Words of Wisdom!

Be inspired by some of our Valedictory award winners' thoughts and plans for the future.

Ainsley C (12H):

Q: To what do you attribute your good results?

A: Thankfully my interest in the subjects I did this year helped me engage with the curriculum. I did extra study on my favourite topics, specifically in Year 8 when I watched a six-part documentary about uranium and chemistry. In Year 10, I did the same thing for science and health. My parents are also supportive and help me succeed.

Q: What did you do for down time (hobbies, work, social)?

A: I am heavily involved in my calisthenics club which helps my physical, social and mental health. I also have a casual job which helps me earn money and learn new skills. I love volunteering for amazing groups such as Rotary and at my local nursing home. I have developed my own local volunteer dance program for children with disabilities with the help of the local rotary clubs.

Q: What are your goals for the future:

A: My main goal is to become an obstetrician-gynaecologist, to educate young women about female health in developing countries, and hopefully get them out of poverty. I also want to open-up female-owned and run clinics in Australia and third world countries, to help as many disadvantaged people as I can in my lifetime and beyond.

Q: Do you have any advice for future leaders?

A: Spread love and kindness to as many people as possible and just go for it! Even if its something small like starting a new club at school or helping a neighbour, just go for it! Don't be afraid to be passionate about the things you love and don't let anyone tell you that as a child you are not capable of doing something. Chances are you can do it better than even you thought you could!

Brittanie B (12B):

Q: What do you credit your good results to?

A: I have my supportive environment to thank. I’m lucky in that I have a great, safe place at home to study and balance my Year 12 life alongside my biggest supporters - my family. Equally at school, I’ve found that especially this year, there was so much culture amongst our year level, which made coming to school so much better. Good results are just as much about your attitude as it is about work. Having clear goals for my future, personally and professionally, gives me something to strive for.

Q: What did you do for down time (hobbies, work, social)?

A: Throughout the year I made sure Year 12 didn’t decrease my social life. I would almost always go out when invited and although this may have wiped me out the following day, I didn’t regret it. On top of this, I committed myself to part-time work and playing netball every Saturday. During my down time, I really enjoy adding to my music playlist as well as regular Netflix sessions.

Q: What are your goals for the future?

A: I’ve always seen myself as an entrepreneur, so next year I’m really excited to announce that I’m starting my first little business. It's something I've always wanted to do. My other goals are to work as hard as possible and to travel of course!

Q: Do you have any advice for future leaders?

A: Never think you’re not good enough and always try to differentiate yourself from the crowd! Just because there are other people that may be going for similar positions or have the same or more experience than you, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it. Chances are if you think you can do something, you definitely can. Always be yourself and most importantly, always have fun!

Christina S (12G):

Q: To what do you attribute your good results?

A: I credit my good results to studying consistently throughout the year and not cramming everything into the last minute. Also, making sure that I received regular feedback from my teachers helped me correct errors in my work.

Q: What did you do for down time (hobbies, work, social)?

A: You need to take time out for yourself. I caught up with friends to go to the movies or hang out. I loved having a TV show to watch that was a distraction from school and playing a sport each week. Regular yoga classes also helped me relax from stressful days at school.

Q: What are your goals for the future?

A: Next year I hope to be accepted into an Arts course at Melbourne University majoring in Theatre Studies and Literature.

Daniel S (12D):

Q: To what do you attribute your good results?

A: I credit my good results to my determination to succeed in life. Whenever I’m at home studying, and I get to the point where I feel like I ‘can’t be bothered anymore’ I ask myself, 'how will this impact MY future'? This helps remind me that I am going to school and learning for me, no one else. If I don’t want to try, then that’s only going to hurt me and my future. I strive to do my best so that I can have a successful future, and leave school with no regrets, knowing I did my best.

Q: What did you do for down time (hobbies, work, social)?

A: Just prior to Year 12, I told myself I would block out distractions like soccer and Xbox to solely focus on my studies. However, I still continued to train three nights a week, play a game on Sundays, whilst spend a fair amount of time playing Xbox and even watching TV. You may think, where did I get the time to study? The key thing about study is quality over quantity. Rather than sitting at your desk for a long time studying for a little and procrastinating for a lot and not taking anything in because you’ve lost interest and concentration, instead study for a shorter period where you put in 100% and really focus.

Q: What are your goals for the future?

A: I would like to study a double degree in commerce and law at university to give me a taste of each sector. I currently cannot decide between commerce and law, however I hope that whichever path I choose, I will be successful.

Keishan H (12D):

Q: To what do you attribute your good results?

A: Hard work and dedication. I enjoyed most of my subjects, so I was willing to put in the the time and effort. My parents and sister also helped motivate me. Having something to work towards makes it easy to stay motivated, because you know what you need. I made sure that I had a few back-ups just in case I didn’t get what I wanted, which also gave me peace of mind.

Q: What did you do for down time (hobbies, work, social)?

A: Outside of school I worked a fair bit. Although not everyone likes to work during Year 12

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