2020 SACE Merit award winners and commendation recipients | Search the full list
Who were SA’s top students of the year? Search a full list of merit-award winners and read their inspiring SACE stories.
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These are the state’s brightest students, the ones who achieved stunning results in their South Australian Certificate of Education.
Defying the coronavirus pandemic, 1018 students scored Merit awards in 2020 for exceptional achievement in a subject – more than the 892 students who achieved the honour the year before.
“The COVID-19 pandemic turned the traditional classroom setting on its head as students and teachers adjusted to new ways of working,” SACE Board chief executive Martin Westwell said.
“I am so proud of the way schools and teachers adapted to continue the learning for their students, to encourage them not to give up in the face of uncertainty, but to know that every bit of learning would be valuable and be valued in the SACE.”
A total of 15,119 students gained their SACE, a two-stage qualification. Many students do Stage 1 subjects in year 11 and Stage 2 in Year 12 – although they can be spread over the years.
Merits are awarded in Stage 2 subjects of the SACE to students who gain an overall A+ grade and demonstrate exceptional achievement in that subject.
In addition, 28 students received commendations from SA Governor Hieu Van Le.
These included five students who met the SACE Board’s definition of a perfect Year 12 – at least five subject Merits including one for the research project.
Shreyans Sinhal, Giovanni Elias, Oliver Kleinig, Martina Theodorakakos and Paras Stefanopoulos each achieved an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 99.9 or 99.95, which is the highest possible result.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF COMMENDATIONS
The list of the 1018 students who achieved Merits can be searched here:
The students awarded with commendations were nominated by their schools and selected by the SACE Board for their exceptional results and broad impact on their school and community.
These are the stories of some of the winners of commendations and multiple Merits.
RUBY LIPTAK
Sport runs deep in the veins of Ruby Liptak, who has graduated from Westminster School with two Merits and a commendation from the Governor.
Ruby, 18, has captained state and national teams in track and field, played volleyball and netball. and been a longstanding volunteer surf lifesaver at Glenelg.
As school vice-captain, she developed weekly podcasts for fellow students during the COVID-19 disruptions, organised a fundraiser for cancer research and found time to mentor younger students at school.
At the same time, she completed a rigorous mix of academic SACE subjects to score an ATAR of 98.85.
“When I’m busiest, I’m the most organised,” she said. “I’ve always been an on-the-go person.
“Sport – and the team environment – have always been really important to me.
“The times I struggled most with my school work and my leadership was when I was doing the least.”
For her research project, Ruby investigated the effect on cholesterol of exercise, diet and intermittent fasting.
Family members have had cholesterol issues, so she found the research both relevant and interesting.
Ruby has already been awarded a full scholarship to Bond University in Queensland where she will read a double degree in actuarial science and law.
SAM HEATHERSHAW
As school captain at Woodville High, Sam Heathershaw took on the challenge of helping his fellow students when the coronaviruspandemic hit South Australia.
He organised surveys of students to gauge how they were coping with the uncertainty and with learning online.
The information was fed back to staff to help them decide how best to support students.
“We didn’t have as many activities as usual this year but fortunately we got in our graduation and school formal before we went into lockdown again (for the Parafield cluster),” Sam, 17, said.
Sam’s subject mix for SACE combined specialising in maths with English literary studies and musical performance. He plays the double bass, electric bass and viola and performed in the school’s stage band, string and wind ensemble, jazz combo andstring quartet.
“In Year 10, I was part of the Lost and Found Orchestra which was part of the opening ceremony for the Adelaide Festival,” he said.
He also has played in the Mount Gambier Generations in Jazz festival.
For his research project, Sam investigated factors affecting the sound and playability of an electric bass.
“It combined my two interests – music and mathematics – and I looked at how they meet,” he said. He found that wenge, a woodnative to central Africa, as well as a few other timber types were good at producing a variety of sounds and that certainfrets could reduce strain injuries.
He is looking forward to joining music clubs while at university.
GINA WANG
Many students make an early start on Year 12. But few strap on the turbo chargers like Gina Wang did on her way to an astounding seven SACE Merits.
