There was a certain wow factor at the Harden Country Club on Friday evening as Murrumburrah High School’s 2015 graduating Higher School (HSC) students were formally farewelled in front of the school as well as their family and friends with a three dinner course dinner. The group arrived early and had their pictures taken by local photographer Amy Mergard on the picturesque Harden Country Club golf course. As expected the ladies look resplendent in their stunning dresses, while the young men were looking pretty sharp for their big night as well. Proceedings got underway with a welcoming address by the class year adviser Lauren Masson and then newly elected school captains Katia Manton and Jessie Abnell officially opened up the night by introducing the party of graduates in front of guests. Taylah Phillis and Zac Pirie proposed a toast on the night and then Principal John McFadyen gave his farewell speech to the outgoing students where he touched on a number of points including the realization that 13 years of schooling had come to an end. Mr McFadyen then offered some timely words of wisdom to the class of 2015 . “I’m not going to tell you what you should do with your lives, that is now up to you. Your parents have done their best, your teachers have done their best, it’s now up to you”, he said. Mrs Masson then gave a year adviser’s address before outgoing school captains Winona Gray-Levett and Jared Prosser offered a heartfelt response before Emily Daley and Amelia Davis shared the honours in cutting the graduation cake. The entree consisting of torpedo prawns, chicken tenders and crab claws were well received on the night as was the roast pork and chicken dinner which was then followed by the graduation cake and sticky date pudding for dessert. The new MHS vice captains Teegan George, Emma James and Aritoula Raptis concluded the course of events in what was seen as a real changing of the guard. The outgoing class of 2015 in alphabetical order by surname includes: Tyler Allen, Ashleigh Bonnette, Hannah Braumueller, Emily Daley, Amelia Davis, Benjamin Dyball, Shennen Ford, Winona Gray-Levett, Noelle Newman, Taylah Phillis, Zac Pirie, Jared Prosser, Molly Spackman, Samuel Whitehead, Benjamin Whittington, Joshua Whittington and Paul Whyborn.  It will be interesting to see what paths these fine young people take in life. Zac has already started an apprenticeship as a boiler maker with Grainline in Wagga Wagga and Ben Dyball is thinking he will go to the army or study environmental science at CSU in Albury. See page 8 for some photos of the evening.
