Casey Grammar School students are celebrating another year of achievements, after the latest VCE results showcased the effort, determination and resilience of the latest group of graduates.
Over 42 per cent of Casey Grammar School students have been placed in the top 30 per cent of Australia – this is despite being a cohort affected by the challenges of remote learning.
The Dux of Casey Grammar School, Juna Gemmell, achieved an outstanding ATAR of 97.75, having studied psychology, further maths, English, biology and chemistry in 2022.
Ms Gemmell chose not to set an alarm to see her results immediately on monday morning, but discovered them in the kitchen surrounded by her parents and her brother.
A shopping trip in the city later that day was interrupted by a phone call from her Principal, who informed her that she had topped the class.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” Ms Gemmell said of being crowned Dux.
“I wasn’t expecting it all at all and I’m still shocked about it.”
The news called for a celebratory lunch of fried chicken and bone broth soup at her favourite Korean restaurant in the city.
She said she was most proud of her study score for English, having not considered it a strength of hers throughout her earlier years of schooling, and credits her teacher, Mr Kearney, for helping her make the leap.
“I’ve always struggled with English but her advice helped improve grades throughout the year,” she said.
“I didn’t really have a single study method but used a combination of different things and they all contributed to the final score. I get bored pretty easily so I tried to shuffle up what I wanted to do.”
An interest in biology and human anatomy has led her to embark on a physiotherapy course at Monash University next year.
Olivia Berry received Proxime Accessit with an ATAR of 96.25.
Ms Berry plans to study nursing/midwifery at Monash, with hopes to become a health care worker.
Casey Grammar School principal, Fiona Williams, says the encouraging results acknowledge the determination of the hard-working students and the commitment of their teachers who ensured it was “business as usual” during the periods of online learning.
“As these students embarked on the most challenging part of their academic journey at school – their VCE years – they faced a series of unprecedented challenges,” Ms Williams said.
“They rose to those challenges with a firm focus on their future.
“We are so proud of the achievements they are celebrating today. I know they will take everything they have learned at Casey Grammar School and use it as a foundation to build a bright future.
“In celebrating today’s VCE results, I would also like to pay tribute to the many dedicated teachers who always go the extra mile to ensure that learning at Casey Grammar School is inspiring and engaging.
“Our teachers themselves are lifelong learners and, every day, they encourage their students to believe in their abilities and to aspire to be the very best they can be.”
