DUX OF COLLEGE

My name is Sarah Black and I have had the honour of being awarded Dux of Brighton Secondary College in 2020. 

I have been a student at the school since year 7 and would like to thank all my teachers for the continued support they offered me throughout my entire high school life, without which I would not be where I am today. I would also like to congratulate the entire class of 2020 – it was a difficult year and so many people achieved outstanding results that deserve to be recognised. 

2020 was an unusual year and I was one of the lucky few who was able to study efficiently during the lockdown, making use of the extra time I had to do homework and extra study. I know many students found being home so much and doing online school very difficult, so I was fortunate in this regard.

My advice to the class of 2021, and to all students, is first to choose to study subjects that you genuinely enjoy. I believe this will lead to an increased ability to study these subjects and therefore make it easier to achieve high marks. This also makes VCE much more enjoyable and I found some subjects I studied, such as Japanese, quickly became my hobby and I actually enjoyed spending time doing these subjects when I studied. My next piece of advice is to make use of your teachers. They are very knowledgeable in their subject and will do anything to help you. If you don’t understand a topic, seeking help from your teacher immediately is essential, and they will be able to help you. I spent so much time asking my teachers questions, going over practice exams with them and seeking clarification when needed, and am very grateful for all the time, effort and support they gave to me. My third piece of advice is to be consistent with study. Set goals/expectations for yourself about how much and when you need to study and stick to them. Hard work will pay off. Finally, do practice exams. Lots of practice exams and stick to timed conditions as you approach the exam. The most important part of practice exams is marking them and looking at where you lost marks and how to improve from these mistakes. Practice exams are a great way to pick up on your mistakes and give yourself an opportunity to correct them.

Finally, remember that while year 12 is important, there are plenty of other things that are equally important. This includes keeping a work/life balance and I enjoyed working, running, playing music and catching up with friends all throughout the year which I was able to fit around my study.

Thank you and I wish everyone all the best for 2021. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Brighton and am grateful for all the opportunities I received.

Sarah Black 

Class of 2020