Premier performance by two top students

Wesley students and 290 of their high-performing VCE peers were recognised for their outstanding 2018 academic achievement at the Premier’s VCE Award in June.

Noah Bass (OW2018) and Nicholas (Nick) Lazzara (OW2018) were recognised as two of Victoria’s top-performing students in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), each receiving a Premier’s VCE Award at a ceremony at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Noah, a student at Wesley’s St Kilda Road Campus, received his Premier’s VCE Award for his achievement in Geography. Nick, a student at Wesley’s Glen Waverley Campus, received his Premier’s VCE Award for his achievement in Music Sound Production.

Richard Brenker, Acting Principal in first semester and Head of Campus at Glen Waverley, was on hand to congratulate Noah and Nick on their outstanding achievement.

Pursue your passion

For Nick and Noah, learning and academic success is all about pursuing your interests and passions. ‘When I chose my subjects, I asked, “What do I enjoy?” and, “What am I good at?” There’s no point doing a subject you don’t enjoy,’ Nick says. ‘You need to find what excites you, makes you want to learn, and channel that.’

Currently studying a Bachelor of Science at Monash University, Nick decided to follow his passion for science, and plans to transfer to a double degree in Science and Engineering, specialising in either sustainable infrastructure or acoustic engineering, and is continuing with sound production in his spare time.

Nick says learning involves much more than mastering content. ‘Both Clunes and my involvement in music were pivotal for me. At Clunes, I learned a lot about self-confidence and interacting with others. My involvement in the Music School taught me how to organise my time – and I made some of my strongest friendships though the music program.’

Teachers matter

For Nick, teachers played a crucial role in his academic success, but so did peers. ‘I was lucky to have such talented, passionate and caring teachers in my VCE years. My teachers taught beyond the subject and the classroom, making sure that we were good with content but also consistently checking in with us, making sure that we were holding up alright. Our Year 12 VCE cohort was extremely cohesive, which made learning fun, as well as allowing for much collaboration – particularly in study periods.’

That’s a view echoed by Noah. ‘My teachers throughout my schooling have played an instrumental role in my learning, and not just through their normal teaching commitments,’ he says. ‘They genuinely wanted to see their students do well.

‘My peers played an equally pivotal role, providing academic support when I needed it, but it was also good just getting together on weekends, having fun and creating an enjoyable social and learning environment in and out of school.’

VCE Geography teacher, Sara Liversidge, says of Noah, ‘He was a great kid to teach. He was hard working, he followed things up in class and out of class, and he set high standards: to do his best.’

‘Noah took up Geography in Year 12. Like his peers, he had undertaken a VCE Unit 3-4 in Year 11, and that experience in Year 11 is always very helpful. There’s a strong flow-on effect across other Year 12 subjects. It certainly assists students going into Year 12,’ Sara says.

‘I’m pretty passionate about my subject, and I think that might trigger the interest of students, but I’ve also benefitted from the professional development opportunities the College offers that have really helped shape my teaching practice, and helped me become a better teacher. Being a Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority examiner also helps.

‘Noah quickly developed a very strong passion for the subject. It’s the best thing to be able to help a student find their passion. What greater gift can a teacher give?’

That’s a view emphatically endorsed by Noah. ‘When you enjoy the content, there’s no need for an external stimulus for motivation,’ he says.  While his passion for the subject was a clear motivator, another strong motivation was understanding the prerequisites and scores required to take the next step to university.

Currently studying Science, majoring in Geography at the University of Melbourne, he is looking forward to seeing where his degree takes him. ‘I’m still undecided on what I’d like to study at postgraduate level,’ he says.

Top tips

Noah’s top tip for our current Year 11s and 12s? ‘Have fun and enjoy it while it lasts. Find a good balance that works for you. Effective study is about quality rather than quantity. Make time to go out and have a good time with your mates on a regular basis in order to relax and get away from study. Being relaxed and enjoying the company of those around you makes a monumental difference. It not only helps you to enjoy your study and being at school but also supports your overall wellbeing throughout the year.’

Like Noah, Nick says quality trumps quantity every time. ‘Apply yourself in class, ask your teacher a million questions and you won’t need to study nearly as much as you would otherwise,’ he says. ‘Don’t waste time on things you’re confident with. Start with maybe one question that you’re familiar with, then head into a challenging question: find all the holes in your knowledge, which you can then ask your teacher about at the start of the next lesson.

‘Tackle practice exams on the VCAA website; make sure you know what’s in the study design so you can focus on relevant questions and identify what you’re not so good at, and read the examiner’s report after every practice exam.’

Time management really helps, says Nick. ‘Make sure you don’t overload yourself with work as you’ll end up hating your subjects, learn less effectively and you will burn out, take my word for it. You don’t want to find this out from experience. Always take a break at a certain time, have a couple of hours to chill out before bed. Go see friends or go out regularly, and don’t give up your hobbies – your brain needs a break.’