Gina scored her first Merit for a Stage 2 subject when she took biology during Year 10.
The Seymour College graduate added three more Merits while in Year 11 and another three in Year 12.
She also achieved A+ results in three music subjects. And she’s still only 16.
She also recently recorded a track with the band Hindley Street Country Club – backed by her school string ensemble and choir – which has had more than 100,000 views.
And in Year 12 she took part in Adelaide University’s Headstart program and achieved high distinctions in courses on neuroscience and critical thinking.
Gina said she loves all the sciences as she wants to know “how the world works”.
The daughter of a violin teacher, she found music was a way to relax in Year 12.
She speaks Mandarin but decided not to take that as a Stage 2 SACE subject because her writing needed work.
Seymour offers the International Baccalaureate diploma program but Gina preferred to tackled the SACE as it gave her the flexibility and freedom to pick subjects and spread them over three years.
For her SACE research project, Gina explored the factors influencing ethical decision making. She sought the views of classmates, parents and philosophers, including a professor at Yale University in the US.
EMILY HINZE
Cricket, intense study and leadership all slotted together for Cornerstone College student Emily Hinze.
The pandemic created barriers but Emily, 18, was among students who worked not only to keep their own lives on track, but to help others along the way too.
At the Mount Barker school, she was one of six student leaders who took on the challenge of keeping others across all year levels engaged amid the uncertainty and lack of normal gatherings such as school assemblies.
“We created videos that were scripted and thought out and which were entertaining,” she said.
Her leadership extended to cricket, where she was vice-captain of both the state under-18 team and the West Torrens first-grade side.
A fast bowler, she took 13 wickets at an average of just 14 runs a wicket in nine matches for West Torrens.
“I’m in the state under-19 program and we have the national championship coming up, so I’m hoping to be selected for that,” she said.
“It’s a really exciting time to be playing cricket in the female area.”
Awarded a Governor of SA Commendation, Emily achieved three subject Merits.
One was for her research project on how types of play young girls engage in influences whether they go on to science and maths pathways.
Emily has completed a Level 1 cricket coaching qualification and has a few coaching opportunities coming up.
She works as a pool lifeguard in Mount Barker.
She joined Cornerstone in Year 8 after going through primary school in Clare.
WILL HUNTER
Will Hunter has left a legacy at Kadina Memorial School by being the driving force to establish a doctors-on-campus program.
“There’s a distinct lack of mental health services here (in the region),” he said.
“And those options which are available are only up to a certain age.
“We identified mental health problems such as eating disorders where students just can’t get support.
“So we wanted to initiate a program where we could get trained mental health professionals into the school.”
Will, 18, and other students researched what other schools do, canvassed the views of local medical organisations and community leaders and rallied supporters.
“We’re just trying to secure some final funding and it should be up and running early to mid-2021,” he said.
“There are a few grant opportunities we’re waiting to come through; having Kadina Medical Associates on board has been a really big step.”
The work on the campaign was one of the reasons Will received a Governor of SA Commendation for his SACE.
He was school captain in 2020 and served on the student council for seven years.
He works as a manager at McDonald’s, a job he’ll retain for a gap year in 2021 before aiming for university in 2022.
He has already been offered a place at Adelaide University for a double degree in law and computer science.
Commercial law in the information technology sector may be a career trajectory but he’s keeping options open.
Will achieved Merits for creative arts and his research project. He designed covers for the school magazine and labels for school wines.
His research project looked at the effect of the forthcoming roads upgrade at Port Wakefield on the viability of local businesses.
SAM NITSCHKE
It’s a long way from Loxton to the Jezero Crater landing site on Mars.
But Loxton High graduate Sam Nitschke has it roughly mapped out. His route might go via Whaler’s Way at the tip of Eyre Peninsula, to the SpaceX Boca Chica launch site in Texas and on to the red planet.
For his SACE research project, Sam studied the optimal propulsion system for a crewed Mars mission.
“Elon Musk was an inspiration but there were a lot of people in Adelaide I could talk to,” he said of the project, for which he received one of his two SACE Merits.
