This week, across Australia, HSC results arrived, and the crucial task of assessing ATARs (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rankings) commenced at every school.
On Thursday, December 14th, at 5:45 AM, NESA (the New South Wales Education Standards Authority responsible for setting and monitoring school standards) released the results for over 700 secondary schools and 67,000+ students across the state.
This year, marking a significant shift, schools received individual students' ATAR scores an hour before students received their ranks. This created a palpable buzz of anticipation as Head of College, Mrs. Amelia Katsogiannis, shared the outstanding results with teachers and the Parish Council.
Genuine excitement and pride filled the air, not only for the students who soared with ATARs of 90 and above, but also for those whose dedication pushed their expected scores from the 50s into the 70s and the 60s into the 80s.
Jake Vassilis, embodying the College's spirit and motto "Aien Aristevein" (Forever Excelling), achieved the highest ATAR with a remarkable 99.8, receiving his results with characteristic humility.
The 2023 HSC cohort at St Spyridon College comprised 69 Year 12 students and 9 Accelerated Year 11 students. Their achievements shine bright, highlighting the College's excellence:
- Top 10% in the State: Ranking 78th in NSW, placing St Spyridon among the elite.
- Academic Brilliance: Jake Vassilis (ATAR 99.8) and Nektarios Kollias (ATAR 99.4) led the pack, with 19% of the cohort achieving an ATAR over 90.
- Subject Mastery: Nektarios Kollias (Classical Greek), Isabella Koutoulogenis (Modern Greek Continuers and Modern Greek Extension), and Victoria Stathos (Modern Greek Continuers and Modern Greek Extension) were crowned Top Achievers.
- Well-Rounded Excellence: Kristy Bourdaniotis, Gabriella Guerrera, Nektarios Kollias, and Jake Vassilis earned recognition as All Rounders.
- High Standards: A remarkable 44% of the cohort were Distinguished Achievers, with 55% achieving results above 80 and 81% placing in the top 2 Bands.
Celebrating with the students, Mrs. Katsogiannis declared, "Each day at St Spyridon College is a celebration of our motto and a commitment to excellence. We are incredibly proud of all our students' outstanding achievements. ΑΙΕΝ ΑΡΙΣΤΕΥΕΙΝ!"
Parish Priest Father Steven Scoutas, along with Fr Stavros Ivanos and Parish President Mr. Elia Economou, echoed the sentiment: "We extend heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. Katsogiannis, the Heads of Departments, Year Advisers, and all the teachers. We also recognize the parents, grandparents, and siblings who contributed to this success. We thank God and celebrate all our students for their remarkable performance and bright futures. May Christ guide their steps."
