Farewell, Class of 2022

Last week marked the end of an era for Radford College’s Year 12 students. Tahlia Shevchenko was a student at Radford College from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 and reflects on her journey below. We wish the Class of 2022 all the very best for the future.

Talia Shevchenko reflection

I have gained many memories, experiences, and friendships during my 14 years at Radford College.

My first day was filled with excitement as my parents and I walked into the school. I was wearing a bright pink backpack and had my lunch in a pink Tupperware container, which I used until my final days at school. That first year I met the many people I would grow up alongside.

I have been playing basketball since 2012 and have played in many school tournaments. A particular favourite among my friends was the 2014 Sue Geh Cup. The boys’ team came first, and the girls’ team was runner up. We all gloated in our victories for the rest of the year. My basketball experience culminated in the Teachers versus Year 12s basketball game. I could feel the cheering in my bones at every score. It is a memory that will remain with me for the rest of my life, made only sweeter by Year 12’s victory.

In 2019, I also got the incredible opportunity to go on a history trip to Turkey, Greece, and Italy with my peers and some of our favourite history teachers. We got to see many archaeological sites scattered across the Mediterranean, visit the vast number of museums and witness Vatican City.

Year 10 was when everything came together, and Year 10 graduation was a celebration of everything we had endured - with the start of COVID-19, choosing subjects for the following year and saying farewell to some students. There was a lot of excitement for everything that was to come.

In my later years, I began to take part in the wider community. From volunteering at the Lifeline Bookfair and Black Mountain School, all the way to the World’s Greatest Shave. The shave was a daunting but truly wonderful experience, particularly having the entire year rally around such a great cause and raising a spectacular amount of money.

School was a significant part of our lives among peers who will remain friends for the rest of our lives. As Dr Seuss said, “sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”