Year 12 students from across the Southern Highlands received their HSC results on Thursday and ATAR scores on Friday.

Seven Highlands high schools – including Bowral High School, Moss Vale High School, Southern Highlands Christian School, Frensham, Oxley College, Chevalier College and St Paul’s International School – achieved a mixture of top ATARs, top 10 in subjects and a strong number of band 5 and 6 results.

Oxley College had three students in the top 10 in the state for their subjects, including Gabriel Kolovos with a first place ranking in HSC mathematics general two, and Juliette Swain with a third place ranking and Jessica Deakin with a ninth place ranking in design and technology.

In addition to this, 10 of 14 Oxley College drama students were nominated for the HSC drama showcase ONSTAGE.

Oxley students Lachlan Billington-Phillips, Campbell de Montemas, Cameron Grice, Freya Kenay, Conor O’Meagher and Jacob Sullivan were selected for ONSTAGE and will perform their play ‘?’ at the Seymour Centre in February 2019.

In Visual Art and Design and Technology, Oxley’s Jessica Deakin’s works have been selected for SHAPE 2018 at the Powerhouse and ARTEXPRESS at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.

At Bowral High School two students have been selected for ARTEXPRESS. Cameron Johnstone will have his body of work exhibited in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Blue Mountains Cultural Centre and Kelsey Walker will have her work displayed in the Hazelhurst Arts Centre.

Meanwhile 13 Bowral High School students were mentioned in the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) distinguished achievers list including Matthew Bates, Yasmine Chehade, Ailie Ford, Hannah Fraser, David Humphreys, Cameron Johnstone, Ema Kobayakawa, Tomas Langley, Joel McAloon, Alex Paviour, Samuel Shanks, Joshua Vinczefi and Kelsey Walker.

At Southern Highlands Christian School, students Vincent Livolsi and Jessica Foster received a band 5 or 6 in every subject.

Overall Southern Highlands Christian School students achieved 31 band 5 or 6 grades.

This also includes a number of pre-apprenticeship students who performed very well in their subjects.

The vast majority of students intending on pursuing their studies further into university have received early entry places at the institution of their choice.

Frensham’s Georgia Richardson was a high achiever in music extension and visual arts, and she secured early entry into the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to study piano and clarinet.

When Georgia came to Gib Gate, she did not have a musical background.

“I was really encouraged to pick up an instrument and I decided to pick the clarinet because a lady from Star Trek played one,” she said.

“When I came to Frensham I took piano lessons and I really got into both instruments from there.

Antoinette Inglis was also a high achiever, with high marks in drama and mathematics general two.

“Drama in year nine was an elective, I chose it because I wasn’t good at visual arts,” she said.

“In year 10 I felt I was getting good at it so I continued. I didn’t do a school play until my final year. 

“Working in my group within the drama class solidified my passion.”

Alice Battock was selected for the prestigious ARTEXPRESS.

“I’m really into art and super passionate about it, I put so much time into my work, it’s so much more than just a piece of art to me,” Alice said.

“It was really scary putting my work up on the wall, I felt really vulnerable.

“When my art was picked I cried, it was really scary but nice to know people liked it. I was really proud when I saw it hanging up, at the exhibition it was really nice to hear positive feedback.”

Hard work also paid off for Isabella Camilleri, who was an ARTEXPRESS nominee.

“My major work is my favourite piece of art I’ve done. So many hours went into it and I was really happy with the final result,” Isabella said.

Alice and Isabella were of 8700 entries, which was narrowed down to 400 nominations, and made the 200 selection.

Chevalier College student Charlotte Sheridan achieved Band 6 or equivalent in extension courses (E4) in all courses.

Her hard work has placed her on the HSC All Rounders List for 2018.

Charlotte said she was happy her hard work had paid off.

“It was unexpected but I’m really happy all the hard work paid off,” Charlotte said.

“My future plans are hopefully uni. Possibly UTS (University of Technology Sydney) or a Sydney University and I’d like to do communications.” 

Before Chevalier College student Najat Chidiac received her HSC marks, she already had three university offers. 

This included a conditional offer for a doctor of medicine and health at the University of Sydney, a bachelor of psychology (honours) at Macquarie University, and a bachelor of pre-medicine, science and health and a bachelor of psychology (honours) at the University of Wollongong.

Najat was a high achiever, who received three band sixes and a band five in her HSC exams.

2018 Chevalier College captain Hannah Rewais put in the hard yards this year.

“I worked pretty hard throughout the year and I got a pretty good result in all my courses,” Hannah said.

“I’m hoping to study medicine, no matter what the pathway is. That’s my end goal.” 

A further 23 Chevalier College students were named on the distinguished achievers list, a number of whom achieved recognition in multiple courses.”

Moss Vale High School student Leah Drayton was pleased to wake up on Thursday morning and see a band 6 result for agriculture.

The 18-year-old Bundanoon resident plans to take a year off to work at a horse stable before studying a bachelor of paramedicine at Charles Sturt University or Western Sydney University.

“I’d like a break and earn some money, then I can put maximum effort into university,” she said.

Fellow Moss Vale High School student Erin Olesen, who received four band fives in the HSC, also has her sights set on a career as a paramedic.

“I’ve always wanted to do something in the medicine and health field. I had researched so many areas and I decided on paramedicine,” she said.

“I’m doing things constantly. I think I’d like the pace of the job.”

Meanwhile fellow student Jamie Lee received 89 out of 100 for music.

Jamie, who has been interested in space from a young age, said he hoped to study astrophysics at the Australian National University next year.

“In year eight when we were doing a research project in art and we had to look up things under the topic ‘out of this world’,” he said.

“I thought I’d look up space and I was fascinated by it.”

Moss Vale High School student Leah Drayton was pleased to wake up on Thursday morning and see a band 6 result for agriculture.

The 18-year-old Bundanoon resident plans to take a year off to work at a horse stable before studying a bachelor of paramedicine at Charles Sturt University or Western Sydney University.

“I’d like a break and earn some money, then I can put maximum effort into university,” she said.​

Meanwhile fellow student Jamie Lee received 89 out of 100 for music.

Jamie, who has been interested in space from a young age, said he hoped to study astrophysics at the Australian National University next year.

“In year eight when we were doing a research project in art and we had to look up things under the topic ‘out of this world’,” he said.

“I thought I’d look up space and I was fascinated by it.”

Moss Vale student Caitlin Hallam has laid the foundations for her future, with a job working with horses at a property in Forbes in the NSW Central West.

“I eventually want to go and work out on a cattle stations so this is a good starting point,” she said.

Four out of eight St Paul’s International College HSC students made the honour roll this year.

Julia Kosac, Bailey Walker and Tuan Dat Phung received a band six in Chinese continuers.

Mia Joy Laing and Julia Kosac received a band six in visual arts, while Tuan Dat Phung also received a band six in mathematics.

St Paul’s International College also had several high achievers in its foundation year program run through the University of New South Wales.

Three students received between 9.0 to 9.4 (equivalent to 90 per cent to 94 per cent).

Students included Tony Liu with a 9.4, Dylan Gao with a 9.3 and Karen He with a 9.0.