Female students dominate the HSC first-in-course awards and attack traditional male subjects
GIRLS have blitzed the boys in the HSC high achievers’ awards and are mounting an all-out offensive on traditionally male-dominated courses.
NSW
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GIRLS have blitzed boys in the HSC high achievers’ awards and are mounting an all-out offensive on traditionally male-dominated courses.
Female students topped the state in construction, software design and development, primary industries and economics as 76 girls snapped up first place certificates compared with 44 boys.
No one better illustrated the female assault on masculine subjects than 18-year-old Bianca Ritter, who took out the top spot in construction, saying she wanted to “break the stereotype” that it was a boys-only course.
“I had some comments from people who thought it was a joke but who’s laughing now,” Bianca said after receiving her first-in-course award at a ceremony attended by Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday.
“I can’t remember the last time our school had a female student do construction — I went out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed the challenge.”
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Bianca, from Mount Carmel Catholic College, said she was aiming for a career in construction project management.
Rebecca Rosenberg, 17, from Brigidine College Randwick, placed first in economics, motivated by the tragic death of her dad, Tony, at the start of the year.
“Economics is definitely male-dominated and it was a very difficult time for me but I persevered and never gave up,” Rebecca said.
“I would love to go into business one day but plan to start a Bachelor of Commerce at the UNSW first,” she said.
Also blowing her male competition out of the water, Emily Blyton from Monaro High School at Cooma came first in primary industries and might forge a career on the family farm.
Emily, 18, excelled on the course, which included weed spraying, mustering cattle and driving tractors. She said giving everything a go was the secret to her success in the highly practical subject.
Serena Gao, 16, of Smith’s Hill High School in Wollongong, took out the gong for software design and development despite only 9 per cent of students on the course being female. Emma Grant, 18, from Catherine McAuley Westmead topped hospitality.
Although they lost the overall battle, boys swept the English courses coming first or equal first in every discipline.
Bailey Wray, 18, from Magdalene Catholic High School topped English standard and 17-year-old Finnegan Waugh from the NSW School of Languages came first in Chinese beginners after heading the state in Mathematics last year.
Public schools dominated the first-in-course list, taking out 73 of the 114 courses.
Catholic students also performed strongly, with 18 students from the sector winning first places.
Department of Education Secretary Mark Scott said: “We have first-in-course students in regional areas from Griffith to Mullumbimby and Nowra.
“All students who have completed the HSC have succeeded in a world-class education system and now have the experience and skills to follow their dreams.”
Sydney Boys High School was the most successful public school securing eight firsts, followed by Fort Street High School with six.