BRISBANE Catholic Education (BCE) presented more than 3000 Year 12 students with a special 2020 medallion exclusively created to mark an extraordinary year of disruption to their final year of schooling.
The medallions, inscribed with a Gospel quote, words of acknowledgment and images reflecting our shared faith feature, came out of a casual conversation between BCE Head of School Projects and Performance, Paul Thornton and Marymount College, Burleigh Waters' Assistant Principal, Peter Shaw back in March.
The pair mused on the likely need to find some unique way of recognising the Year 12 cohort of 2020, as they manoeuvred their way into a world of coronavirus-influenced final year of secondary schooling.
Neither could have imagined back then exactly where the fruits of their inspiration and creativity would lead.
Mr Shaw invited Mr Thornton to speak at the college's Graduation Liturgy about the significance of the medallions to the Year 12s as a guiding influence and source of encouragement.
Mr Thornton reflected on a medal he had received around the same age as the current cohort, explaining how, some four decades later, it still is a source of quiet inspiration to him.
He went on to link the notion of a medallion to the Year 12's annual Leadership theme 'Find your True North' the college senior leaders had developed in a pre-pandemic leadership camp in December 2019.
He encouraged the students to “look at the medallion occasionally and remind yourself of that time you successfully guided yourself through a pandemic year to find your 'True North'.
“Recall tonight's special ceremony where you and your peers spoke of it, sang about it and celebrated it together with your friends, teachers and your families."
The specially commissioned Year 12 medallion
Year 12 Vice-Captain, Halle Geyer, thanked the college school and BCE for making graduating in 2020 even more special for the Year 12s
“Much about the year hasn't really sunk in yet, as we suddenly realise, we have graduated from high school," she said.
“It was amazing that we were able to even get to celebrate at all.
“I know I'll treasure the memories we've made in our special year of 2020."
Mr Shaw said the fruition of this one-off medallion was a true reflection of the adage: '10 per cent inspiration and 90 per cent perspiration'.
“I was so thrilled that someone like Paul saw the merit in the idea and was then able to take the process forward," Mr Shaw said.
“Thanks to him and his team, our students have been gifted a beautiful memento of how the resilience and determination required to reinvent their graduating year came off so successfully," he said.