Students launch petition as Mildura graduation plans could leave classmates split

A student-led petition is putting pressure on officials at a Mildura high school to rethink the 2024 graduation, with the venue booked for the occasion unable to accommodate all students and families.

Mildura Senior College year 12 students are facing potentially having to graduate away from their mates. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

The year 12 graduation ceremony for more than 400 Mildura students has been thrown into disarray after the venue booked by the school admitted it could not cater for the whole year level and their families.

The Mildura Sporting Precinct, selected to accommodate the growing number of graduates, is unable to hold the full cohort of graduation Mildura Senior College students along with their families, due to safety and air ventilation limits.

Parents and students received the disappointing news through a school notice, which explained that the precinct could only hold 1100 people — far fewer than the required numbers.

“Unfortunately, the precinct has an air ventilation limit that will only allow 1100 people inside,” the notice sent to parents via the Compass app read.

“As we have more than 400 graduates and 50 staff attend, for each graduate to have two tickets, we will be over the 1100 capacity.”

Mildura Senior College year 12 students Nikkea Cook, who started the petition, and Aimee James. Picture: Supplied

This decision has sparked outrage among students, with year 12 student Nikkea Cook leading the charge by launching a petition demanding a change to the graduation plans.

“We all feel like we don’t want to go. We have been together for 13 years. It is important for us to graduate together and make these memories. It is just unfair. That’s why I started this petition. I just don’t want it to end there,” Ms Cook said.

Suggestions have poured in from both parents and students, who have proposed alternative venues or outdoor options, such as holding the event on the precinct’s courts or at the location of the recent Kings of Leon concert.

Mildura Senior College year 12 students Mia Corrie, Hannah Snell, Holly Heinrich and Nikkea Cook

“We could have the graduation where we’ve always had it before, at St Joe’s! Surely the school is capable of finding a venue where they don’t have to split us up?,” Ms Cook wrote in her petition.

However, weather concerns and occupational health and safety (OHS) restrictions have been cited as significant hurdles to moving the event outdoors.

Mildura Senior College principal Belinda Hudak said she was aware parents and students were rattled by the decision with the school working with student leaders to come up with a solution that would see all the students together for graduation.

Mildura Senior College principal Belinda Hudak says the staff is working with student leaders to find a middle ground. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

“We are working with the kids and we understand they all want to be together and we have been working with our student leaders to come up with some type of middle ground,” Ms Hudak said.

That middle ground would see all the students together for graduation, and the parents and caregivers attending separate sessions so they can see their child graduate.

“That way, we can fit everyone in. The kids will all be in the same room but it will be two sittings for parents and carers,” Ms Hudak said.

There is still some way before this compromise comes to fruition, however.

“We’re still finalising the details on this and how we are going to make it work. We’re still not sure of the logistic.

“We don’t want to split the ceremony, we want to have all the kids together, but unfortunately there isn’t a venue in Mildura that can hold us all.”

Mildura Senior College graduation is set to take place on December 10.