After a disruptive year full of lockdowns and cancelled exams, two western Sydney locals have managed to persevere and top the state in two HSC subjects.
Despite really missing “the feeling of the classroom” during lockdown, 16-year-old Cerdon College Merrylands student Sophie Vo managed to come out on top in the HSC Business Services examination.
“Experience is the best teacher,” Ms Vo said.
“I felt that the qualification would make it easier to join the workforce as skills are highly valued by employers.”
The course of study led to Ms Vo securing a work placement at HEQS Group, a local furniture company where she was later offered a part-time position as an Administrative and Human Resources Assistant.
“After my placement, they offered me my first job ever. I was really excited,” she said.
Hoping to pursue a professional career in STEM, starting by studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney, Ms Vo’s Business Services studies will help to bring a project management focus to her future job.
Principal Patricia Baker, who encouraged Ms Vo to pursue the course, said that she was very proud of her, particularly after the difficult year that students had faced.
“This is such an excellent result from a very hard-working student! Sophie really embraced the course and always sought to do her very best in her studies,” Ms Baker said.
Describing his final year of high school as a “roller coaster,” Parramatta Marist High School student Cedric Castellino was “surprised, to say the least” to come first in Mathematics Standard 2, one of his favourite subjects.
“My family, friends and teachers played a huge role,” Ms Castellino said.
“They really supported me throughout the journey and I couldn’t have done any of this without them.”
Parramatta Marist Principal Mark Pauschmann said they were all very proud of Mr Castellino’s achievement.
“Cedric is a hard-working and intelligent student whose attitude of ‘just get on with it and plough through’ kept him focused on his studies,” Ms Pauschmann said.
As he looks forward to studying Computer Science at university, Ms Castellino advises future Year 12 students to make sure they keep some balance in their lives and to use their time effectively.
“I turned to my friends to relax,” he said.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.