Dressed in their school uniform for the last time, the students received their portfolios and heard speeches from principal Andrew Jones, year advisors Alana Keelan and James Lukeman and Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson.

Departing school captains Lachlan van Dartel and Phoebe Hall also said their goodbyes on behalf of year 12. They described the student group as tight knit.

“It’s a big wide world and there are a lot of experiences out there for us. We have about three weeks until the start of the HSC so we will buckle down and study but also have a bit of fun as well,” Lachlan said.

Phoebe said she was expecting to be emotional but was able to hold it together during her speech.

“It’s exciting but also upsetting to know that today is the end of 13 years of schooling. I wouldn’t want to be in any other year group but this one,” she said.

One person who wasn’t able to hold her composure until the end was year advisor Ms Keelan. She almost made it to the end of her speech before seeing her students in tears, which also upset her.

“This is the first year group I have had as year advisor and I’ve taken them in as my own so to see them, finish is amazing but it’s also a bit sad.”