Scotch College

The Class of 2008 leaves its legacy

The Class of 2008 has contributed magnificently to the well-being and culture of Scotch, and has left a legacy that we will enjoy for years to come.

Words: Ms Keiron Jones – Head of Year

The Class of 2008 has achieved the finest VCE results at Scotch College since the inception of the Victorian Certificate of Education in 1989.

Every year Scotch students achieve excellent results, both by individuals and as a cohort. However, last year’s results take Scotch achievements to another level and fire a challenge to graduating classes to follow.

Four boys achieved the highest possible score of 99.95: Timothy Martin, Minh-Quan Nguyen, Matthew Pierri and Andy Wang. The co-Duxes are profiled in this issue.

The overall statistics are impressive, too: 12 per cent of the Class of 2008 achieved an ENTER of 99 and above, placing them in the top one per cent of VCE students in Victoria. The median score for the whole group was 90.57, with 52 per cent achieving an ENTER of 90 and above.

It perhaps sounds a little clichéd that a school takes great pride in all of its students, regardless of ENTERs high or low, if they have performed to their best ability; but clichéd or not, it is true.

At Scotch, a number of boys truly excelled by achieving an ENTER significantly below the median, by working hard, taking responsibility for themselves and making the most of their opportunities to learn and grow. For them, an ENTER in the stratospheric 90s was out of the question; yet, like the vast majority of the Class of 2008, they persevered. Remarkably, 85 per cent of the class achieved an ENTER of 70 and above.

The highest possible individual subject study score is 50 (representing the top 0.05 per cent of students). There were 18 subject scores of 50 (see details in this section). This achievement is magnificent, and one that we mustn’t take for granted as ‘a Scotch thing’ or ‘easy enough to get’. It really is a testament to the students who attained such superb results.

The efforts of last year have been vindicated, with 97 per cent of boys being offered a place at a tertiary institution. The University of Melbourne (offering the new Melbourne Model undergraduate degrees), Monash University and Deakin University still remain the most sought after, with 88 students offered a place at the University of Melbourne, 106 at Monash University, and 54 at Deakin University. Many other tertiary institutions also offered places.

The range of courses applied to was diverse, reflecting Scotch’s stated aim to educate the whole person and to encourage personal interest and endeavour. The arts, commerce, medicine, construction, visual arts, engineering, theatre studies, education, science and industrial design all attracted interest.

Other notable achievements include:

• Alexander Linossier: awarded the University of Melbourne Extension Program Prize for Academic Excellence in Physics. This prize is awarded to the highest achieving Physics Extension Program student who also obtains an overall result of first-class honours.
• John Biun: the major prize winner for top marks in Enhancement Chemistry at Monash University.
• Anthony Palazzo: offered a place at Nottingham University, UK, to read finance, accounting and management.
• Jae Jin Lee: offered a place at King’s College, London, to read medicine.
• Charlie Sturgeon has achieved an extraordinary ‘triple’ by being selected for Top Screen, Top Designs and Top Class, an almost unheard-of success. Top Screen at ACMI will show his film Timmy until May. The film is also being screened at the Melbourne Museum. His folio will also be on display at both venues, a most rare occurrence. Finally, he performed his superb solo piece ‘The Prisoner’ at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

The Class of 2008 completed their examinations in much the same way they completed their senior years in everything else: in good spirits and on top of their game.

It was also particularly gratifying to see so many boys acknowledging the efforts of their teachers at the end of the year. This is as it should be because their teachers, too, were on top of their game and gave so much more than they needed to their students. There is considerable professional pride in final results, but there is also a deeper, unmistakeable feeling that their contribution will last long after ENTERs and study scores are forgotten.

In my final letter to them in December last year I wrote: ‘The Class of 2008 has contributed magnificently to the well-being and culture of Scotch and has left a legacy that we will continue to enjoy for years to come.’ It is true, and we wish them well as they embark on the next phase of their lives. GS

Study Scores of 50 – 2008

Year 11
Michael Yang Li	Biology
	Mathematical Methods CAS

Year 12
John Biun	Chemistry
Edward Hamer	Design and Technology
Maximilian Lee	English (ESL)
Stephen Moore	English
Timothy Martin	English
Yang Li	English
Minh-Quan Nguyen	English History: Revolutions
Nathan Su	Literature
Andy Wang	Specialist Mathematics Physics
Benjamin Lucato	Specialist Mathematics Mathematical Methods CAS
Stephen Kyrou	Media Studies
Alexander Linossier	Physics
Andy Wang	Physics