Loreto College student tops state in VCE agriculture results
The opportunity to get outside of the classroom and visit farms and nurseries helped Arna Howard achieve a top score in her VCE ag exam. See the honour roll.
Growing up with animals and surrounded by sheep and potato farmers provided a sound basis for academic success for recent graduate Arna Howard.
From Blampied, just outside of Daylesford, the Loreto College alumni topped the state on the VCE Agricultural and Horticultural Studies exam, producing a study score of 49.
“Growing up on land with lots of animals, it was always something I was interested in. So when I started at Loreto, I knew I was going to choose the subject for VCE,” Arna said.
One of two students from Loreto, alongside Charlotte Gibson, to achieve a score of 40-plus in the exam, Arna said the smaller cohort of around eight students in the subject allowed teachers to focus more time on individuals, and help identify their strengths and weaknesses.
“I enjoyed how it was taught. It was a lot different from my other subjects, visiting farms and nurseries and more real life content,” she said.
After considering a career as a vet growing up, Arna, also a representative netballer for Ballarat Football Netball League and the Central Highlands, will now be moving down to Geelong after accepting an offer from Deakin University in nursing and midwifery.
“One of my sisters lives down there, and I’m playing netball for St Joseph’s,” she said.
VCE AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL STUDIES HONOUR ROLL 2024
Arna Neve HOWARD, Loreto College, 49
Maisy Jazz BATSON, Goroke P-12 College, 47
Gus Dylan CHARLES, Ballarat Grammar, 44
Lucinda Ann-Maree Rose SMITH, Goroke P-12 College, 44
Jenna Louise ALDAY, Tyrrell College, 43
Connor Roy LEE, Birchip P-12 School, 43
Liliana Maree DEAN, Virtual School Victoria, 42
Matilda Marjorie Olive STONEY, Virtual School Victoria, 42
Matilda Mary-Rose CLEVE, Assumption College, 41
Annabel Syme MCDONELL, Geelong Grammar School, 41
Charlotte GIBSON, Loreto College, 40
Blake Charlie LEE, Birchip P-12 School, 40
Rachel Elizabeth MOORE-COULSON, Virtual School Victoria, 40
Mia Jade STORY, Mount Lilydale Mercy College, 40
*Not all students who received a study score of 40 or more have given permission for their results to be published.
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