ATAR RESULTS: Coast’s brightest students revealed

Some of the Sunshine Coast’s brightest students have shared their dreams for the future – from playing college tennis to becoming surgeons. HOW QLD SCHOOLS RATED

Maddie Manwaring

2 min read

December 21, 2020 - 4:22PM

HIGH ACHIEVERS: Adrienna Halpin, Luke Bindon, Grace Thomas and Josh Lloyd all graduated with impressive ATARs

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Sunshine Coast students woke up on Saturday to check their ATAR results, and after a year of challenges, it was clear their hard work has paid off.

The 2020 cohort of Year 12s were the first in Queensland to navigate the new ATAR system and several Coast schools recorded impressive individual and group results.

We asked some of the brightest students from the Coast how it felt to receive their results and what their plans are for the future, now that high school is behind them.

In no particular order, here are some of students who achieved the highest ATARs in the region.

Grace Thomas: 99.95
Sunshine Coast Grammar School

Grace Thomas achieved a 99.95, and hopes to play college tennis in the US next year.

Grace Thomas, who was one of only 30 Queensland to achieve a top ATAR of 99.95, hoped it would help her to follow her dream of playing college tennis in America.

Grace said she would be applying to several colleges in the US including Yale, Harvard, Princeton and MIT, with the goal of moving there, COVID-permitting.

She said waking up to see her ATAR of 99.95 was exciting, and she was proud of her cohort for overcoming the challenges of 2020.

Justin Holland: 99.95

Matthew Flinders Anglican College

Justin Holland, who received 99.95, has dreams of becoming a surgeon

Justin was another of the 30 students in Queensland to receive the top ATAR of 99.95.

He said 2020 had been challenging for his whole cohort, but the transition to online learning was "seamless" and thanked his teachers and family for their support.

"I couldn't have done it without them," he said.

Justin is planning to study medicine with the hope of one day becoming a surgeon.

Nisha Chandrasekar: 99.55
Matthew Flinders Anglican College

Nisha Chandrasekar achieved a perfect score in English.

Nisha was stoked to receive an ATAR of 99.55, and was one of a few students to score a perfect 100 per cent in English at the college.

Nisha said she has applied for some medicine courses, and would love to study at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

Oliver O'Connell-Dengan: 99.9

Matthew Flinders Anglican College

Oliver O'Connell-Dengnan received an ATAR of 99.9

Oliver was one of the top-performing students of Matthew Flinders, graduating with an impressive score of 99.9, one of the highest scores possible in the system.

Adrienne Halpin

Immanuel Lutheran College

Immanuel Lutheran College captain Adrienne Halpin hopes to study medicine

College captain Adrienne Halpin achieved an ATAR of 98.05, and said she wished to study medicine and become a doctor.

"This year has been a challenge to say the least, but Immanuel has been my second home since I started kindy here 13 years ago," she said.

Luke Bindon

Immanuel Lutheran College

Immanuel Lutheran College dux Luke Bindon received a 99.9 ATAR

College Dux Luke Bindon scored 99.9, and said he was keen to pursue an education in advanced mathematics next year.

Joshua Lloyd: 98.95
Caloundra State High School

Caloundra State High school captain Josh Lloyd was excited to receive his ATAR of 98.95.

Caloundra High school captain Josh Lloyd was "really happy" to achieve an ATAR of 98.95, and said he hoped to study medicine or engineering at University of Queensland.

"I can't not be happy," he said of his score.

Tom Gore: 96.25

Caloundra State High School

Tom said waking up to see an ATAR of 96.25 was the "best feeling ever".

"It feels brilliant," he said.

Tom said he was hoping to study physiotherapy at the University of Queensland in the new year.