Testing positive to Covid wasn't the way that Grace Doyle had anticipated celebrating her top HSC marks.
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After two years of "many interruptions" and exam rescheduling, the Inverell High Student joined many of her classmates, including Sam Flood, claiming pride of place on the list of NSW's highest achievers.
Sam said he knew he'd be getting a high mark, thanks to the Department of Education's leaked honours list, but he was happy with his 96.95 ATAR just the same.
The leak on Monday listed the students who had achieved over 90 per cent, as well as their school and the subjects they had scored top marks in.
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"I didn't want to count my eggs before they'd hatched, but it was good to see that number when it finally did come out on Thursday," he said.
"I think my parents were more excited than I was to be honest!"
Sitting down at the computer on Thursday filled with anticipation for the great reveal, Grace was "thrilled" to see marks better than ever hoped for.
Her ATAR of 94.9 topped off a topsy-turvy year with the shiniest reward.
"I was very, very excited when I saw my ATAR, and I'm very happy with how I went - it was definitely higher than I thought!" she enthused.
"I guess it was filled with a bit of uncertainty, and I wasn't really sure how it would turn out with how our exams were pushed back so many times, it was hard to know what was happening."
Sam didn't have all his hopes and dreams pinned on his result, seeing as he'd nabbed early entry to the University of Newcastle to study a double degree in Mechatronics Engineering and Aerospace Systems.
Yet if there was one thing he'd learned from the Covid-plagued year that was, it would be that "things always keep moving".
"You have to go with it," he stated simply.
And aside from all the knowledge now embedded into her brain from learning, the HSC years taught Grace much more about herself as well.
"With having to do a lot of my learning for Year 12 by myself, I think it's showed me I can do it by myself, that I'm capable, but that also that it's OK to ask for help when you need it."
Getting a Covid-positive result on Friday put a dampener on any celebrations, however she's now determined to chase her dream of becoming a psychologist.
"It's always been something I'm passionate about, and I'm really interested in how people think and how they behave the way they do and why, but also the science behind psychology - I love science that's a big part of it."
Sam thanked his teachers especially for "reading the writing on the wall" and preparing them for the possibility of the second lockdown before it happened.
"They did a lot for us, the teachers, and I'm grateful for that," he said.
"Seeing some messages they sent yesterday was nice too."
Grace credited the strong and dedicated support of her own teachers, and the group study sessions in helping her to beat online learning's motivational drain.
"I would love to congratulate everyone, and also give a really big thanks to all my teachers," she said.
Sam thanks his friends, not really for the study sessions, but having a group to unwind with.
"It was good to get rid of the stress, and not become all too consumed with it."
Inverell high achievers
Inverell High School had eight students make the list, and Macintyre High had six.
Macintyre High's students included Chloe Adams, Hannah Appleby, Connor Bryant, Chloe de Gunst, Lily King and Lauren McDonald.
Alongside Grace and Sam, Inverell High's included Luke Bryant, Zachariah Campbell, Lachlan Hampton, Brock Holder, Emily Pischke and Oscar Rainger.
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