It is a cause for celebration at Walgett Community College High School, a concert marking the official opening of its new and improved campus.
The $9.2 million rebuild was completed in October.
Old classrooms that students described as dull and falling apart are now completely refurbished and updated.
"It's good. Better than last year. Better learning place. Better furniture."
"You actually, like, call this a school now. Before, it was nothing."
"Very plain. You're more focused and you can learn more in this class."
The state's education minister, Adrian Piccoli, recalls visiting the school for the first time, shortly after taking up his position in 2011.
"It was in terrible condition, probably the worst school across New South Wales. It had holes in the ceiling with exposed wires. It had graffiti. Drainage grates were missing. There were Occupational Health and Safety issues."
Year 12 students Bridie Lake and Teliyah Hickey say the changes are already having a profound effect.
"I reckon it looks more welcoming than before."
"When you come into class, you feel like you want to learn, because you have something going, something to look forward to, at school because it's refreshing."
But until now, it was not just the classrooms affecting student morale.
In 2015, a video of teenage girls fighting thrust the town onto the national stage.
By that time, violent attacks were becoming common, even prompting police to be stationed inside.
Student attendance was low, and staff departures were high.
Bridie Lake and Teliyah Hickey say it was an embarrassing time for both the school and the town.
"It was shameful."
"When we went on this school camp last year, when they said, 'Walgett,' everyone just gasped."
Mr Piccoli has described Walgett as "a challenging community."
In recent years, he says, funding has been allocated to help families facing issues like domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse.
"We could always improve the way they are delivered. There are psychology services for students, but we're trying to reach into those families and assist them with some of the intergenerational trauma in those communities so they can best support their children when they come to school."
Anne Dennis, from Walgett's Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, says several other issues were also raised in a huge consultation process with the town on the school's future.
"The community's been in drought. There's not much seasonal work around, so times are really hard. There's cuts in funding to support various programs. So it's about how we work together towards a better future for our kids."
In October last year, Karen McKinnon was appointed Walgett Community College's new high school principal.
She had worked in similar schools in Queensland and the Northern Territory and has a theory.
"Things happen in schools. All schools have expectations about behaviours that are appropriate and inappropriate. Once you set those expectations and you set the bar high enough, students always come to meet that."
Along with tougher rules on student behaviour, the school has introduced programs to keep students focused and active.
Walgett's Police and Community Youth Club is now a permanent fixture at the campus, organising sport activities and a breakfast club before class.
It is still too early to tell what kind of impact the changes will have on the school's overall performance, but students say attendance and morale are up.
"More kids are engaging and coming to school."
"The town will improve now, because the school has improved."
"There was, like, a lot of fights. But after it was on the media and stuff, it stopped. Everyone just settled down. It was like everyone just woke up to themselves."
Those are the trends Principal McKinnon says she is determined to continue.
"My goal here is to make sure every student ends up at Year 12 and a pathway into whatever career or study they need to get into."
Around a hundred students were enrolled at the school this year.
But the upgrade means it is ready - and very willing - to take in many more.
