Canberra’s top year 12 students learn to balance study with having fun

Canberras top students following the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies awards. Photo: Jeffrey Chan

The ACT's joint top year 12 students share a love of maths, chemistry and physics, and their extraordinary abilities have resulted in an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 99.95 each - the highest possible score.

But they have also made time during their final years of school for movies, cooking, swimming, canoeing, hiking and the odd game of Wii.

Canberra College student Jiheng Xu (Sunny) arrived in Canberra on her own more than two years ago from China, to complete years 11 and 12 in a city her parents thought would offer her a complete education.

Top year 12 students Jiheng Xu of Canberra College and Vanessa Ma of Canberra Girls Grammar School. Photo: Jeffrey Chan

She lived in a homestay with a family before moving out on her own once she turned 18.

Advertisement

There are currently 220 overseas students in the ACT government's homestay program, paying up to $14,800 a year to complete years 11 and 12 in the ACT.

The fact that Ms Xu had only basic English language skills when she arrived makes her success - her subjects include English, specialist mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, visual art and food for life - even more outstanding.

Ms Xu, who heads to the University of Melbourne next year to begin a degree in actuarial studies, said she had enjoyed Canberra's open spaces to balance her time at the books. She was involved in scouting and tried to get outdoors most weekends for some bushwalking or canoeing.

Originally posted here:
Canberra's top year 12 students learn to balance study with having fun