Pekko graduated from the visual arts line of Matinkylän lukio and is currently studying in Sweden to become a landscape architect

Pekko Ilmonen is a former student of the visual arts line of the Matinkylän lukio upper secondary school. His years at Matinkylän lukio included wonderful teachers, great friends and even one tiny prank. This fall, Pekko started his studies at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp, Sweden.

Pekko Ilmonen completed his matriculation examination in the spring of 2025, graduating from the visual arts line of the Matinkylän lukio upper secondary school. He applied to Matinkylän lukio (then known as Kaitaan lukio) because he could “draw better in comprehensive school than the other boys in my class, and I decided it would be easier for me to get into the visual arts line.” In the entrance examinations the students were required to draw, paint and complete a three-dimensional assignment. Pekko was not particularly happy with his performance in the last task, but apparently it went well because he got in. He loved the fact that Matinkylän lukio was placed in a convenient location in a brand-new building where everything worked as it should.

Pekko’s personal favourite of his own school projects was probably an oil painting he completed during one of the courses. The painting took a long time to finish, but he found the process highly rewarding. He also became interested in drawing when visiting museums: “I have always liked to draw, but I truly became enthusiastic about it during a trip to Rome last year. We spent almost six hours in every museum, and I could draw 4–5 hours straight by simply moving from one statue to another.” Pekko also completed a general upper secondary school diploma in visual arts. The theme of the assignment was a switch of genre, meaning that the students were required to approach their self-selected topic from the perspective of a completely different genre. “The process was more demanding because I had to narrow down the topic and come up with my own assignment and also provide a written justification for my decision.”

Compared to lower secondary school, Pekko says that the teachers in Matinkylä showed more of their own personality during lessons. His favourite subjects were visual arts, history, geography and philosophy. According to Pekko, these subjects had the best teachers in the entire school.

When Pekko is asked about his favourite school memories, he hesitates for a moment. It might be the seniors’ party known as “penkkarit”, or maybe the last day of school when the students did a little prank on their history teacher. During their three years in Matinkylän lukio, the students had collected statements and comments from the teacher which, when taken out of context, were simply odd. “We put our collection in the teacher’s locker, so that we didn’t have to take responsibility for our actions,” Pekko laughs. Apparently, the package caused quite a stir in the staff room but, luckily, the teacher took the prank well.

For many former upper secondary school students, the seniors’ ball is among the best memories. However, Pekko did not participate in the ball, as the dance course overlapped with visual arts courses and a mandatory Swedish course – he was studying at an increasing pace at that time. “In a way, I regretted not attending the ball, but I had my own group of friends and didn’t really miss the kind of community that the ball creates,” Pekko says. At times, Pekko was the only boy in his study group. The other students made him feel welcome, and he still keeps in touch with his friends from upper secondary school. 

At present, Pekko is studying at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences to become a landscape architect. He feels that this will be a significant field in the future. Landscape architects design outdoor spaces where people can meet, such as marketplaces, yards and parks. Moreover, he also gets to utilise his drawing skills acquired in upper secondary school. In fact, the students have already practised drawing without looking at the paper. “I wanted a job where I wouldn’t have to sit in an office all day. My future work will have an impact on the lives of a significant number of people,” says Pekko. He admits that he is not particularly keen on learning the names of plants in Latin, which is a part of his studies.

Pekko wanted to study in Sweden because, as a Swedish-speaking Finn, he knows the language. The small town of Alnarp is located near Malmö in southern Sweden. The educational institution is a former farm from the 19th century. The main building is actually a castle. “It’s like Hogwarts from Harry Potter,” says Pekko. He is currently living in Malmö, but plans to move to the university campus. “Up until now, the university life has been very independent and free, and everyone has their own schedule. However, you must take good care of your studies, as well as of your own health and nutrition.”

So far, the lectures have consisted of plant knowledge, landscape history (which, according to Pekko, is closely related to art history) and drawing lessons. The only time he has struggled to learn something was when the students had to memorise plant names in Latin, but Pekko believes that something similar lies ahead in the landscape history studies. “The goal of the drawing lessons is (surprise surprise) to enhance our drawing skills, but the focus is more on technique, such as keeping your eyes on the motif and drawing without looking at the paper,” says Pekko.

When it comes to Pekko’s upper secondary school years, there does not seem to be anything he would do differently. Or maybe just one thing... "I should have studied for my Swedish exam. I got an E and missed out on the opportunity to brag that I got an L without studying,” Pekko laughs.

Pekko advises ninth-graders to apply to the nearest upper secondary school if they do not really know what they want from their future. “You can save time on the school commute and use it on something more productive, such as studying.” If you are looking for something special in your upper secondary school, such as an extensive course selection in visual arts, then Pekko believes it is worth applying to a school located further away.

In addition to academic knowledge, upper secondary school taught Pekko a lot about himself and of other people. Understanding people’s differences is one of these lessons: “People are different, but you have to get along with everyone, no matter how you feel about them,” says Pekko. During his years in upper secondary school, Pekko also learned that you can find friends even in the strangest of places: “No-one needs to be alone in upper secondary school.”