Rising Stars & Rising Sun – Presenting the “Class of 2025”

Port Lincoln High School’s 2025 Year 12 Presentation Night was staged inside the Nautilus Theatre last night, with a full house of invited guests, families, PLHS staff and a very relieved Year 12 crew in attendance.

This year’s event built upon the success of our revised 2024 format; the Year 12’s again sat in the theatre seats, with eighteen of the students performing wonderfully as the masters of ceremony throughout the night – very well done to (in order of appearance) Evan Lukin, School Captains Liam Akehurst and Sophie Lang, Sky Keane, Rukham Murtaza, Alyssa Joniega, Ayesha Murtaza, Macie Claughton, Lilly Durdin, Delta Proude, Fletcher Beard, Tygh Te Wano, Taj Williams, Max Mitchelson, Ella Wiseman, Eliza Abley, Will West and Rebecca Madden for fulfilling the role with distinction. Similarly, 2024’s inclusion of a guest speaker into the schedule was reprised, with last night’s presenter again impressing the audience with his incredible story.

As soon as the audience members took their seats, they were treated to some audio and visual entertainment – as a slideshow (featuring 2025 event graphics created by Year 12 Design student Ethan Icasas) scrolled through photos of the Year 12’s alongside their Year 8 selves, three students skilfully performed a set of well-known songs on guitar (Taj Williams), drums (Jordan Webster) and grand piano (Evan Lukin).

Having reached the end of twelve formal years of schooling, the official proceedings commenced with the presentation of Completion Certificates for over eighty senior PLHS students. Following a Welcome to Country from Year 9 student Jamelia Bilney, School Captains Liam and Sophie then delivered the traditional Valedictory Speech, at the conclusion of which they handed over to our recently elected 2026 student leaders, Airlie Hartwich and Max Stanley.

After donning their school blazers for the first time, Airlie and Max introduced this year’s guest speaker. We were privileged to have ex-student Jock Carr return to Port Lincoln specifically to share his remarkable journey since leaving Port Lincoln High School five years ago.

A talented and passionate student of both Drama and Design throughout high school, Jock studied a combined version of these disciplines at UniSA, completing a Bachelor of Visual Effects in 2024. He then immediately went to work for Rising Sun Pictures – RSP recently celebrated thirty years of delivering world-class visual effects to Hollywood; from humble beginnings, the award-winning Australian studio has grown into a global powerhouse. Jock spoke about and demonstrated Rising Sun’s highly impressive portfolio and client list, including his own box office achievements – earlier this year, he received his first film credit as a Lighting Artist in the Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown”.

Subsequent to Jock’s amazing presentation, PLHS Principal Mr. Craig Akehurst and Governing Council Chairperson Ms. Stephanie Hoy delivered thoughtful and wide-ranging aspirational addresses, before announcing the names of the evening’s first Special Award recipients.

As usual, the event served as an opportunity to recognise the outstanding contributions and achievements of a host of students, staff and community members, across a wide variety of service and subject disciplines. Congratulations to each of the worthy award recipients listed below and thank you to the numerous presenters for your ongoing support of our school.

School Promotions Manager Shaun Thomas proudly announced the names of two impressive young women as the next inductees into Port Lincoln High School’s Hall of Fame – congratulations to Claire Webber (seafood industry) and Rochelle Milnes (horse-racing) on this honour.

To conclude the night, our entire Year 12 cohort was invited to join Senior School Assistant Principal Miss Bambi Britten on the stage to view a pair of engaging videos on the big screen – the first was a clever student sign-off film created by Alyssa Joniega, the second a compilation of PLHS staff waving farewell to the completing students. As coloured streamers rained into the audience, the “Class of 2025” was dismissed for the final time.

Non Nobis Solum

SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS (pictured in order below):

• Principal’s Awards: Huey Hood & Sophie Lang
• Tom Venning MP School Community Award: Latisha Proude
• Governing Council Award: Shaun Thomas
• Sam Telfer MP Student Award: Taj Williams
• City of Port Lincoln Award of Merit: Liam Akehurst
• Rotary Club Best All Rounder Award: Evan Lukin
• Ampol Best All Rounder: Sky Keane
• ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award: Hayden Francis
• Barbara Beitz Memorial Award: Alyssa Joniega
• SAPOL Blue Light Award: Max Mitchelson
• One Heart Award: Lauren Felger
• Zonta Award: Ella Wiseman
• Excellence in Adaptable Education: Sarah Gibson
• Gary Walpole Altruism Award: Jessica Greenfield
• Eyre Trading Award: Harlen Hillyer-Cock
• PLHS Commitment to VET Award: Rebecca Madden
• CEG Australian School-Based Apprentice of the Year: Maia Abbott

MULTIPLE SUBJECT PRIZE WINNERS (pictured in order below):

• English Literary Studies, Japanese Continuers, Mathematic Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics: Evan Lukin
• Creative Arts – Dance, Essential English, Visual Arts – Art: Huey Hood
• Creative Arts – Drama, Visual Arts – Art: Eliza Abley (not pictured)
• General Mathematics, Metal Work – Material Solutions: Jevan Ambrose
• English, Modern History: Sophie Lang
• Biology, Chemistry: Ayesha Murtaza
• Outdoor Education, Physical Education: Delta Proude
• Food & Hospitality, Aquaculture – Workplace Practices: Will West
• Music Studies, Music Performance: Taj Williams

SINGLE SUBJECT PRIZE WINNERS (pictured in order below):

• Child Studies: Lilly Durdin
• Furniture – Practical Solutions: Hayden Francis
• Psychology (via Local Delivery): Reese Frick (Streaky Bay Area School – not pictured))
• Community Connections: Alana Henley
• Visual Arts – Design: Ethan Icasas
• Workplace Practices: Aliki Kapnistis
• Essential Maths: Billy Scholz
• Community Studies: Kiarah Taylor
• Nutrition (via Local Delivery): Isla Wagner (Cummins Area School)

ACADEMIC AWARD WINNERS (pictured in order below):

• UniSA Whyalla Campus Award for Academic Achievement: Sky Keane
• Eyre Peninsula Community Foundation Caledonian Award for Academic Excellence (Dux): Evan Lukin