THREE Year 12 students overcame adversity to graduate high school and are on track to follow their dream career paths.
Chantalle Krause, Samantha Sinclair and Billy Licence are the first students to graduate from the Australian Technology and Agricultural College (ATAC) since the site opened at North Maclean this year.
All three spoke candidly about their struggles in the mainstream school system before they moved to the College to follow a more tailored education pathway.
Ms Krause, who received the English Communication subject award, said she finally felt like she was going somewhere when the College arranged a childcare apprenticeship for her.
“School was difficult for me, I was never very social and not very good at fitting in,” she said.
“I came to ATAC in year 11 and could tell it worked differently. Close to the end of the year they got me the childcare apprenticeship I was promised.
“After graduating I look forward to studying a Diploma in Childcare.”
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Mr Licence said his final four weeks at the College made him realise that his school journey was more important then he thought.
“I struggled through the whole 12 years of schooling from prep to year 12 just because i didn’t think it was important and i could get by with knowing how to do normal things,” Mr Licence said.
“I was barely scraping through. (My teachers) helped me push through in Maths and English.
“(After graduating) I would like to become a mechanic or join the military.”
Ms Sinclair, who won the progressive award and received subject awards for Business and Pre-vocational Mathematics will pursue a career in hospitality.
ATAC CEO Narendra Nand used the analogy of a tripod stand to explain the key to the college’s success.
“The teachers are one of those legs, the parents are another and the student is the third,” he said.
“If we are working together in a very harmonious way it makes it easy to guide students and get them to do the work required in the classroom.”
Award winners
Year 10 English: Caleb Sutcliffe
Year 11 English Communciation: Oliver Walker
Year 11 Pre-vocational Mathematics: Shanea Maree Cassidy
Year 11 Business: Shanea Maree Cassidy
Year 12 English Communication: Chantalle Krause
Year 12 Pre-vocational Mathematics: Samantha Sinclair
Year 12 Business: Samantha Sinclair
Progressive Award: Samantha Sinclair
Student of the year: Shanea Marree Cassidy
Parent’s award: Amanda Licence
