Eleven girls from Kinross Wolaroi School took part in what was once considered a presentation of women into society, but in 2018 is what organiser Dianna Hilder called “just a nice thing to do”.

The mother of debutante Olivia Hilder said she took part as a high school student so she supported her daughter and her friends’ interest in the ball by heading an organisation committee, following the school’s break from the event last year.

“I like the tradition of dressing up and learning the old style dance,” she said.

The committee teamed up with Housing Plus to use the old-school dance to raise money for a modern concept, with $5000 presented for The Orchard, the Orange women and children’s domestic and family violence centre.

The young women were presented to the special guests Teen Fisher and Housing Plus CEO David Fisher, who said his organisation was “delighted to be the recipient of their fundraising” and would “ensure it is channelled to support the victims of DFV [domestic family violence] in Orange”.

The year elevens at Kinross will be the only Orange students to take part in the old English tradition, with James Sheahan Catholic High School and Orange Anglican Grammar School never having hosted debutante balls and Orange High School and the Canobolas Rural Technology High School canning them due to dwindling numbers.