But one school in the western suburbs is feeling extra proud of its year 12 contingent and not just because ATAR results improved this year.

A program at Maribyrnong College designed to engage boys of African heritage to stay in class, with the goal of improving their graduation rate, is bearing fruit.

The initiative was introduced this year after the school identified that African boys were more likely to drop out in year 10 and 11, compared to girls.

In 2017, seven African boys finished year 12 at Maribyrnong, the most in any year.

"I'm proud to get through everything, just with my mates and everyone graduating together," says 18-year-old Abdulahi Haji Ali.

Staff believe the most effective part of the program was hiring two aides, one from Somalia and another from South Sudan, to support the students.

They would meet with the boys to talk about their problems, do homework or just catch up.

"We'd get to communicate with people with the same skin colour," says 18-year-old Fahid Qalib. "It's just a better feeling getting together with people like you."

Gereng Dere-Ali, also 18, agrees the mentorship made a stressful year easier.

"They helped us get organised, when we didn't know what homework to do we'd get through it," he said. "They were committed to what I was doing, to make sure I finished the year on a good note."

Crucially, the African support staff also engaged with the parents. Language and cultural barriers, which had been a big problem, suddenly melted away.

"When kids didn't turn up to school they were on the phone straight away, asking the parents 'where are they? What's going on?'" says assistant principal and head of the senior school Dani Angelico.

But it wasn't all hard work. The scheme also included an after-school soccer session on Fridays, which culminated in a game against some Melbourne Victory players.

While the final years of high school are stressful for everyone, the boys faced bigger challenges than most. Much of it because of the colour of their skin.

Abdulahi and Gereng were part of a group of students thrown out of an Apple Store at nearby Highpoint Shopping Centre several years ago because staff thought they might steal something.

They say they deal with racism every day.

"If you look at the news anytime African boys are in it, they always say it's a gang," says Abdulahi???. "The fact they're together, they look scary."

But they try not to get angry.

"It happens quite often, even when you walk into stores," says Gereng. "You get followed and stuff. There's nothing you can do about it."

"You tend to be kind to people who are ignorant these days, you kill them with kindness, as they say," says Abdulahi.

Another graduate, school captain Mohamed Semra, was also at the Apple Store. He, Abdulahi and Gereng were on the school's debating team. Abdulahi won best speaker at his first debate and cites English text The White Tiger as his favourite book

"No book has got to me like that," he says. "That's the first book I read properly".

As for what's next, Abdulahi??? wants do do commerce or law (maybe a double degree, he adds), Gereng is keen on studying business to help set up a clothing line and Fahid has applied to IT courses at several universities.

For now they can soak in their big achievement.

"It's a big accomplishment for my family," says Gereng. "They've all been waiting for me to do this for 12 years."