Revealed: North Coast 2024 HSC best and brightest
The biggest HSC cohort on record has completed their 13 years of schooling and are now looking towards the next chapters of their lives. See what subjects your friends and loved ones did in our interactive search list.
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HSC graduates from northern NSW are a part of the state’s best and brightest in the record-breaking Class of 2024.
A record 69,962 attained their HSC across NSW and another 9522 have completed at least one HSC course. Impressively 12 per cent of all course results landed in the top band, 42 per cent in the top two bands, and 74 per cent in the top three bands.
Among the list of high achievers was Byron Bay High School student Sophia St Clair Honey who earned an ATAR of 95.4, being recognised on the Distinguished Achievers list for Design and Technology, Society and Culture, and Visual Arts.
“I’m so happy because it was a lot of work,” Sophia said.
“There were three major works involved so a lot of work went into it before even sitting for the HSC to make sure those were all good.”
Sophia said the major work had to be “innovative” and use “emerging technologies”, especially sustainable practices.
“My project drew attention to the issue of micro plastics in the ocean so I made a jewellery set made out of 100 per cent recycled materials or recycled sterling silver and I also used resin.
“I made tiny ocean resin things to sit in the silver and they had micro plastics in them,” Sophia said.
The idea is the jewellery is a conversational piece for change.
“If someone said they liked the necklace you could talk about the problem so it spreads awareness of the issue.”
The Byron student also completed a seven panel still life oil painting series referencing the Vanitas.
“I was trying to put a post modern spin on it and say like how rich my life has been with love and all that.”
Like many this cohort, Sophia is planning some gap time before launching into political science, international relations or a potential law degree.
All-Round Achievers
There were 36 students from the Tweed to Port Macquarie who achieved the highest possible band in 10 or more units in their current study pattern.
Distinguished Achievers
Alstonville High School graduate Annie Tolman said “it’s a relief” to see great results in English advanced, English extension I and II.
“Yeah it’s my forte,” the teen said.
She said the courses are a mix of philosophy, psychology, sociology and literature.
“In extension I we looked at Shakespeare a lot … we did Emily Dickinson’s poetry. In extension II it’s kind of like your own little baby because you have your own project,” Annie said.
“I did a lengthy essay looking at how Anne Sexton’s poetry uses the body as imagery to discuss postmodern topics and feminist ideas.”
She said English was her discovered niche in high school and did so well in it because she “loved it”.
“I find it really hard to study if I’m not motivated … but I would just get my head in the game and do as much as I could when I could and then have a break.
“I was just listening to my body and what it needed.”
The teen plans to have a gap year before pursuing politics and criminology at Griffith University.
Alstonville High School woodworking grad Reid Sweeney said he was “pretty happy” with his band six Industrial Technology – Woodworking project.
“It definitely makes you feel like your hard work has paid off,” Reid said.
“It gives you that good feeling when you’ve put in so much hard work and then it finally starts to pay off.”
Reid said balancing study, school and work was “definitely busy”.
“I just remember at work whenever I was in a break, cracking open the laptop to get some study in … it was definitely busy.”
He said with good time management you can “make it work”.
“For my major work I decided to make an outdoor timber table. It’s a very intricate piece and had a lot of ups and downs in the process.
“I was pretty amazed how it turned out, I’m very happy with it.”
Reid praised his teachers and local businesses who helped him achieve his vision.
“A lot of the design process was trial and error drawing designs then editing them to make them better … you just kind of let the pencil float on the page,” he said.
An eight-seater outdoor table Reid produced a herringbone pattern on the top made out of “beautiful wood pieces”.
Considering a double degree in Engineering and Business the teen said his break starts now until March.
Top Achievers in Course
There were 10 students from Byron Bay to Coffs Harbour to receive one of the highest places in a HSC course or optional exam as well as a result in the highest band.
Felicia Mitchell from Ballina achieved second in the state for Indonesian Beginners and said her passion to learn the language stemmed from wanting to learn about her heritage.
“My mum is Indonesian but she’s not in my life anymore so I thought it’d be good because I knew nothing about my mum’s side in my heritage,” Felicia said.
“I was interested in International Relations at the time (year 10) so it made sense to get a language to have in the back pocket.
“I didn’t know anything at all … it was challenging at the start.”
Felicia said it was a “bit of a shock” to learn she had placed second in the state.
“I was not expecting that at all. I was like, hoping to get top ten but I did not think at all top two. That’s insane.”
She said her success was due to a supportive dad, teachers and a good learning structure.
“You do one module a week and after you complete the module you do a speaking lesson with the teacher and you just do a conversation in Indonesian depending on what module you did.
“By the time you get to year 12 you’re learning 50 words a week. It was hard to juggle but with dedication it’s pretty manageable.”
Felicia said practising speaking with other teachers she didn’t know helped her get a feel for what it’s like to talk to someone she doesn’t know.
The teen plans to have a gap year and travel to Europe for a couple of months and then share a surfing trip to Indonesia with her Dad.
“I’ll keep practising my Indonesian because I want to keep that up,” she said.
“I’ve had a couple of offers yet I’ve broadened my horizons and am interested in economics and international relations but I’m still not sure. Maybe Sydney in a couple of years.”
Got a news tip? Email catherine.piltz@news.com.au
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