Sam, 17, aims to study aerospace engineering at Adelaide University.
“I’ve been in love with space for as long as I can remember, so it was my natural choice,” he said.
Then he hopes to get a foot in the burgeoning sector’s door through an SA company such as Southern Launch, which fired a rocket from Koonibba near Ceduna in September and is progressing its Whaler’s Way site.
That could create a pathway to one of the big space companies or agencies such as Lockheed-Martin or NASA, he said. He dreams of one day playing a role in a manned mission to Mars.
As a youth leader, Sam managed to get regular coverage of his school in the local Loxton News.
He was pivotal in establishing a Rotary Interact Club, a service club run by young people, and he was a founding member of the Loxton Community Cluster.
FILBERT CHRISTONE
Visiting nursing home residents to hear their stories and simply be a friend who plays board games and has a chat isn’t a priority for most 16 year olds.
But for Filbert Christone, a graduate of Portside Christian College, being a regular visitor to a Southern Cross Care home has been rewarding for him and the residents.
“Often they just want to talk and by breaking down the age stigma I’ve learnt a lot,” he said.
Filbert’s long-term goal is to become a doctor.
Rather than a glorified view of the profession, he believes it is about working with people, particularly older people.
“It’s about interaction with people so I thought this would be a good way to get experience and understanding of that,” he said.
It’s given him an appreciation of the difficulties of working with older people, especially those with cognitive issues.
“I’m in awe of personal care workers,” he said. “They don’t get nearly enough recognition.”
Filbert, who earned a Governor of SA Commendation for his SACE, has also volunteered for the Salvation Army and for BlazeAid, helping clean up Adelaide Hills vineyards after last summer’s fires.
With his family, Filbert migrated from Indonesia as a young boy, living in Melbourne before moving to Adelaide.
He retains interest in Indonesian culture and language.
He received a Merit for Indonesian (continuers) and found formal study added the rigour of grammar to his spoken proficiency.
For his SACE research project, Filbert contrasted the pressures on Australian and Indonesian students and the resulting performance.
GRACE BENNETT
Grace Bennett fuses her passions for art and Indigenous culture – and now she’s even launched her own company to sell her designs.
Her family heritage is the Ngadjuri people from the state’s Mid North.
“I love Indigenous culture and try to put the stories on to canvas,” she said. “Where we’re from, there are a lot of water creatures in the stories, so I like to portray those. And blue is one my favourite colours, it’s very calming.”
The Playford International College graduate, 18, gained two Merits and a Governor of SA Commendation. A participant in the public system’s Flexible Learning Options program and a mentor to younger Indigenous students, Grace won Playford’s senior secondary all-rounder award.
Her artistic talents saw her design the 2020 shirt for the SA Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy in the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup, which unfortunately was cancelled in November because of COVID-19.
She painted a mural at Lyell McEwin Hospital and is now working on a commission in North Adelaide.
Grace did her research project on how exercise can relieve symptoms of depression. When she played basketball for West Adelaide, she found it helped with her own anxiety.
Grace has applied to UniSA to study a human movement degree and a master of teaching.
GABRIELLE CONNOLLY
Guided by her Christian faith, Gabrielle Connolly loves to spread the joy of music in her community.
She plays piano at St Luke’s Church in the Noarlunga-Seaford Catholic parish and accompanied several choirs at her school, Cardijn College.
She also plays at the Perry Park Residential Care Home although that is on hold because of COVID-19.
At Cardijn, she was a college mission captain, helping guide the spiritual welfare of the student cohort.
She has a leadership role with Young Christian Students, which operates across Australia with a social justice and action mandate.
“We did lots of clean-ups, such as clearing rubbish around Colonnades shopping centre, and we ran fundraisers for Vinnies’ Fred’s Van,” she said.
Gabrielle, 17, received a Governor of SA Commendation for her SACE.
In October, she received an Order of Australia student citizenship award for service to her school and community.
Her SACE research project considered the effect of classical music on high school students.
She is sure she’ll always stick with music but doesn’t intend pursuing a career as a performer or music teacher.
