At Spinifex State College students looked forward to graduation and the beginning of their lives after school.

“I’ve always wanted to be a hairdresser, so when the opportunity came up here in Mount Isa I took it,” Janelle Kippist, 18, said. “I don’t regret not following down the university path, in fact I think I’m looking forward to forging my own path and not being constrained by a tertiary course. I can’t wait to start. I’m looking forward to staying in Mount Isa, close to my friends and family.”

Sarah McCrindle, 17, on the other hand said she couldn’t wait to fly the coop.

“I love to learn and I love to act, so I’ve applied to study creative industries at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane,” she said.

“It’s the perfect way to study what I want and to explore a new place.”

But regardless of what path the students of the North West choose, these next few weeks signal the end of an era and the start of the next phase of their lives.

Keep your eyes on The North West Star for a special feature on Mount Isa’s graduating students.