Gold Coast high school graduates recognised for academic achievement

Gold Coast high school graduates are among the smartest in the state, this morning being celebrated at an exclusive Brisbane award ceremony.

GOLD COAST high school graduates are among some of the smartest in the state and have been recognised for their academic achievement at an exclusive award ceremony in Brisbane this morning.

Somerset College graduates Grace Kennett and Marc Eksteen were among the few dozen selected for the prestigious QCE Achievement Awards which exemplify the high standards in Queensland’s senior students.

Both OP1 students, the pair are set for start at university in the coming months and have attributed a balance between study and play for their success – along with many sleepless nights.

The pair have just been named the state’s smartest students. Picture Glenn Hampson

Self-described ‘very middle child’ Grace Kennett said her rivalry with her two older and two younger siblings may have been behind her drive to succeed in her final year of school.

“I am most competitive with myself,” Grace said.

“But I have always had people around me to compete against which has helped.”

She was recognised as the highest result on the Queensland Core Skills test.

The aspiring doctor said she called her father as soon as she discovered she would be receiving the award.

“My parents sacrificed a lot for my education so I wanted to tell them first,” Grace said.

“Dad commutes from his work in Griffith, in NSW every week so we could go to school here.”

“I really appreciate all they have done for me.”

Grace is set to start her medical degree at Monash University in Melbourne later this year.

The awards also came as a surprise for aspiring economist Marc Eksteen.

The proud Somerset student said he only discovered his love of numbers and mathematical problems during his senior years.

“I think it really helps to love what you do, I can’t really explain why I love mathematics – I am more confused why other people don’t,” Marc laughed.

Grace will be studying medicine while Marc wants to be an economist. Picture Glenn Hampson

The 18-year-old is enrolled at the University of Queensland and will be studying a degree in mathematics and economics.

“I think mathematics can be applied to lots of problems, like income inequality, global warming, over population, I would really like to play a role in solving some of those big issues,” he said.

Somerset College is one of only a handful of schools to have multiple students recognised over a consecutive number of years.

The QCE awards take into account a variety of factors to acknowledge that senior schooling is not a one-size-fits-all model and celebrate students that have achieved an exceptionally high level.

Check the goldcoastbulletin.com.au tomorrow morning for the full list of OP results.