High Achiever Testimonials 2025
Cameron Baker
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
I have pushed myself to improve every day. I’m grateful for parents who care deeply but don’t impose excessive academic pressure. They provide support, open conversations, and the freedom to make my own choices. They gave me the privilege of attending a school like Christ Church, inspiring me to make the most of the opportunity and motivating me to work hard and achieve my best.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
Year 12 and school, especially at Christ Church, offer many opportunities academically and in co-curricular activities. I played cricket and golf while managing difficult subjects, which limited my study time and caused stress about unfinished work. However, I realised the solution was to view these activities as breaks rather than obstacles. It’s impossible to study nonstop, so using sport to relax, connect with nature, and clear my mind helped me return to work refreshed, all while enjoying activities I love.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
I have developed important skills like communication, teamwork, and empathy. Serving as a House Captain was invaluable, as it involved leading a group, delegating tasks, and embracing experiences that reflect real-life situations. I learned to communicate effectively with large groups and recognised the importance of support systems. Utilising people around me like my Head of House and prefects were extremely beneficial for my own organisation and health and wellbeing. These skills will be essential at university and in future careers.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I’m hoping to study Medicine. If not, Engineering is my second choice, which will be testing and enjoyable. I also want to work on my golf to get it to the best spot I can. Hopefully, I can make some money as well, as I’d love to go travelling.
Christopher Berg
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
My motivation to work hard comes from people around me. My family is a strong influence, showing me how to stay committed and be persistent when encountering challenges. I’ve been inspired by many of my teachers throughout my schooling, and their belief in my potential made a real difference, especially during times when my motivation dropped. I have enjoyed constantly improving, working towards goals which I set for myself and seeing the results of consistent effort. One quote that I have found useful and true is that “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard”.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
Throughout school, I’ve faced a variety of challenges, and importantly I’ve learnt how to overcome them. It is important to break down problems into smaller steps as you can be easily overwhelmed. Its important to recognise that some factors are out of your control and just focus on what you can do to improve. Additionally, I’ve been fortunate to have a great support network. My parents and tutor (Mrs Nelles) have been very supportive during my schooling. I have a great network of friends who I have relied on when I encountered challenges. Finally, I think it’s important to find a good balance between studying and your extracurricular activities as this helps manage stress.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
Academically, I have had opportunities to extend myself and take responsibility for my own learning. I have enjoyed having the chance to work in many group tasks which has prepared me to work in team environments. Beyond academics, the School has provided leadership opportunities and co-curricular activities, including sport, which have taught me to collaborate with others in a myriad of situations and were also a great outlet during stressful periods of school.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I’m still deciding what to study at university next year. My priority is to choose a pathway where I feel motivated, challenged, and able to make a meaningful contribution. Regardless of what career I choose, I think it’s important to be flexible and be able to adapt to the challenges that come with any profession.
Harry Billingham
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
I just wanted to make sure that I did as best as I possibly could. After so many years at school, I thought it would be a shame if I didn’t make the most of the opportunities I had been given. What kept me motivated was knowing that I didn’t want any doubt in my mind over what ATAR I could’ve achieved if I had worked a little bit harder over the year.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
Over the year there were many times when I struggled, and I went through a few rough patches with my results. I dealt with these by focusing on the bigger picture and realising I had many more opportunities in the future to come back strong. Each test is only worth a few percent, so having one bad result wasn’t the end of the world and in the next test I had the chance to make up for it.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
I think my time at Christ Church has given me a really strong foundation for the future. It helped me find a great group of friends and taught me skills which will be invaluable for university as well as whatever comes after that. It’s prepared me to embrace all opportunities which are presented and to give everything a go.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
Next year I plan to study Engineering at the University of Melbourne. I’m not certain what type of engineering yet but I’m leaning towards mechanical or biomedical. I was recently accepted into Trinity College in Melbourne so that’s where I’ll be staying. Beyond that I haven’t got too much of a plan, but I hope to work in something which is interesting to me.
Sam Hurworth
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
Through my time at Christ Church, I was constantly pushed by the people around me to perform to my highest ability. Whether this was in sport, academics or leadership opportunities, I found that the competitive yet friendly environment fostered by the School was invaluable in encouraging me to achieve to my best ability.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
I feel as though the various opportunities I have undertaken at Christ church have built persistence in me. For example, through rowing, I learned how to persevere in the face of apparent setbacks and continue pushing towards my goals. However, I also learnt the importance of balancing these pursuits with my own well-being and being able to take time off when needed.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
I am leaving school with the confidence that I have already applied myself to a wide variety of pursuits. As such, I feel confident that I have been given the tools required to succeed throughout my future. I believe that the school has provided opportunities to develop resilience, leadership and a strong work ethic, which I hope will carry me through university and my career.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I am currently waiting to see if I have been accepted into three of Perth’s medical schools. If I get accepted, then I’ll be keen to give that a go. If not, I may choose to have a go at engineering, or else I might take a gap year and work while I decide what I want to do with my life.
