Chanthana Lov is the first in her family to graduate high school

Chanthana Lov is an “exceptional student” and a symbol of success. The daughter of Cambodian immigrants has become the first in her family to finish high school. This is her story.

Chanthana Lov with her family: Chandema Lov, Chanthana Lov, Chantha Orm and Thean Lov. Picture: Supplied

Daughter of Cambodian immigrants, 18-year-old Chanthana Lov is the first in her family to graduate high school.

Ms Lov’s resilience and dedication to her studies and school community led her to be nominated Graduate of the Year at MacKillop Catholic College for 2024.

Ms Lov credits her parents and their survival of the hardships of the Cambodian Civil War for giving her a special gift.

“They gave me the gift of a strong work ethic, perseverance, and the will to succeed,” Ms Lov said.

“These are gifts I carry with me every day.”

Ms Lov with her principal, Mr Lucas Hurley, cutting the cake as the 2024 Graduate of the Year. Picture: Supplied

Ms Lov’s father was 12 when the Khmer Rouge took power in a bloody revolution in Cambodia.

Like many Cambodians at the time, Ms Lov’s father, Thean Lov, fled to the Thai border and lived there in a refugee camp.

During the civil war, Mr Lov’s father was also executed.

“He couldn’t go to school,” Ms Lov said.

“It really impacted his family.

“My mother was more fortunate, she was born after the war, but she still lived through the aftermath.

Ms Lov is grateful for the support her family has given her. Picture: Supplied

“My parents always gave me what they couldn’t have in their childhood.”

Ms Lov enjoyed her schooling.

She said Japanese was her favourite subject, and spoke fondly of her teacher Ms Virginia Price.

“I am immensely proud of everything about Chanthana,” Ms Price said.

“Chanthana is an exceptional student who will undoubtedly go on to greater things.”

But school was not always easy for Ms Lov, sometimes the weight of expectation was too much to bear.

“I often felt the weight of expectations,” Ms Lov said.

“Expectations not just to succeed, but to ensure that I could one day give back to my parents for everything they sacrificed.

“This sense of duty, while motivating, also made me believe that perfection was the only way I could truly repay them.”

Ms Lov and her family. Picture: Supplied

Much of Ms Lov’s education journey was dedicated to finding her identity and purpose.

“Throughout high school, it felt like I was trying to do everything for my parents,” Ms Lov said.

“Something was missing.

“Then I realised, I was motivated to succeed for my parents, but I was forgetting about myself.

“So I decided to become the best person I can be, not just for my parents, but for myself and the people I love.”

Ms Lov has shirked the expectations of her parents to become a doctor, and will hopefully pursue computer sciences at University of Queensland in 2025.

She will find out if she received the ATAR to enter that course on Monday, December 16.

“I really think ATAR doesn’t define you as a person,” Ms Lov said.

“As long as you’ve done your best, that’s all that matters.”