News and Events

Class of 2009 - we salute you!

On Monday 19 October Mentone Girls' Grammar School said "Vale" and "Good luck" to the Class of 2009 in the School's traditional Valedictory day celebrations. For a School celebrating its 110th Anniversary, the traditions that have passed down from generation to generation are as important today as they were in the past.

One of the many unique customs of Mentone Girls' Grammar School is the Rose Assembly which is a beautiful tradition that brings together a whole community. Before entering the Assembly, the departing Year 12 students receive a guard of honour from the entire School; their contributions and achievements are then acknowledged and celebrated; they are welcomed into the Old Girls' Club, joining a network of remarkable women around the world; and they pass the gauntlet onto the next generation of Mentone girls.

It was wonderful to look at the faces of the younger girls as they watched each Year 12 student being presented for the final time. They were respectful and totally captivated by the whole occasion. The culmination of the Assembly is the traditional presentation of a rose by junior members of the School to each Year 12 as a gesture of friendship, respect and honour. It is the nurturing of this genuine relationship between Junior and Senior girls that makes our School so special.

Principal Fran Reddan said that she was extremely proud of the students and is grateful to be part of a community that values and encourages young women to discover their passions and talents and to have confidence in their own abilities.

"For us, saying farewell is an important part of our traditions, it is not an abrupt, once-off event, it is not about our girls going crazy, it is a process that enables our students to say goodbye and to confidently take the next step in their journey. It may be hard for others to understand the intensity, the dignity, humour, excellence and care of our Valedictory day; highlighting the very special relationship between our students and their teachers and their emotional connection to our School. For me, as Principal, it is a distillation of what it means to be a ‘Mentone Girl'."

"Whether our students were here at our School for the last 13 years, or the last 13 months, each one has shown enormous personal growth; some have even overcome significant personal challenges. I thank them for their contribution to the fabric of our community and for their culture of giving. The traditional Year 12 gift, which this year, was a donation of funds to help with research into children's cancer and a beautiful triptych artwork for the School, were tremendous, and say "we want to give back, and we will do so thoughtfully", and they are certainly recognised as a gesture that came from the heart."

As a community, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to have worked with these remarkable young women, through all of the challenges and trials they have faced. We know they will all meet their future, no matter what it may hold, with courage and determination, and a fundamental believe they truly can make a difference to the world around them.