2021 Highlights: My Achievements Over the Year

The year in review has been busy beyond compare, with event after event filling the calendar. Filled with musical performances, concert and community band practices, rural fire brigade training, school leadership and science competitions: I am happy to say that the hard work and long hours paid off. I’ve learned that sometimes, you must put yourself in a position that you wouldn’t normally, and as the 2021 recipient of the Peter Doherty Outstanding Rural and Remote Senior STEM Student, I can say that it’s definitely worth trying things outside the standard comfort zone. With increased COVID restrictions in Brisbane, the award ceremony was moved online. Atherton State High School still managed to make this feel every bit as awesome as the real deal – setting up a viewing in a conference room on the afternoon of the presentation, and I was honoured to be one of the recipients. Without the help and guidance of Chris Dilger and the support of David Platz, Jon Collins, my friends, the experienced teachers at Atherton State High and the support network at home, my year wouldn't have been so eventful. A massive thank you to my school’s highly capable learning support teacher, Rowena Draper, for thinking of me when nominations of the Order of Australia Association’s Secondary School Citizenship Award opened up. I was thrilled to receive the email notifying me of a successful application for my outstanding service within the community, and greatly enjoyed the subsequent trip to Brisbane in early September. Meeting the Governor, the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC CVO, was a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks to the event coordinator, Mr Geoff Cowles, OAM, and congratulations to the amazing young people who also received this award in 2021! A few weeks ago, I had my last day of high school classes – my daily life for the last six years. The school’s annual presentation night didn't fail to wrap the school year up on a high, as I was awarded an academic excellence, the aerospace subject award and the ‘ultimate’ award of the evening: Student of the Year. The many successful experiences over this last year have taught me so much about working hard to achieve results, and I hope to be able to apply this throughout my gap year and further on in university! I am looking forward to learning everything I can in the years to come at university, and hopefully can bring the skills I’ve learnt over the last few years from my own experience from volunteering and striving to achieve well within and around the school community.