Class of 2024: Student Journeys
We are incredibly proud of our graduating Year 12 students and all they have accomplished throughout the year, and their amazing 2024 VCE Results. Their dedication, resilience, and growth have been truly inspiring.
We hear from a selection of students as they reflect on their time at St Catherine’s. They share their highlights, lessons learned, and the exciting paths they will embark on next.
Alice Molnar
As a 2024 School Co-Captain, Alice has made a substantial contribution to the School and looks back on her final year with cherished memories. “I just want to say how grateful I am for everything St Catherine’s has given me – the friendships, the opportunities, and the support. This School has been such a big part of my life, and it’s shaped who I am today.”
Next year, Alice will begin studying Commerce at the University of Melbourne and plans to pursue a Master’s in Engineering. She’s excited about immersing herself in the new environment, meeting new people, and starting the next chapter of her life.
She recalls many highlights during her time at the School: “I’ve loved the balance between having fun and following my passions. Some of the best memories include being part of House Arts, hanging out with friends in the Common Room, and ringing the bell after my French exam – such a proud and happy moment!”
Alice offers this advice to future Year 12 students, “Don’t forget to enjoy the ride! Go to the 18th birthdays, get involved in GSV sport, and keep your life balanced.”
Anna Nguyen Diep
St Catherine’s was able to nurture Anna’s love of Creative Arts, and she plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2025. “Her abilities as a talented artist and photographer saw her appointed Art and Design Co-Captain for 2024 and she ran the Art and Design Club.”, says Ms Anna Curnow, Anna’s House Tutor.
Reflecting on her early days at St Catherine’s, Anna recalls, “Having lived in Vietnam for 15 years, I was initially intimidated by the prospect of moving to an entirely new country and completing the remainder of my senior years at an all-girls School. Yet, the girls and teachers here have welcomed me with open arms since the day I came.”
One of Anna’s co-curricular highlights has been her involvement in Public Speaking. “With the constant support from Old Girls and teachers as my coaches, I felt celebrated and encouraged to write and speak about my interests freely.”
For Anna, what has made her time at St Catherine’s so special is the people. “The students and staff have made my experience wonderful. As a small School we have the benefit of a very tight-knit community where everyone knows and cares for each other.”
Scarlett Pringle
Scarlett recently signed with the University of Miami on a full rowing scholarship and will be studying medicine at UMiami for four years alongside her rowing commitments.
“The rowing community and coaches equipped me with skills that not only allowed me to thrive but helped me get selected for the State Team in 2023 and the Australian Team in August 2024.”
Scarlett recalls the challenges of balancing academics with co-curricular activities. However, “the unwavering support and encouragement I received from not only my teachers but staff at the School was incredible and helped me get through Year 12.”
She offers valuable advice to future Year 12 students: “Never put your passions aside for a year of studying, whether it’s sport related or chess or music. If anything, my commitment to rowing helped discipline myself and allowed me to have a rigid structure throughout the year.”
Sienna Lonetti
After graduating, Sienna plans to follow her interests in Literature and French that she developed during her time at St Catherine’s.
Sienna was elected as Debating and Public Speaking Co-Captain for 2024 by her peers and found the role to be an opportunity for personal growth. She also mentions that, “The French language immersion program to Toulon was a standout experience, where I attended Cours Fenelon School and truly immersed myself in the language and culture.”
Reflecting on the support she received, Sienna says, “My teachers have helped me reach my goals through their commitment to each individual student. The care they take to ensure that each student can reach their full potential, whether through one-on-one meetings or extra guidance in the classroom, has made a huge difference for me.”
Violet Johnston
“After graduation, I will be completing a Bachelor of Photography and Digital Image at the Photography Studies College to pursue my love of storytelling through documentation photography.”
Over the last two years at St Catherine’s, Violet says, “My media teacher has helped me achieve my goals and grow my passion in media and photography.”
Recently, Violet’s work has been selected for exhibition at Top Designs 2025, as part of the VCE Season of Excellence. Of over 450 applications this year, she is one of only two photography submissions chosen for exhibition.
If she could offer advice to future Year 12 students, it would be to “Give everything a go and cherish every moment as you don’t get year 12 back, and it shaped me into the person I am today.”
Maeli Davenport
Maeli discovered a passion for Economics and Accounting during her VCE studies and looks forward to exploring these subjects in greater depth at university through a Commerce-related degree.
Since completing her studies, Maeli has come to appreciate the strong sense of community at St Catherine’s, “A highlight for me was the simple opportunity to talk to teachers and see my classmates every day. It’s something I didn’t fully appreciate until I finished my last exam and realised how secure and comforting it was.”
In her role as School Spirit and Wellbeing Captain for 2024, Maeli loved using student platforms, such as the student-led assemblies, to promote St Catherine’s culture of connection.
Her teachers were instrumental in making Year 12 as stable as possible. “They have gone above and beyond to help me achieve my goals, from scheduling frequent meetings outside of class to promptly returning my submitted work which have greatly assisted me in improving across all my subjects.”
Maeli found goal-setting to be invaluable during the exam period and offers this advice to future Year 12 students: “Set achievable goals, as I’ve found that reaching your study targets can be a powerful source of motivation.”
Lilla Barrington
After graduating, Lilla hopes to pursue a career in the Performing Arts. “It has been my dream for over five years to study in New York and I ultimately hope to move there in 2025.”
Her love of acting was affirmed when visiting the city as part of the 2024 Performing Arts Study Tour, “It was truly the best experience of my life. I learnt so much and fell in love with the city.”
“I believe that St Catherine’s has such a welcoming environment and so many opportunities for all different interests. The Performing Arts space at St Catherine’s allowed me to be myself and for my confidence to grow.”
Her advice for Year 12’s, “Remember to take breaks, be kind to yourself and look to one another for support. It is so much easier to get through the year if you lean on your friends and teachers. Also, remember to enjoy it because it goes by incredibly fast!”
For more information of our 2024 VCE Results, click here.
