knox tops the state best ever hsc 2010 - Knox Grammar School

KNOX TOPS THE STATEBEST EVER HSC 2010Great boys growing into great men of integrity, faith, wisdom and compassionKnox scores best HSC results since the inception of the new standards-based HSCKnox Grammar School students achievedexemplary results in the 2010 HigherSchool Certificate. These results are themost impressive achieved by the Schoolsince the inception of the new standardsbasedHSC in 2001.I am delighted that these results wereattained by young men who not onlyworked in close partnership with theirteachers, but who also immersedthemselves in the life of the School, withits sport, its music, its drama and so on.Truly this shows a Knox education inaction, and the foundation for ongoingsuccess in the years ahead, for the Schooland those leaving it.John W Weeks, HeadmasterATARForty-five percent of boys achieved an ATAR(university entrance score) of 90+ with 7%of students gaining an ATAR of 99 or more,while the middle boy at Knox has an ATARof 87.90. The top boarder ATAR was 99.15 and two boys, Thomas Farmakis and Joshua Leeachieved an ATAR of 99.95, the highest possible rank.STATE HONOURSEight boys were listed in the HSC Honours List: Thomas Farmakis (1st Legal Studies, 6thHistory Extension, 9th Economics and 9th Modern History); Shawn Teo (1st Mathematics 2unit); Ashley Thornton (4th Engineering Studies); Joshua Lee (6th Chemistry); Jordan Reid(11th General Mathematics); Dominic Vickers (17th Modern History); John Goldie (18thModern History); and Jonathan Brennan (19th Modern History).PREMIER’S AWARD FOR TOP ALL-ROUNDERSA record eighteen boys were recognised in the All Round Achiever’s List for obtaining Band 6(a mark of 90 higher out of 100) in ten or more of the units they studied: Edward Armitage,David Barnes, Jonathan Brennan, Sam Brentnall, Jonathan Choi, Jack Clifford, Kurt Daley, TimDobson, Thomas Farmakis, James Ferguson, John Goldie, Daniel Hwang, Joshua Lee, DuncanMcEwin, Jonathan Roel, Vijay Thomas, Dominic Vickers and Anthony Zonaga.Exhibitions of ExcellenceThe following Knox boys were nominated for the various exhibitions of outstanding HSC worksin NSW:ArtEXPRESS (Visual Arts) ~ Connor Badenko (Technological Landscape: Communication,Evolution & Expansion), Sam Brentnall (Futility - Ecclesiastes 1; 3-11 - above centre),Charlie Callander (Idolatry - A Contemporary Religion), Mitchell Marr (Fanciful Musing:Living the Dream - top right), Joseph Phelps (Growth, Life, Rebirth - top left)DesignTECH (Design and Technology) ~ Scott Seeho (Pharmaceutical Cream Mixer)ENCORE (Music) ~ Jason Xu (Piano)Knox Grammar School | 02 9487 0122 | www.knox.nsw.edu.au | Pacific Highway, Wahroonga, Sydney

2010 Performance of ExcellenceScholarshipsDavid BarnesJonathan BrennanRichard BurnsJack CliffordThomas FarmakisJames FergusonMerit Scholarship,Actuarial Studies andEconomics, MacquarieUniversityThe High Achiever’sScholarship forCommerce/Law,University of SydneyBachelor of AccountingScholarship, UTSMerit Scholarship,Advanced Arts,University of SydneyMerit Scholarship, Law,University of SydneyMerit Scholarship,Commerce Law,University of SydneyJonathan Thompson Bachelor of AccountingScholarship, UTSRichard Woolf Bachelor of AccountingScholarship, UTSPrizesJack CliffordLachlan Ellicot3rd place in the HistoryTeachers’ AssociationExtension History PrizeNorman LethbridgeAward (donated bythe Australian AngusSociety and presentedat Royal Easter Show)Knox da Vinci DecathlonTeams from Years 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10competed in this prestigious state-widecompetition. The Year 10 team were placed2nd.Future Problem SolvingThree teams competed at the National finalwith the two senior teams qualifying for theInternational finals.Australian Mathematics CompetitionKnox students were awarded 2 prizes (Top0.1% in NSW) and 7 high distinctions (Top1% in NSW).Mock TrialYear 11 team won the state final of the NSWLaw Society’s Mock Trial competition andwill represent Australia at the Internationalfinals.Thomas FarmakisClass of 2010‘Knox Grammar School thoroughlyprepares its young men to succeed inan ever-changing world.’Thanks to globalisation, my generationnow live in an increasingly competitiveworld. School leavers today are expectedto compete with candidates from as farafield as China and India for the bestjobs globally. Serious doubts remain asto whether the education system in theWestern world is adequately preparing us tocope with these challenges.Nevertheless, we have no such reservationsat Knox. The School continues to equip itsstudents with an education relevant tothe challenges of modern life. Not just byproducing intelligent young men, but emotionally intelligent young men as well – peoplethat will ultimately have a positive impact on society.To my mind, this outcome seems to be the result of the all-round education Knox seeksto provide. It is really the School’s insistence on such an education that has transformedits students into people of significance. At Knox, it is never unusual to have the brilliantscholar, the compelling performer and the keen sportsman all rolled into one.Academically, Knox’s most recent HSC results place it among Sydney’s leading privateschools. In hindsight, I think it was the passionate and rigorous teaching I experiencedat the School that pushed me beyond the limits of my natural ability to achieve my fullpotential – in public examinations but intellectually too.Hence, I was the very fortunate recipient of a very progressive education. Which may strikesome as odd – progressivism, in amongst the boater, the cadets wearing kilts and theLatin motto exulting masculine virtue. All these symbols serve to conjure an image of aSchool steeped deeply in tradition. Undoubtedly, Knox is still a place where tradition countsfor much. But it is a dynamic tradition based on a reverence for timeless values thatcontinues to animate the School’s spirit, and the delivery of a progressive education thatthoroughly prepares Knox’s young men to succeed in an ever-changing world.MusicNSW State Band Championships - Symphonic Wind Ensemble 2nd place. Concert Band wonJunior C Grade for the third consecutive year. Sydney Eisteddfod - Symphonic Wind Ensemblewon two sections. Yamaha Festival - Senior Big Band – gold, Concert Band – silver, JuniorStage Band – silver, Year 7 Wind Band – gold in their respective grades.ScienceOxford University Telescope Program - 1 student, National Youth Science Forum - 1 student,Honeywell Engineering Summer School - 1 student.CAS Championship ResultsBasketball 2nd Football 4thChess Champions Rugby 2ndCricket Champions Swimming 2ndCross Country 3rd Tennis Summer 3rd, Winter 3rdDebating 2nd Track & Field 4thDiving 2nd Volleyball Summer Equal 1st, Winter 2ndKnox Grammar School is a Uniting Church school for day boys K-12 with boarding for up to 150 boys from Years 7-12CRICOS Provider Code: 00399E, published 27/2/11