By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE sleepless nights for the City of Casey’s Year 12 students are finally over.
Students throughout the municipality woke up on Monday morning to check their VCE results, which were finally released following months of studying and gruelling exams.
The honour of dux for Kambrya College, in Berwick, was given to Tanya Abraham who recorded an ATAR of 94.55.
“Looking at my scores for the first time was a nerve-wracking experience,” Tanya said.
“There were so many emotions.”
Meanwhile, the school’s VCAL dux was Luke Azzopardi.
“At the start of the year, I had decided that I would accomplish a high standard and strive for the dux award for 2015,” Luke said.
“With a lot of dedication and time, I have achieved this outcome.”
Across the way, 17-year-old Atifa Asghari achieved the highest score for her school – Narre Warren South P-12 College – with an ATAR of 93.45.
Atifa was too nervous to check the results herself and got her older sister to take a look first.
“I didn’t look at it immediately, I got my older sister to check my results,” she said.
“I remember last year when I did psychology my score was there, and it felt too quick to me.
“The plan was get my sister to tell me what it was in case I went badly.
“I just waited a little longer and eventually she spilled!”
With her impressive score, Atifa now hopes it will be enough to get into Melbourne University to study science.
At Fountain Gate Secondary College, Sarah Clarke was awarded dux of the school, with an ATAR of 91.5, while the dux of Maranatha Christian School was Paul Michalski, who achieved an ATAR of 99.5.
Meanwhile, the dux of Hampton Park Secondary College was 16-year-old Shrirajh Sarheakeerthy, who received an ATAR of 98.5.
Shrirajh completed his maths VCE subjects in Year 11 and this year completed his final three subjects – English, chemistry and physics.
Hampton Park Secondary College principal David Finnerty said Shrirajh was the “classic example” of what can be achieved through the “care and commitment that public schools, just like Hampton Park Secondary College provide”.
“The way in which we provide the support our students need ensures that they can go on to achieve outstanding results just like this,” he said.
Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley also praised the 16-year-old, who now wants to go on to study medicine.
“This is an extraordinary achievement by Shrirajh, who is an outstanding young man and will no doubt go on to achieve incredible things,” she said.
“Shrirajh’s amazing result is the culmination of years of hard work and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of his loving family and of course his teachers at Hampton Park Secondary College.”
