KOTARA High School's captains believe completing the most important year of their education amidst a pandemic has changed them.
Meg Donnan, 18, and Heath Goodman, 17, said they had taken 2020 day by day and drawn comfort from support from their school, as well as the knowledge that all year 12 students were in the same boat.
"I feel like this year has taught me resilience," Meg said.
"You're thrown curve balls all the time and you just have to overcome them day by day.
"You have to plan ahead as well and have down time so it doesn't become overwhelming."
Heath said the past year had reinforced the value of looking for the silver lining in situations.
"If you keep dwelling on the negatives you're not going to move forward as a person, so always look for the light at the end of the tunnel."
Meg said she had prioritised her mental health and downloaded the Headspace app, while Heath said he had maintained his usual fitness routine even after football practice was cancelled.
Principal Mark Snedden said the year had underlined the importance of the ability to cope with change, work as a team and focus on what they can control.
"We are here, safe, okay and healthy, we just have to be innovative with what we do around it."
This includes re-imagining events to ensure students can still mark "rites of passage", while adhering to restrictions.
Mr Snedden said the school has been holding its Wednesday assemblies by Zoom, but will gather in the hall for 15 minutes on September 23 for a few short addresses and the traditional clap out.
"It's not just important for us as a year 12 group to walk out, but also for the younger years to see what they have to look forward to," Heath said.
The year 12 cohort of 160 students plus 100 teachers will then gather in the hall on September 25 for their graduation ceremony, albeit without families.
Mr Snedden has engaged Tommirock to film the 100 minute ceremony, which will include speeches, awards and performances.
The recording will be given to students on a commemorative USB to share with their families and rewatch in the future.
"Our families would love to be there, but this is definitely the next best thing," Meg said.
"It's really important to come together as a year group for one final assembly and acknowledge all the achievements we've made both individually and as a collective."
Mr Snedden said the school holds its year 12 formal after the HSC and he has asked students to continue to reserve the date with the hope they can dress up and have some kind of gathering, perhaps at the school.
Both Meg and Heath said despite disruptions, they felt prepared for the Higher School Certificate exams.
The school has connected each student with a teacher mentor, as well as provided a senior study space. The head teacher of secondary studies' office is in the building and teachers volunteer their time to help students "at point of need".
A senior tutor is on site on Thursday and Friday.
Meg had been planning on travelling next year so is assessing her options, while Heath wants to study diagnostic radiography.
"It's very daunting, going from a really structured safe place at school to the outside world and not really knowing what awaits but I feel it's a very exciting chapter in our life that I'm prepared to start," she said.
"I feel like the past 13 years have prepared me for the challenges that life is going to bring."
Heath said he "mixed emotions".
"I'm excited about leaving school but nervous about going into the real world and getting out of the routine of 9am to 3pm for the past 13 years is going to be a big adjustment to the body clock, plus going into my own world where I have to run my own life, not the teachers telling me what to do on a daily basis," he said.
