“The goal I set myself at the start of the year was to not have any regrets about Year 12 by the end of it.”  

For Hannah, this intention shaped every decision she made in her final year at MLC. Achieving a perfect ATAR was never the goal in itself – it was the result of her steady, disciplined approach, a mindset she had honed through years of musical training. “Keeping this goal in mind helped me to stay focused throughout the year, knowing that if I worked as hard as I could, then I could be at peace with whatever result as long as I had given it my best shot.” Being named Dux of the College left her feeling grateful above all else. “I felt extremely humbled to receive this recognition as it really felt like the culmination of a lot of hard work and help from many people including all of my teachers and other staff members in the MLC Community.”  

Music had long taught Hannah the habits that later shaped her academic success – persistence, routine, attention to detail and the ability to practise with purpose. “Through challenging myself, I had the opportunity to learn and practise a lot of skills that I will carry into the next chapter of my life in university and beyond – skills such as knowing how to pace myself, balancing my time between academics and other commitments, working in a team, and knowing how to be disciplined and efficient with my time.”  

Her decision to pursue the ATAR Pathway emerged from a genuine passion for learning across disciplines. “I was driven to the ATAR pathway by my passion and interest in both STEM subjects and the Humanities/Arts.” She embraced the intellectual contrast in her subjects. “I really enjoyed the challenge of subjects like Mathematics Specialist and English Literature which both pushed me to think far outside the box.” The workload was demanding, but she approached it with the same resilience she brought to mastering complex music pieces. “Managing these challenges required quite a lot of dedication and persistence though, as well as leaning on the support and help of my teachers.”  

Leadership was another meaningful part of her Senior Years. As Academic Prefect, she contributed to building a positive, engaging academic culture at the College. “I really enjoyed the opportunity that I had as Academic Prefect to get directly involved in the running and planning of the various weeks to make them as enjoyable as possible for the girls to participate in.” Connecting with younger students was especially rewarding. “I particularly enjoyed being able to meet some of the younger girls in Middle and Junior Years… and being able to hopefully inspire a love of learning.”  

Music remained the thread that connected much of Hannah’s MLC experience. In Year 11, she made the ambitious decision to complete ATAR Music early. “The main reason that led me to take on the challenge of Music ATAR early was thinking ahead about the potential of Year 12 to be a very hectic year.” This required discipline – and countless early mornings. “I often had to create an organised schedule for myself… I also had to resort to quite a lot of early morning piano practise sessions!” Her performance at the 2024 Year 12 Showcase remains one of her most meaningful memories. “It felt so special to be accompanied by my classmates and to me, the night really encapsulated so many aspects that defined my MLC story – being part of a team, being able to explore and share my passions with others and being so supported by the community around me.”  

Service also shaped her values and outlook. “A mantra that I strive to live by is to ‘be a part of something greater than yourself’.” Experiences such as being a Nulsen Youth Patron and travelling to Cambodia helped her understand the impact compassion can have. “Being able to bring a smile to the faces of the Nulsen residents and the children in the Cambodian villages was so priceless to me.”  

Supported by a Winthrop Scholarship, Hannah is now studying Biomedicine at the University of Western Australia with an assured pathway to Medicine. She hopes younger students will feel empowered to pursue both academic goals and personal passions. “Don’t feel like you have to give up your passions to achieve academically in Years 11 or 12… you’ll learn how to prioritise and manage your time so that you can still achieve your goals and not miss out on your passions.”