Kilmore International School: Dual focus on academic and extra curricular

PETER Lejins has been studying the piano for as long as he can remember.

Peter is a Year 12 Kilmore International student who hopes to pursue a Bio Medicine degree, but also has a keen interest in the performing arts (singing). His scholarship to Kilmore International allowed him to pursue singing lessons during his time at the school.

PETER Lejins has been studying the piano for as long as he can remember.

“I have been taking piano lessons since I was — I don’t even know how old. Very young,” said the 18-year-old from Seymour. “But I only started singing lessons in Grade 6.”

Peter’s flair for vocal performing has come on in leaps and bounds since he took up singing at The Kilmore International School.

Last year, Peter took part in the Victorian Opera Youth Choir, school musical theatre, the Seymour Performers Workshop and was named Goulburn Murray Emerging Young Artist of 2017.

All the while, he was finishing a demanding Year 12 at The Kilmore International School, completing the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Peter said his passion for extra-curricular activities such as music, performing arts and scouting were encouraged by Kilmore’s Creativity, Action and Service program.

“This program requires all students to participate in 150 hours of extra-curricular activity,” Peter said. “Because of this requirement, the school runs many activities such as the Duke Of Edinburgh Award and other weekly sporting or musical activities.

“I achieved my Queen’s Scout Award outside of school, with the 1st Seymour Scout Group, but I could use many of these hours for my CAS. The same goes for the time I spent at Victorian Opera and in the productions with Seymour Performers Workshop.

“CAS and the running of all these activities allow students to participate in activities outside of academics and expand their horizons.”

The Kilmore International School offers academic scholarships to students in Years 7 to 12. Peter was a scholarship recipient and received a 25 per cent remission in fees for the duration of his studies from Year 7.

The scholarships are awarded based on students’ performance on an ACER scholarship exam.

“It was definitely an added bonus that allowed me to concentrate on my studies and do other things in school,” Peter said. “The money we spared because of the scholarship, we put back into singing lessons in the school to help me progress in music.”

Peter received an IB Diploma score of 41, equivalent to a 98.85 ATAR, and has been accepted to study Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne.

While medicine has always been his first choice of career, he plans to continue singing at Melbourne University.

• To find out more, visit kilmore.vic.edu.au