With a passion for learning and strong sense of what she could achieve, the 2022 Glennie School DUX Sienna Richardson achieved an ATAR of 99.75. Let’s find out what it took to reach this remarkable achievement.
At The Glennie School, we celebrate our uniqueness and achievement in a range of areas. We build our community through the knowledge that the educational journey of each of our girls is accomplished through the student, the School, and caregivers joining together and supporting each other in this goal.
With a passion for learning, and a lot of support from her teachers and family Sienna has taken the first major step in reaching her future goal, to become All She Can Be.
What has been your families response to your result?
Mum was really excited! She went around the house screaming ‘oh my god’ while I will still just taking it all in. She was really happy, and I think pleased that i have come to the end point of this chapter, I have received the mark, and have made it through to the other side.
What will you miss most about school life?
I’ll definitely miss the teachers for their kindness and willingness to put up with all my questions in class. I think it will also take time adjusting to days without the regular school routine with classes and friends.
What subjects did you study in Years 11 and 12?
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, English, Literature.
Which subject/s did you find the most rewarding and why?
Chemistry was always interesting because each topic was different from the previous. Specialist Math was a challenge, however, all the concepts were abstract compared to what I was used to in Math Methods, which was stimulating.
What does ‘All She Can Be’ mean to you?
For me, All She Can Be can be applied to your area focus. I was a very academic student, and it was about making the most of the opportunities available to me, to achieve all that I could. Whether it be an individual assessment piece or for an overall subject, stiving to be all I could be helped me to push and motivate myself to reach my full potential.
Can you share a memorable concept or subject matter? Something that really stood out to you as challenging and/or interesting.
I really enjoyed the vector topic in Specialist Maths. When I first learnt it, the concept was a challenge to wrap my head around, however, once I understood it, vectors became my favourite topic, especially in 3-dimensions.
What are your career aspirations and what steps are you taking toward these?
At the moment I’m looking towards becoming a cardiac anaesthetist. I’m taking a gap year to have a break from study and focus on dance, and the following year I’ll start a dual degree of Advanced Science and Law at The Australian National University or The University of Queensland. I’d then complete a Doctorate of Medicine at Harvard University before moving onto medical residency.
What has kept you motivated on your pathway to academic success?
I set goals for myself throughout my academic journey. It might be something simple like getting above 90% for an upcoming exam, however, completing such goals gave me motivation to continue doing well and to improve in the future. As such, perhaps the next goal would be to get above 95%.
As a highly proficient and accomplished dancer, how important do you think it is for students to find a study-life balance in Years 11 and 12? What role has dance played in your senior years?
I think it’s important to have some type of activity that you enjoy throughout high school. Whether it’s playing a sport or a weekly catch up with friends, I’d recommend regularly incorporating time dedicated to something that gets your mind off school. The night before an exam or assignment deadline I’d still study, however, I’d always go to a dance class to help relax some of the stress by focusing my mind on something else.
What words of wisdom would you share with students beginning their secondary education journey in 2023?
Focus on what’s best for you in the long run. If you’re ultimately aiming for a high ATAR, treat each year like it’s Year 12 so that if you make a mistake on an assignment or don’t study as effectively for an exam you can learn from it and improve the next year. This way when you get to Year 12 you’ll have developed a study technique that works well for you and thoroughly understand how to write each type of assignment.
You’ve worked so hard for six years. How are you going to unwind and celebrate your achievement?
I definitely had a week of relaxing at home after finishing my externals to relieve all the stress. I’ve also got a lot of dance to do over the holidays which feels like a reward in itself for finishing school.
