General News
15 December, 2022
Students wrap up secondary schooling with ATAR results after three tough final years
Local school students are among almost 50,000 in Victoria to receive their year 12 results earlier this week, with Maryborough Education Centre (MEC) and Highview College celebrating the achievements of their students. Year 12 students received...
Local school students are among almost 50,000 in Victoria to receive their year 12 results earlier this week, with Maryborough Education Centre (MEC) and Highview College celebrating the achievements of their students.
Year 12 students received their VCE results at 7 am Monday morning, with MEC’s Monique Gavriliadis achieving the highest academic results for her school, claiming the title of dux for 2022. Highview’s dux chose not to be named.
With results now released, it brings an end to 13 years of schooling for the year 12 students, who for the majority of senior schooling have been confronted with the pandemic and its subsequent restrictions.
Happy for her ATAR score to remain a mystery for the time being, Monique said she was thrilled to learn she was the school’s dux.
“I was surprised, I wasn’t expecting it because I thought my ATAR was pretty low. But then they told me I was dux so I thought it must have been okay,” she said.
“I was expecting a little bit higher in my ATAR but I’m happy with it now, I was very happy when I heard I was dux — I hugged my mum.”
Monique studied biology, chemistry, studio arts, ancient history and English this year and is hopeful of studying a Bachelor of Science in the future.
“I’m hoping to take a gap year and then go study a Bachelor of Science the year after, hopefully at Deakin University,” she said.
“I’m just going to work and make some money so it’ll help me when I am at uni.”
Looking back at her exams, Monique said they were tough and she was nervous.
“I just made sure I studied a couple nights beforehand and the day of the exam, I didn’t touch anything, just to make sure my brain was fresh. And I had a good breakfast,” she said.
“The exams were pretty tough and I was very nervous, actually, but I tried not to let that get to me.
“I just kept trying to tell myself that I’d done the best I can, so whatever happens, happens and now it’s over I feel relieved, honestly, and happy.”
Reflecting on her VCE, Monique said her advice to students is to study hard but also make time for yourself.
“Just make sure that you’re sleeping well and that you’re making time for other activities, and not just studying non-stop, because that’s not always good for you,” she said.
“I would hang out with my friends, spend time with my parents and go on walks with the dogs.”
MEC principal David Sutton said the school was proud of all of its year 12 cohort.
“We’re very proud of all of our year 12 students and that’s those who have completed VCE as well as VCAL,” he said.
“We had very high VCAL completion rates with very positive community work undertaken and a number of students going into apprenticeships and traineeships throughout the year.
“We’re always very proud of those who undertake VCE and our results have been in line with previous years.
“Monique is a very deserving dux, she’s excelled in her schooling, academic and sporting endeavours from when she joined us.”
Mr Sutton said this year’s year 12 students had parts of their senior studies impacted by the pandemic and despite that, showed resilience.
“I think the COVID restrictions have been particularly hard for younger people and our year 12s this year lost a significant part of their year 10 and 11 but despite that, have shown the perseverance and resilience to achieve great things,” he said.
“We’re finding the majority of students have really positive pathways mapped out irrespective of their ATAR score.
“People are more than scores and your ATAR score does not define you in any way, there are lots of measures of success and whatever your ATAR score is, you have lots of possibilities and opportunities.”
Highview College’s dux student preferred not to provide comments. Principal Melinda Scash congratulated the school’s senior cohort on completing their secondary education.
“The Highview family commends our graduating class of 2022 on their achievements in their final secondary school assessment,” she said.
“Despite years of coping with the impacts of the pandemic, they have held their course and been determined to achieve their goals.
“They achieved entry into their preferred courses of study and their persistence and application paid off in their outstanding results.”
Ms Scash said seven students were recognised for their excellence in the General Achievement Test (GAT).
“Our high achievers took the opportunity to celebrate after the release of the external examination data,” she said.
“For the first time, VCAA has extended recognition of excellence in the GAT and seven Highview graduates have received recognition of excellence.”