St Joseph’s College’s Year 12s are high achievers

Dux of the college is Callum Walker with an ATAR of 97.9, followed closely by Elijah Bruns (95.7), Harry Coughlan (95.3) and Greer Thomson (95.25).

Other students who scored in the 90s were Milly Shanahan (92.15), Cleo Oberin (91.55), Claudia Sampson (91.35) and Joel Priestly (90.7).

Callum has applied for the University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of Science program, and hopes to major in physics.

“I’d like to go into research,” he said.

“Research interests me more than experimental or the practical side.”

Callum’s advice to those going into Year 12 in the coming years is to find balance within the busy year.

“It’s important to focus on Year 12, but it’s just as important to have balance,” he said.

“For me, having a job and having a social life, that was really important for me because Year 12 seems like such a big deal, but at the end of it you need a broad range of skills.”

Of the 83 students to receive an ATAR this year, 69 students achieved a score higher than 50 — an increase of eight per cent on last year’s results, and an impressive increase of 33 per cent since 2017.

Eight students received scores higher than 90, representing about 10 per cent of the Year 12 cohort and a slight improvement on 2021.

St Joseph’s College principal Anne Marie Cairns congratulated the entire year level for their efforts, including 86 students who successfully completed their VCE and 20 students who successfully completed VCAL.

“As we are all aware, the past three years have been very disruptive for this cohort of students,” she said.

“I am incredibly proud of the way they have responded to the challenges presented to them with strength and courage, and for the way they have maintained their commitment to their studies.

“These results are testament to the hard-working teachers, leadership team, students and families involved with St Joseph’s over many years, and ones which we can all be very proud of.”

In other result highlights for the college, 12 students received a study score greater than 40 in individual subjects, including:

● Harry Coughlan — Biology (46), Chemistry (42)

● Elijah Bruns — Chemistry (40)

● Callum Walker — Chemistry (43)

● Jack Anderson — Maths Methods (45)

● Erin Moore — Allied Health (40)

● Chloe Villani — Further Maths (49), Health and Human Development (41)

● Mary Green — Further Maths (42)

● Brodie Smolenaars — Further Maths (41)

● Jackson Gronow — Further Maths (40)

● Milly Shanahan — English (40), Health and Human Development (45)

● Holly Moyle — Health and Human Development (42)

● Greer Thomson — Philosophy (42)

“These individuals, along with their fellow students, have applied themselves to their studies with diligence and commitment throughout the 2022 academic year,” Ms Cairns said.

“It is pleasing to see their efforts reflected in such good results and to know that they can look back over their year’s work with satisfaction.”

Ms Cairns said a number of students who had chosen not to go to university had already begun working, and others had commenced apprenticeships.

She said those wishing to move on to tertiary studies would now sit tight in the wait for offers of places. She expected most of these students to gain entry to further study in the areas they had chosen.

“Year 12 is a big event in the lives of our students and their families, that often carries extra pressure and expectation, and it takes a village to support our students through the highs and lows of the year,” Ms Cairns said.

“As we celebrate and rejoice in these wonderful achievements by our 2022 Year 12 group, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the students, teachers, parents and carers for the important role they have played, and for working so hard together this year.”