We're spending a lot of time in transition, going and visiting our year sixers,” she said.
Ms Walsh said although the college had brought four schools onto one site, its design meant it seemed smaller.
“We have three neighbourhoods, but within those there's three houses and so our students stay within that house from Year 7 to 12,” she said.
“These kids have got some of the most amazing facilities, their opportunities have just broadened so wide that you know, anything that they want to do they can.”
Another of the school’s assistant principals, Anna Sloane, said careful attention had also been given to catering for students with extra needs.
“In each of the neighbourhoods, we've got dedicated wellbeing staff,” she said.
They include cultural educators, educational support staff, multicultural leaders, a paediatrician, the doctors in schools program and mental health practitioners, including headspace.
“So, so much wraparound support that we can offer our students,” Ms Sloane said.
For Kesalini Muli, the step out from high school into the world beyond is a little daunting, but the Year 12 graduate said she was well prepared.
“It’s scary because we just started changing and now everything's going to change again and it's now growing in life,” she said.
“So it's that next step — you're no longer a teenager or a child, you're actually going into the real world and you're becoming a young adult.”
Andi Riza offered some words of encouragement to the Year 6 students facing a similar daunting step.
“Don't worry too much. Don't stress, you'll get used to it and you'll have a lot of fun,” he said.