She has a provisional offer based on Year 11 results to study advanced economics at Adelaide University.
“I do want to be a high school teacher, that’s my long term goal,” she said.
“Economics and maths are the subjects I’m most interested in teaching.”
But she wants to get some experience working in the economics field first.
KYLIE HO
Being a barista brought balance to Kylie Ho’s life in Year 12, as did competing in aerobics and volunteering.
“It was really good to get out of the house and have a break from studying,” she said of her part-time cafe job.
Kylie, 17, was deputy head prefect at Unley High School and led a project where older students helped younger ones in a range of subjects.
“It was an alternative for students who might be too scared to approach their teacher for help or they weren’t sure whereto start with an assignment,” she said.
Kylie achieved Merits in biology and chemistry and did her research project on nutrition in schools, with a view to improving what foods are offered and educating students to make better choices.
She has long had an interest in fitness, health and nutrition, having competed in aerobics with her club Activ8 for the past seven years at state, national and international level.
Kylie played volleyball for her school and moved into refereeing and then coaching, including establishing the sport at her old primary school, Highgate.
While completing Year 12, she studied first-year human physiology at Flinders University, achieving a high distinction. “It was really valuable to see what uni life is actually like,” she said.
She has applied to Flinders and the University of Queensland, where she says the biomedical science program provides “a lot of research opportunities”.
Kylie has volunteered with St John Ambulance for the past six years.
Born in Canada, she has lived in London, Sydney and Melbourne before Adelaide.
“I love Adelaide and the sense of community. You can’t go to the shops without seeing someone you know.”
SILAS HANSCH-MAHER
As one of just four students in the state doing Latin in Year 12, Silas Hansch-Maher was no stranger to tough language assignments.
But his biggest challenge was mastering Kaurna phrases to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land that St Ignatius’ College occupies.
As male college captain, it was his job to deliver the acknowledgment at school assemblies.
Students felt it was odd to use English to pay respect to the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, so the school applied to a committee of elders to use the Indigenous language.
Once approval was granted, Silas had to practise the Kaurna phrases, which he said were quite tricky.
Future generations at the college will continue to use the Indigenous language.
“We’re hoping it will become much more common,” Silas said. “I think it’s a sign of respect. We have made an acknowledgment for quite a long time and this is just taking it another step.”
Silas said he “really enjoyed” Latin as “we had an excellent teacher which makes a difference”. His interest in languages extended to his SACE research project, for which he explored how learning a second language delivers broad benefits to an individual.
Silas captained the school debating team in a successful season.
He also led the revival of the school’s student magazine, prompted by the need to improve communication during COVID-19 disruptions. As well as being a gifted orator and communicator, he performed exceptionally well in science subjects.
Four of the five SACE subject Merits he achieved were in the sciences.
He said he was keen to stay in Adelaide.
CONSTANCE KILKENNY-JONES
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan better watch his back. Heathfield High graduate Constance Kilkenny-Jones has her eye on his job.
She already has a track record of mobilising supporters around an issue, having spearheaded changes to how her school operates.
Passionate about social justice, Constance, 18, now eyes a career in executive management in the AFL.
“I look up to Gillon McLachlan and his ability to think critically on the spot and his public speaking,” she said. “I want to take his job one day.”
Constance is already on the AFL payroll for selling the Footy Record at Adelaide Oval games, and did work experience at Essendon Football Club, so has had an entry-level taste of how the sport is run.
In Year 12, Constance took part in the YMCA’s Youth Parliament program, working on the law and justice committee.
Heathfield was one of a group of SA schools to work with renowned US education academic Yong Zhao on transforming schools to be entrepreneurially-focused. Constance was in the leadership group for this project which led to establishment of an entrepreneurship program at Heathfield.
Constance received a Governor of SA Commendation for her SACE achievements, an Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award and an Adelaide Hills Council Citizenship Award.
This year she will begin a double degree in law and commerce at Adelaide University.
She is a volunteer surf lifesaver at Normanville, a lifeguard at Mount Barker and works in a supermarket and a bakery.
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