Beaconhills College’s high VCE achievers (from left) Jayden Newstead, Daniel O’Kane, Benjamin Forbes, Stephanie Sacco and Lynsey Marshall.By Sarah Schwager
THE wait was over for hundreds of VCE students around Cardinia Shire on Monday.
Students rang, sent a text message, or logged onto the internet to check the results of the past arduous year.
Beaconhills College headmaster Tony Sheumack said this year’s 145 VCE students had achieved the best set of results the Pakenham school had ever had.
Daniel O’Kane, who received an ENTER score of 95.4, will walk into Advanced Science at Monash University, along with Jayden Newstead, who, despite having to overcome glandular fever during the year, got a score of 97.2.
Benjamin Forbes said he felt the VCE year was “challenging but enjoyable” and is hoping to study medicine after receiving a score of 96.7.
Stephanie Sacco scored of 97.7 and plans to study Media Communications at Melbourne University, while Lynsey Marshall, who stormed through her VCE with 98.85, will get into her first preference, Biomedical Science at Melbourne University.
Mr Sheumack said the school’s fantastic results were a reflection of all the VCE students at the school, and not just those who had received the top scores.
Jayden said his family had been more excited than he had when he found out his results on Monday morning, and Stephanie agreed, saying her friends – even those who had not done that well – were excited she would be going to university.
The five students said despite the stress of VCE they had enjoyed the year and it had not affected their social life.
The students offered some advice for next year’s students.
Stephanie highlighted the importance of picking subjects they enjoyed rather than ones which may give a higher score, while Daniel urged future students to stick out subjects rather than giving up.
Pakenham Secondary College head of senior school Jim Prendergast said the school was pleased by the range of results from both VCAL and VCE students.
Callum DeMaria was dux of the school, and though the student did not wish to have his ENTER score published, Mr Prendergast said it would allow him to access his preferred career path.
“While some students are disappointed with their results, they will be counselled by our careers team to help them achieve alternative ways into their desired pathways.”
Kooweerup Secondary College principal Geoff Pledge was pleased with the school’s results, with more than half its 67 students achieving scores of more than 60.
Four students scored in the 90s, with a further six in the 80s.
School dux Emma Williams scored 94.25 and runner-up Robert Easton, who went to France on exchange last year, achieved a score of 92.25.
Mr Pledge said several of the school’s students hoped to go to university, but the reality was many places would be deferred and possibly not taken up because of the costs of living in the city or travelling to and from university.
But he said most students who had applied for courses would get the ones they wanted.
“It certainly has been the best year for about four years,” Mr Pledge said.
Of Emerald Secondary College’s 150 students who completed their VCE, three scored an ENTER above 90, with the top student Kathryn Waldron scoring 95.4.
Assistant principal Wayne Burgess said the school had been expecting more scores in the 90s, but a lot of students had achieved results in the 80s.
Mr Burgess said the school had begun course counselling, with many students likely to change their preferences to reflect higher or lower scores.
“The most important thing is that they do a course they want to do,” he said.
“The ENTER score is just a step to get into a tertiary course of their choice.”
Berwick Secondary College assistant principal Anne Martin said the most outstanding part of this year’s results were in year 11, with a couple of student achieving perfect subject scores.
The top-performing student from of the school’s 200 VCE students was Sam Martin, who scored 97.8.
The school is one of the largest Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) providers in the state, and Ms Martin said the college’s VCAL students had done the school proud.
“We are ecstatic with their results and that they are able to go on and do apprenticeships and so on,” she said.
St Thomas Aquinas College, Tynong, VCE coordinator Kevin Ryan said students there enjoyed some great results.
Carmel Elliott topped the class with a score of 95.65, with Nicholas Morris scoring 91.75.
Anthony Garner (89.7), Nicholas’ twin sister Katherine (84), Jean Pace-Bonello (81.55), Nicole Elliott (80.95) and Andre Ockerse (80.7) also did well.
“We’re very happy,” Mr Ryan said.
“We’re only a small school but the students worked really hard through the year.”
