22 October 2025
Pemberton District High School is punching above its weight, with its Year 8 drama students earning a coveted place in the 2025 Act Belong Commit Yoh Fest State Finals this coming weekend.
The Pemberton Yoh Fest team in rehearsal.
Running since 1998, Yoh Fest (Youth on Health Festival) is Western Australia’s leading health-themed youth arts festival, bringing together schools from across the state to creatively explore health and wellbeing topics through performance.
Pemberton District High School students impressed judges at the Albany regional heat with their original piece, A Rainbow Amongst the Storm Clouds, inspired by this year’s theme, “Colour My World.”
The prize was a place in the finals, being held at the Boardwalk Theatre in Mandurah on Friday 24 October and Saturday October 25.
Drama teacher Mel Brooks said she was proud of how the entire class collaborated throughout the process.
“The whole class worked together as a team, from brainstorming ideas to address the theme, planning scenes, scripting, set and costume design, movement, rehearsal and reflection,” Ms Brooks said.
Students have gained far more than a finals berth.
Year 8 student Emma Hughes said the experience taught them about stage etiquette and how to respond to feedback from industry judges.
Classmate Addison Sebire valued the “exposure to acting and stage production as a future study option,” while Eloise Linz appreciated the unique opportunities the festival provides for small schools.
Proud Principal Lee Illingworth said the students’ success reflected the school’s strong values of respect, resilience and challenging themselves.
“Our Year 8s have done themselves, their teacher, our school and the whole Pemberton community proud,” she said.
The local community has rallied behind the group, with the P&C and local businesses joining forces to fund the students’ travel and accommodation for the State Finals in Mandurah.
For ticket and event information, visit the event website.