There is a saying that when we work hard, we will reap the rewards later; like an athlete training before a marathon, or practicing something until it’s perfected, putting in the hard yards today makes for a brighter tomorrow. With this in mind, Barham High School student Ella Lodge has kept her head down during her six years of secondary school and her commitment has paid dividends.
Last week, she received her HSC results, which included an ATAR of 88.25, affording her Dux of the school for 2023. It has been a long road for this 18-year-old, who admits there have been times when she struggled to stay motivated with her studies, but managed to keep on track.
“There have been moments of tears along the way, but I got there with a lot of support,” she told The Bridge.
Both shocked and excited at receiving Dux, the support, Ella says, came in the form of a strong year group of motivated and competitive students who helped push her through, knowledgeable and accessible teachers, and understanding parents.
“Mum was studying at the same time as me, so the house was in study mode, which was really helpful. The support from my teachers meant so much because they were always there to answer questions or to chase things up when I couldn’t, particularly Kate Donnan and Rae Farrant, who put a lot of time into my studies and had a lot of faith in me.”
Ella’s result has provided her with two Band 6 results in Legal Studies and VET Hospitality, with offers for early entry into Deakin Geelong Health Science and CSU Port Macquarie studying law. Ella is currently waiting on her other preferences before she decides which way to go, but for now, she is looking forward to a well-earned rest and reset before she gets back into study mode in February to begin her university course, whatever that may be.
Ella has some advice for students currently in secondary school who may be considering dropping out early –
“Reconsider it. There is this stigma that Year 12 is unachievable, but that’s not true. There is so much support to help you reach your goals, and as you get into your final years of school, you are treated more like an adult. Not only that, but your relationships with your peers and other students changes as you get older. You get to choose the subjects you’re actually interested in, which makes studying so much more enjoyable. Persevere, it will be worth it in the long run.”
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 21 December 2023.
