SUCCESS STORIES
McKinnon Secondary College
JJ BRAITHWAITE
We are excited to share that during the school holidays JJ Braithwaite of Year 12, attended the renowned Berklee at Umbria Jazz Clinics in Perugia, Italy. This international jazz clinic is recognized as one of the leading programs for young musicians globally, offering intensive workshops and masterclasses led by acclaimed jazz educators and performers.
JJ not only participated in masterclasses and performances but also auditioned and interviewed for the highly competitive Berklee College of Music Scholarships. We are delighted to announce that JJ was awarded a full tuition scholarship for the Undergraduate Program at Berklee, one of the most prestigious music institutions available to young musicians worldwide.
Only a handful of applicants globally received the full scholarship this year.
The process included a live audition and a rigorous interview, showcasing both musical excellence and personal dedication.
Congratulations to JJ on this remarkable recognition of his talent and hard work.
INDOOR CRICKET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Four McKinnon Secondary College students recently represented Victoria at the Indoor Cricket National Championships held in Perth in July 2025.
Riva Guliya (Year 10) – selected as captain of the Victoria U16 Girls team and named in the All Stars Team of the Tournament for her outstanding performance and leadership.
Neal Guliya (Year 7) – represented Victoria U14 Boys.
Arnav Patil (Year 8) – represented Victoria U14 Boys.
Archer Hankin (Year 10) – selected as captain of the Victoria U16 Boys.
Each of these students played a valuable role in their respective teams and contributed strongly to Victoria’s performance at the championships.
We are incredibly proud of their achievements and the way they represented both the state and McKinnon Secondary with dedication, sportsmanship, and team spirit.
DMITRII KOCHERGIN
Dmitrii Kochergin of Year 8 recently participated in the National Ice Hockey Championships, which were held in the Cockburn Ice Arena in Perth. The event was held on 15-20 July.
Dmitrii’s team won gold and to top it off, he was also awarded Best Defender.
Dmitrii is passionate about ice hockey and has been playing for five years. He has now played in Russia, Australia and Canada.
Congratulations on an outstanding result Dmitrii.
ALICIA NGUYEN
Alicia Nguyen of Year 7 has been dancing for 10 years, studying with the Jane Moore Academy of Ballet and as a principal artist with the State Youth Ballet Company.
Alicia recently had an incredible experience at the Metropolitan Dance Festival 2025, achieving outstanding results in a range of disciplines:
12 & Under 14 Aggregate – achieving the highest score in her age group
Grand Aggregate – achieving the highest score in the entire competition
First place in:
U13 Jazz Championship
U13 Lyrical/Contemporary Championship
12 & U14 Jazz Open
12 & U14 Character Ballet Open
U13 Lyrical Own Choreographic
U13 Jazz Improvisation
U13 Lyrical Improvisation
Second place in:
U13 Ballet Championship Award
Alicia’s hard work and dedication to her dancing is amply reflected in her achievements here and we extend our warm congratulations to her.
Kelly Payne
Publicity