Year 12 Captain’s Address

Amelia Buhagiar (College Captain) and Jana Nikolakopoulos (College Vice Captain)

2025 College Captains Graduation Address 

Since being in Year 7, so much has changed and not just in the world from COVID to lockdowns, but in our own school community too. 6 years ago, I never would have guessed that we would be standing before you now as the very first Year 12 cohort to graduate from OLM. And yet here we are, although it doesn’t feel quite real yet. 

Looking back on our time at OLM, it’s not the countless assessments, late night cramming sessions or endless homework we’ll remember. It’s the school community and the people that made it such a special place. From dressing up for athletics carnivals and PE lessons spent in the pool, to helping out on Open Day and attempting to bake cookies in food tech,but sometimes making chaos instead, these experiences brought us laughter, teamwork and friendship. And of course, who could forget the iconic Just Dance performances from our teachers every Mercy Day? These memories are not just school events, they’re the stories we will carry with us and treasure long after today.

We’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been there for all these memories and supported us through this journey, through all the good moments and of course, the occasional tears leading up to assessment blocks. We couldn’t have done it alone. So thank you to all of our teachers over the past 6 years, Mrs Harding, Ms Shawcross, Mrs Bernie and Mrs Mahoney. 

And an especially big thank you to the teachers who went above and beyond for us this year. Thank you for the early morning lessons, the lunch time sessions, being there for us as we handed in major works minutes before the deadline and for the late night emails we probably shouldn’t have sent at 11:59 pm. And thank you for reminding us that no question was too silly… even though some of ours definitely tested that theory. We appreciate all the laughs, the pre-exam motivational speeches and the continued support. 

We also extend our gratitude to our parents. We sometimes forget that the reason we’re sitting in this hall today is due to their sacrifice, decision and unwavering support to help us succeed and thrive. Every early morning drop off, every late night pep talk, and every moment waiting after exams with a warm smile, or a tissue box made a difference. So, this is a special thank you to our parents, guardians and loved ones for constantly being our biggest cheerleaders. 

Finally, to the graduating class of 2025. We made it……. almost. Only a few more weeks of stress, neverending revision and late night last minute cramming to go. We have almost survived high school, but more than just surviving, we have grown, becoming more resilient and confident. Even if we don’t all have an answer to the notorious question, “what do you want to be when you grow up,” just yet, we are excited and ready to succeed in the next chapter of our lives, wherever that takes us all. 

Over these past two years down in Coolangatta House, we have made countless memories we will all always treasure, from debriefs in the kitchen, countdowns till the holidays, celebrating birthdays and Christmas… to the dishwasher incident – sorry Ms Shipard. Whilst Year 12 has been rewarding and hard, I can confidently say there is no one else I would have rather go through it all with then you.

To the younger grades, our biggest advice for you today is to slow down. Time goes by faster than you think. One day you’re a Year 7, with your skirt past your knees, hearing about COVID for the first time, whilst navigating high school. The next, you’re figuring out how to apply to university, while also trying to memorise your Shakespeare quotes wondering how time flew by so quickly. So, enjoy your time while you’re here, make the most of it, and get involved wherever you can. 

To the Year 12 Student Leadership Team, we would like to say a special thank you. It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside you this year. From running OLM trivia and discovering how competitive everyone actually is, or organising charity events like the coin line, you’ve shown such dedication and passion for making a real change for the school community. You’ve set a strong pathway for future leaders to follow, and now it’s time to pass our responsibilities to the next leadership team.

It has been an honour to be your captains this year. Congratulations to the 2026 Student Leadership Team, and to all the Year 11s. We wish you the best of luck in the year to come. And always remember: once a Mercy girl, always a Mercy girl.