William Kempson
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
The reality of hard work is that it is impossible to be at your best every single day; some days it feels more difficult, but on others the effort feels natural. On the difficult days I found inspiration from my friends and classmates, who seemed to power through the challenges that caused me stress. I’m sure they had their own difficulties, but they continued to encourage and inspire me to put in the same effort, even when it felt like too much, and I knew it would pay off just as it had for them.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
Throughout school, I have been presented with many challenges, both academic and extracurricular, and the way I responded to those challenges has shaped my success. Dealing with hurdles is about showing resilience and self-awareness; being resilient means having the motivation to keep trying again but being self-aware is all about knowing your limits. I learned it’s important to recognise when I didn’t have the answers and to ask peers or teachers for help. This approach helped me recover quickly and deepen my understanding.
How had the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
Christ Church is a school of many opportunities. Wonderful teachers, staff, programs, facilities, and friends all culminate in an experience that has prepared me for life at university, and beyond. Supportive teachers have helped me ask deeper questions and develop my learning skills, while the School’s broad range of opportunities allowed me to explore interests like rock bands and competitions in Mathematics and Science. It’s these resources that make Christ Church a wonderful learning environment that prepares you for nearly all paths of life.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I want to pursue a challenging and enjoyable career. With this in mind, I included both Medicine and Engineering in my preferences. Both fields excite me and offer opportunities to learn and develop new professional skills.
William Lewis
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
My parents are role models, inspiring me to work hard from a young age. They taught me to extend myself, value consistency, and appreciate the opportunities I have been afforded. Additionally, I must recognise many of the teachers I’ve had at the School, who have extended me and believed in me, even when I haven’t always believed in myself.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
I believe being balanced is essential in anything, and particularly during stressful periods in Year 12. I focussed on staying physically active and spend time on activities outside of academic work, such as balancing prefect commitments or playing music to relax. Additionally, reaching out for advice was crucial for me numerous times this year, and is something I would highly recommend for future Year 12 students.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
Outside of academic results, the School has been instrumental in shaping me into who I am today. I have been lucky enough to go on an 11-week exchange to Tonbridge School in the UK in Year 10, as well as two SIA tours to Nullagine and Cambodia in Year 11, which alongside the PSA, OQD and Venture, have given me life skills and developed my character more than just in the classroom.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
In 2026, I am hoping to study Medicine at UWA, however I am also open to teaching, as it is an area that I am extremely passionate about. I am also looking for opportunities to travel and gain more experience, as I’ve loved experiencing new places and meeting new people in the past. I am also looking forward to continuing running, as well as just enjoying some of the freedom post school.
Aidan Lim
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
My biggest inspiration for working hard has been my family, who have encouraged me to pursue my dreams and aspirations. All the staff have truly been inspirational, challenging me to reach my full potential. Thank you to Mr Vaswani for his constant guidance and encouragement since I was in Preparatory School and inspiring me to strive for excellence. Finally, I would like to recognise my peers, both in my cohort and others, for their unwavering support and motivation throughout the years.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
I’ve learned to approach challenges with resilience and adaptability. Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, I treat them as opportunities to improve. Christ Church has provided me with a strong support network with the staff and my peers helping me gain insight into any hardships I may face and providing valuable advice.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
Christ Church has provided many opportunities beyond the classroom, ranging across leadership, co-curricular activities and community involvement. These opportunities have provided me with valuable skills for the future including effective communication, resilience under pressure, teamwork, and the confidence to take initiative in unfamiliar situations.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I’m hoping to study Medicine at UWA as well as travelling abroad to experience new cultures and cuisines.
Rex Song
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
My peers were my biggest inspiration. Being surrounded by friends who were driven and hardworking pushed me to keep up and do my best.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
I leaned on the support network around me. Asking teachers for guidance and working through problems with friends made the challenges much easier to handle.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
At Christ Church I learnt balance. It gave me the academic discipline I need for university, but also the maturity and independence to manage my own time.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I am planning to study Engineering or Science at university, and I am hoping to move interstate or overseas to experience life in a new city.
Emmanuel Yuen
What or who has been your inspiration for working hard?
My biggest inspiration has come from my family, friends, tutors, and teachers. They have always believed in me and my potential and encouraged me to push through even when I doubted myself. I think I was also driven by a personal desire to see how far I could reach academically. I wanted to try and get the best ATAR I could while also balancing life with sports and other commitments.
How have you dealt with hurdles and challenges?
Year 12 came with many challenges, and no one gets through it without facing them. I learned to approach these with persistence and perspective by breaking overwhelming tasks into smaller, manageable pieces and organising my time through timeboxing, which helped me stay motivated and reduce procrastination. I reminded myself that setbacks are part of the process, not the end. I also learned the importance of strong relationships, getting through Year 12 alone is impossible. Support from friends and family was essential; I often turned to my parents for accountability and reassurance and studied would step back, go on walks or do simple activities, which helped me reset and maintain focus.
How has the School prepared you for your next phase of life?
The School has done so much in terms of helping me reach my full potential, my goals, and my future aspirations. The academic culture and environment have pushed me to be able to think critically and learn how to manage my time well. I have learnt how to take care of myself and deal with different setbacks and challenges as well as how to stay motivated during stressful seasons.
What is your plan for 2026 and beyond?
I hope to pursue Medicine at university and continue challenging myself academically and personally. Beyond academics, I look forward to continuing sport and getting to know more people. I plan to take all the skills, knowledge, and life lessons from Year 12 and my high school journey into my next phase of life in university as well as in my future jobs.