Finbar O’Sullivan, who lives in Avenel, is a Seymour College class of 2024 graduate.
Conquering Year 12 is enough of a feat to receive a medal, but Finbar, after achieving a whopping 99.15 ATAR and being named the college’s dux, has been awarded for his distinguished dedication.
The annual Victorian Premier’s Award acknowledges students who have exhibited a particularly strong commitment to their education.
Finbar was among the 315 students to receive the Premier’s Award, shaking the hand of Education Minister Ben Carroll while on stage at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre for the ceremony on Wednesday, July 2.
For his perfect score of 50 in his VCE General Mathematics examination, Finbar has a place among the highest academic achievers in the state.
“It feels very good, I’m very grateful to receive the award,” Finbar said.
“I wasn’t expecting anything like this, I’d heard of the Premier’s Award, but I didn’t really feel like it was achievable going into the start of the year.
“It was a very nice surprise when I did get it.”
Finbar is currently in the midst of a gap year, working as a maths tutor at his alma mater.
While he isn’t certain what career path he will follow, he has deferred a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne.
Set to commence this degree next year, Finbar said it was difficult to picture himself being as diligent as his Year 12 self again.
“I will probably never study that hard again in my life, so it’s nice to be out the other side and enjoying life a little bit,” he said.
“It’s also nice to still be rewarded for the fact that I did work hard, and I was able to receive something that acknowledged that fact.”
With VCE exams looming, and Year 10 and 11 students beginning to choose subjects for their final years of school, Finbar’s advice for local students is to put in the work.
“I would say, study hard because in VCE, it’s not an intelligence competition,” he said.
“It really is the amount of work you put in; the more work you put in, the more likely you are to get a good result.
“So, give it your best.”