After six years of high school education, students have left to put in their final weeks of study prior to the Higher School Certificate (HSC), which starts next month.

During the college's final year 12 assembly, Senior Campus principal Andrew Jones congratulated students and thanked family, friends and teachers for their support. Mr Jones said education was the key to a better life and a better future.

In telling the story of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Mr Jones said if the Pakistani education campaigner had been born in Dubbo, she would have been in the graduating class of 2015.

"She is a fine example of someone who has taken every opportunity she has been given, and in doing so, changing the world," Mr Jones said

"Make the most of the opportunities that come your way year 12 and you too can make a difference.

"For as Malala Yousafzai told the United Nations, one child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world."

Among the many students receiving awards during the assembly was sports captain Phillip Combridge who was presented with the Astley Cup rugby league trophy, and Hamish Astill who received the Angela Mallouhi Memorial Award. This award, presented to the student who best embodies the ideals of the Astley Cup, was named after former student Angela Mallouhi who died tragically after completing her HSC in 2007.

Other sporting awards went to Eliza Smidt-Geering for Astley Cup girls' football; Alyssa Beatty for Astley Cup hockey and Sharnia Dimmock and Matilda Munn for swimming. Chelsie Moeris received the Premier's sports award, while Jessica Fuller and Harry van Dartel were named sports people of the year.

The Charles Newman Memorial Award, named after respected and loved head teacher Charlie Newman, this year went to Jacq Awege from Wilcannia.

Academic excellence awards went to school captain Michael Jeffrey, Sharnia Dimmock, Nathan Hawkes, Elijah Stanger-Jones, Sarah Toohey, Keely Dwarte, Jacq Awege, Megan Walsh, Martin Blattman, Nathan Bryon, Billie Palin, Chelsie Moeris, Lily Eckford, Kirsten Mann and Adam Mitchell.

Overall outstanding academic excellence medals, presented by college executive principal Ian Nebauer, went to Charlotte Benton-Bryant, Skye Brownsea, Caitlyn Coman-Sargent, Keely Dwarte, school captain Siobhan Gleeson, Nathan Hawkes, Ewan Hutchinson, Michael Jeffrey, Billie Palin and Sarah Toohey.

Other students to receive special awards included Sarah Toohey, Gabriella Janetzki, Tayce Grosser, Sam Read, Adam Mitchell, Siobhan Gleeson, Billie Palin, Jodi Howard, Nathan Hawkes, Skye-Leigh Daley and Michael Jeffrey.

Mr Jones presented principal's awards to Carly Andrews, Skye Brownsea, Ashley Cox, Samuel Dunn, Madelaine Fern, Rhiannon Hay, Liam Manning, Annelise Palmer, Andrea Roberts and Robbie MacDonald-Setchel.

Guest speaker at this year's assembly was former student Elisa McKellar, who now lives with her husband and two children in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Elisa was part of the college's first graduating class and trained as a PDHPE teacher at the University of Newcastle. Year 12 students now have three weeks to undertake study prior to the start of the HSC on October 12.