After leaving school at 17, Five Islands Secondary College graduate Lilirose Chaplin said returning was one of her best decisions.
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“When I was in school at 15 and 16, I was never there and I had no passion, no drive,” she said.
“Now, I have my goals and my motivation, which is why I came back. I really have to live up to my own expectations, and I have been given so many great opportunities.
“I have [been selected] for quite a few Early Entry interviews, which have gone really well and so many opportunities have come from [school].”
Miss Chaplin said her return to school was prompted by her own disappointment.
“I didn’t not enjoy school when I was younger,” she said.
“I was there purely because I had to be, so when I just turned 17 I left and began work full-time. When I was around 19 I thought ‘I am a bit disappointed that I missed out on the formal and graduation’ and decided to go back to school.”
Now having graduated, Miss Chaplin said she experienced mixed emotions.
“I am super excited to graduate and move on with my life with a new journey, but it is quite sad,” she said.
“I have grown to love this place and the friendly places I see every day. I came back to school … and ever since, I have been thriving and absolutely loving it. I’ve made so many friends that I’ll have forever and it’s such a good environment with great teachers.”
The school’s principal Jenny Flowers said she is incredibly proud of the students for graduating.
“It’s amazing,” she said.
“The fact that we have been able to offer people who have thought their education was over a second chance is very hard to put into words. It’s very emotional and we are very proud of what all of our 62 graduates have achieved.”
Ms Flowers said all the graduates had developed since they started at the Port Kembla school.
“To watch them grow from when they arrive here – very unsure of themselves and lacking confidence in their ability to now be able to see them graduate as self-assured [people] who have a goal and a direction is amazing,” she said.
“We want to make sure that the students get through [school] and it’s about the relationships we build with those students. We feel that’s … why we are successful.”