Year 11 students top 70,000 HSC field
THIS year more than 70,000 year 12 students sat the Higher School Certificate (HSC), and two Jewish year 11 students outperformed them all.
THIS year more than 70,000 year 12 students sat the Higher School Certificate (HSC), and two Jewish year 11 students outperformed them all.
Emanuel School’s Daniel Altman topped New South Wales in mathematics extension one and Masada College’s Shir Dekel received the highest marks in modern Hebrew continuers.
“I’m in complete shock because I never expected this,” said Altman, who was one of 107 students recognised for topping their course at the 2011 First in Course Awards on Tuesday.
“I was pinching myself on the weekend when I got the call and I’m just really excited,” she said.
Altman skipped a year of mathematics in primary school and had been aiming towards the HSC since.
And it will continue next year when he studies economics, physics, English extension two and a fourth unit of mathematics.
“I guess only doing one subject because I’m in year 11 does have an advantage but I have less mathematical experience which is obviously a disadvantage.
“The year 12 kids have all been really nice and supportive but it’s nice to get one up on them.
“Now, I have nine months of hard work next year before I’m in the same situation as all of the other kids today.”
Masada’s year 11 superstar Dekel spends more than two hours travelling to and from the North Shore’s only Jewish school.
“I live in Copacabana on the Central Coast so my mum takes me up to school every day while I sleep in the car,” 17-year-old Dekel said. “It’s definitely worth it because Masada is a great school and I enjoy everything there, especially the Hebrew obviously.”
Dekel, who was born in Israel and moved to Australia when he was 10, topped the state in modern Hebrew continuers.
“I only started studying HSC Hebrew this year and I’m really surprised and happy that I’ve received such a high mark,” he said.
“Studying with year 12 students has been great because I have so much respect for the other students at Masada who have been studying Hebrew.
“I was the only person who spoke Hebrew and they are taking on the challenge of learning a new language.”
Not all the prizes were taken by younger students. Moriah College year 12 student Ariella Naumburger scored the highest marks in the state in classical Hebrew continuers and classical Hebrew extension.
“I was a bit shocked but this has been very exciting,” Naumburger said.
She said that having a twin, Zoe, alongside her all year has pushed her further.
“We are a little bit quietly competitive so It has been a good thing and I think we have both improved because of it.
“Now I have to wait for my results in four-unit maths, English and ancient history.”
The 18-year-old is going to spend a year in Israel with Bnei Akiva before she returns in 2013 to study biomedical engineering.
“I guess I’ll have to look into uni now and find somewhere to study.”
JOSHUA LEVI
Moriah College’s Arielle Naumburger topped the state in classical Hebrew continuers and classical Hebrew extensions in this year’s Higher School Certificate.
comments