Meet our top-performing SACE students of 2022: five out of six academic awards go to girls

The state’s best-performing year 12 students have been recognised – and five of the top six winners of the SA Governor’s top excellence awards in 2022 are girls. See the full list.

Rebecca Whitfield-Baker

@baker_bec

2 min read

December 20, 2022 - 8:08AM

Olivia Tallent from all-girls’ Wilderness School is one of six students to receive the highly-coveted top-tier Governor’s Excellence Awards. Picture: Supplied

Education

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Girls have emerged top of the academic class in 2022, winning five of the six most prestigious SA Governor’s Excellence Awards, announced on Monday as results were released to more than 14,000 students.

Three of the students attained the highest ATAR possible while the remaining trio each achieved close to perfect scores.

Rune Chi (Chi Chi) Zhao, who attended St Peter’s Girls’ School, achieved a ranking of 99.95, which is the highest ranking possible.

Remarkably, she also attained eight merits (A+).

Chi Chi Zhao, of St Peter’s Girls’ School, achieved a ranking of 99.95, which is the highest ranking possible. Picture: Supplied

Described as an “an accomplished vocalist”, Chi Chi, 18, investigated the extent to which “mRNA vaccines have potential in combating present and future diseases” for her research project.

Olivia Tallent, 18, from All-girls’ Wilderness School also achieved an ATAR of 99.95.

This young high-achiever, actually first completed her SACE in year 11, when she attained a score of 99.6. Olivia gained six merits.

Olivia Tallent from All-girls’ Wilderness School achieved an ATAR of 99.95; the highest-possible ranking. Picture: Supplied

Maddie Walker, 18, of all-girls’ Walford Anglican School, received an ATAR of 99.95.

Maddie Walker, 18, of all-girls’ Walford Anglican School, also received an ATAR of 99.95 and received five merits, including for her research project in which she investigated Australia’s management of asylum seekers.

Ridheypreet Grover, who went to all-boys’ Rostrevor College, is the only male student to make the list.

He achieved a near-perfect ATAR of 99.90 as didThi Tra My (Jamie) Vu,20, of Thebarton Senior College.

Ridheypreet Grover, who went to all-boys’ Rostrevor College, is the only male student to make the top category SA Governor’s Excellence Awards in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Thi Tra My (Jamie) Vu, from Thebarton College has been recognised with and Excellence Award. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Sophia Switajewski, 17, of Pembroke School, who also achieved 99.90, rounds out the list of six top performers, to win the Governor’s coveted award for 2022.

Sophia Switajewski received a near perfect ATAR score of 99.90, is pictured with Pembroke principal, Mark Staker. Picture: Supplied

To be awarded the highest level SA Governor’s Excellence Awards, students must achieve five subject merits, including one for research project.

A second-tier of academic awards is also presented by the governor. These require students to have gained 70 or more credits plus an A level in their research project.

To be considered, students must be nominated by their school.

This year’s award winners are:

Amber Brock-Fabel, University Senior College

Beth Conventry, Salisbury High School

IIya Aidman, Immanuel College

Isaac Covington-Groth, Unley High School

Jessica Tressider, Tenison Woods College

Suyeon Lee, Australian Science and Mathematics School

Anesha Rahman, Wilderness School

Georgina Tenny, Loreto College, Marryatville

Sasha Coorey, Westminster

Cameron Tunno, Rostrevor College