Angaston’s Lucy Dickinson has topped the region with an ATAR score of 98.9.
The Nuriootpa High School graduate just scraped above Faith Lutheran College’s Lucy Blenkiron, who received a 98.75 ATAR and Kapunda High School’s Georgia Flavel, 98.35 ATAR.
Despite a global pandemic and challenge of a few weeks learning from home, it appears many of the Barossa’s Year 12 students have excelled in their final year of schooling.
For Lucy, being named the Nuriootpa High School 2020 dux and topping the region came completely unexpected.
“But it feels good. It’s nice to finally see an actual number that reflects how hard you’ve worked,” said Lucy.
“We have such high achievers in our year level who are all close friends of mine. I’m just so proud of myself and my peers for being able to do so well during a difficult year.”
Lucy achieved A grades in all of her Year 12 subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Specialist Maths, Maths Methods and English.
She completed Research Project in Year 11.
For Lucy, she said it’s hard to attribute her success this year to anything in particular.
But she believes having supportive peers, teachers and family members helped, as well as an undeniable passion for learning.
“I honestly found Year 12 one of the best years of my schooling because I was finally doing the subjects I really cared about,” said Lucy.
As well as enjoying her studies, Lucy had fun at Sports Day, was President of the SRC and the recipient of the The Lions Club of Barossa Valley Coulthard Prize at the Year 12 Presentation Night.
However, throughout the year there was of course added pressure of a global pandemic and worry about how the year would end up.
“We were quite lucky in the Barossa, with only really that main hotspot in March. This meant we had a few weeks of school closure and studying from home,” said Lucy.
“It was definitely a change from what we were used to. It was just harder to continue to be motivated. So I was really happy to be back at school.”
With her high school days now over Lucy is looking forward to a gap year and completing a vintage in the laboratory at Thorn Clarke Wines, Angaston.
But in 2022 she hopes to find her way over to the University of Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Science.
“I don’t really have any clear career goals at the moment,” said Lucy.
“I’ve always found it really hard throughout my schooling to pin down what I actually want to do because I have so many interests. This university will let me study something broad with so many avenues.”
And despite it being time for a very well-deserved break, Lucy said she’s going to miss the teachers, her friends and studying over the next year.
“This is going to sound so nerdy... but I’m going to miss doing maths every day because that’s my favourite subject,” she said.
“But I’m looking forward to the future.”
