Tuesday 10 November marked a wonderful new chapter in how we celebrate our Years 7–10 students, with The Knox School hosting its inaugural Years 7–10 Celebration Expo.
A fresh take on the traditional Presentation Night, the Expo gave our community the opportunity to celebrate right here at the heart of TKS. Rather than simply sitting back and watching, families were invited to move through the School, explore exhibitions and displays, and experience the projects, programs, innovations and achievements of our students through their own work, words and reflections.
The evening began with an Acknowledgement of Country delivered by Elsie C (Year 9), before Principal Ms Nikki Kirkup welcomed families and reflected on how an unexpected change had created an opportunity to rethink and enhance one of the School’s longstanding traditions.
Ms Kirkup encouraged families to take in the breadth of accomplishment, innovation and creativity on display throughout the Expo, highlighting the qualities she sees in TKS students every day: “Creative, compassionate and above all courageous!”
It was an especially significant evening for Ms Kirkup, with the Years 7–10 Celebration Expo marking her final event of its kind as Principal of TKS.
It was also wonderful to welcome incoming 2027 Principal, Mr Dean Pearman, who joined our community for the evening and had the opportunity to experience the creativity, achievement and spirit of our Years 7–10 students firsthand.
Celebrating our 2026 Award Recipients
Congratulations to all students recognised on the evening, including our major award recipients:
| Award | Recipient |
| Year 7 Academic Prize | Neon D |
| Year 8 Academic Prize | Chamathka R |
| Year 9 Academic Prize | Alecia F |
| Year 10 Academic Prize | Methuki D |
| Monash Scholars Class of 2026–2028 | Aleeza A (Year 10) |
| Monash Scholars Class of 2026–2028 | Grace H (Year 10) |
| Monash Scholars Class of 2026–2028 | Methuki D (Year 10) |
| Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program | Charmaine C (Year 10) |
| ADF Long Tan Award | Charmaine C (Year 10) |
| Knox Council School Award for Civic Leadership, Achievement & Involvement | Elsie C (Year 9) |
| The Tilly Aston Achievement Award | Lily G (Year 9) |
| Rowville Endeavour Award | Avina A (Year 9) |
Congratulations to each of these students on their outstanding achievements.
Introducing our 2027 House Captains
The Celebration Expo also gave us the opportunity to look ahead, with the induction of our 2027 House Captains.
For the first time in TKS history, each House will have three House Captains, strengthening the student leadership of our growing House program and helping to build House spirit and participation across Years 7–12.
| House | Captains |
| Chisholm | Jordan D, Oscar C and Methuki D |
| Flinders | Aleeza A, Samaaya G and Divnit S |
| Lawrence | Grace H, Cathy C and Jujaar N |
| Paterson | Charmaine C, Nathan M and Nina C |
Congratulations to our incoming House Captains. We look forward to seeing the energy, ideas and leadership they bring to their Houses in 2027.
Music, creativity and plenty to explore
Of course, the evening was about much more than awards. Throughout the evening, families had the opportunity to interact with displays and explore the incredible work of our Years 7–10 students, making the Celebration Expo a genuine showcase of learning, creativity and student voice.
A huge thank you to our TAD Department for the wonderful displays that helped transform our spaces and showcase the creativity, innovation and practical learning of our students.
And what would a TKS celebration be without music? Our student musicians and bands brought fantastic energy and atmosphere to the evening. A huge thank you to our Music Department, staff and all the students who performed and helped make the night feel like a true celebration.
As Ms Kirkup reflected in her opening address, seeing the creativity, passion and determination of our young people gives us every reason to feel hopeful and optimistic about the future.
Congratulations to all our Years 7–10 students on a fantastic year, and thank you to the families, staff and wider TKS community who joined us for this special evening.
A new kind of celebration, and a wonderful way to put our students and their achievements firmly centre stage.
What a year, Years 7–10, and what a way to celebrate it!
