For Gympie's six OP1 scorers, the world is their oyster

WHETHER they were cautiously confident or totally surprised by the news, six Gympie Year 12 graduates who received an OP 1 on the weekend couldn’t be happier.

TOP MARKS: Gympie students Nathan Davis, Lucy Connolly and Owen Dugdale achieved an OP1. . Picture: Patrick Woods

WHETHER they were cautiously confident or totally surprised by the news, six Gympie Year 12 graduates who received an OP 1 on the weekend couldn't be happier.

St. Patrick's College graduates Owen Dugdale, Lucy Connolly, Victoria Clark and Rushan Malek, and Cooloola Christian College students Nathan Davis and Hannah Waltisbuhl join 2% of the state's graduates who received the top ranking.

The score, which is a Queensland-wide ranking based on overall achievement, is the ticket to tertiary study entry and can determine a student's future career.

St Patrick's College graduate Owen Dugdale was up at midnight on Friday when he was able to access his online result.

"I woke mum and she was pretty happy; and then she woke the rest of the house," he laughed.

Owen, who is still deciding between studying physiotherapy or exercise sports science, wants to stay in Gympie next year and commute to the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Lucy Connolly, who was "pretty excited" to learn all her hard work over the past year had paid off, said she was still trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

She eventually wishes to teach drama and English at high school, but in the meantime will be filling in a gap year with a trip to America, where she will start her travels by working at a summer camp in Pennsylvania.

Nathan Davis, who is carrying on the family tradition of achieving high-ranking OPs, has his sights set on studying medicine at UQ.

He will be joining his three older brothers in a share house in Brisbane, one of whom also scored an OP1, and two who scored an OP2.

"We're a little bit competitive," he admitted with a smile.

Cooloola Christian College acting principal Ross Waltisbuhl acknowledged the achievements of his students.

"We are very proud of the achievements of our Year 12 students, as it demonstrated what hard work and persistence can achieve," he said.

"Being a small school is no disadvantage and often means students can access additional support from the staff."

Gympie Sate High School and James Nash State High School each had a student who received the equivalent of an OP1, based on completing a particular learning pathway elevating their OP2 score.

Gympie High principal Anthony Lanskey said he was proud of the school's high number of OP3 achievers - seven in total - while James Nash principal Darrin Edwards said 15% of his students received between and OP1 and 5.

Proud Gympie eisteddfod chairwoman Thelma Reisenleiter has closely followed the journey of some of Gympie's OP1 achievers and was elated to find her neighbour, Alec Ball, also joined the list.

The former James Nash student recently returned to Gympie after completing high school in Biloela.

"Our future is secure with these young people," Mrs Reisenleiter said. "They are absolutely wonderful; you can tell they are heading in the right direction."