PERTH Modern School and Swan Valley Anglican Community School graduates have won WA secondary education’s top honour for achieving the highest results in 2018.
Leeming resident Pooja Ramesh (18) and Bullsbrook resident Jess Haydon (17) were awarded Beazley Medals by WA Governor Kim Beazley and Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery at Kings Park this morning.
Pooja achieved the highest WA Certificate of Education marks across five ATAR courses while Jess took out the top Vocational Education and Training award (VET) based on his strong performance in a VET program.
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Pooja also won a general exhibition, subject exhibition and subject certificate of excellence for economics, a subject certificate of excellence for literature and mathematics methods and a certificate of distinction.
Pooja said her “unbelievable” win had not sunk in yet.
“I never really thought I could achieve it,” she said.
“It means that I have achieved what I really wanted to set out to do this year which was really just enjoy my subjects, do them justice and just make the most of this year.”
She said a lot of mental preparation went into Year 12.
“If I didn’t put in the focus, determination, self-motivation and the drive, I felt like I wouldn’t get anywhere,” she said.
“Right now, because it is holidays, I am taking this opportunity to do a lot of volunteering activities and I am really enjoying that.
“After that, I really want to do medicine – I haven’t decided yet but I am thinking between UWA and University of Melbourne.”
Her future goals were to become a paediatrician and join the Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)
Following Jess’s internship at construction company Ertech, he won a VET exhibition and VET certificate of excellence for construction industries and completed a certificate II in engineering pathways, civil construction and visual arts.
He said while the award was unexpected, it showed that his hard work over the past two years had paid off.
“It shows that people believe in my aspirations, it just gives me a big boost of confidence to go far in the future,” he said.
“I’m actually employed by Ertech at the moment and I am shooting up to Barrow Island next Monday, which is a pretty big experience coming straight out of high school.
“I am spending my time up there for a few months, get the experience and see what happens next.”
Ms Ellery said this year’s results were a great sign for the future.
“This year, students across WA have done really well – we have got higher numbers of students achieving at a higher level than previously,” she said.“It is important that we recognise which direction they want to take.
“Not every student wants to go to university and as a state, we need to make sure that we have got young people coming out in trades.”
A formal ceremony will be held at Government House in February 2019 where all students will be presented with their awards.
For a complete list of award winners, visit http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au