Top 2024 ATAR performers in the Mid West share their experience and advice following the end of Year 12

Some of the Mid West’s best Year 12 performers in 2024 have given an insight into their success, and what worked for them to achieve a high ATAR score. According to the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre, at least seven Mid West students achieved an ATAR score of 94 or higher. Among them were Hannah Muchamore, Jade Schwarz, Malini Bass, Winnie Bui (all Nagle Catholic College), Peta Humphreys (Morawa District High School), and Shanaya Gronow (Geraldton Grammar School). While the top achievers across the State were boys, it was a different story in the Mid West with the majority of the top students being young women. Hannah had the highest ATAR score across the region — 99.05. She said finding the balance between working hard and life outside of school was difficult. “I didn’t find the course work hard. It was just time management and just the overall stress because there’s so much going on,” she said. “I was house captain as well, so that was a lot to juggle with work, school and sport. I wouldn’t do it again.” Meanwhile, fellow Nagle graduate Jade received a subject certificate of excellence in English, for being in the top 0.5 per cent of candidates for the exam. Despite her success, she said she felt the pressure of needing to study in order to do well. “(It was) very difficult. ATAR is just two straight years of practically just studying,” she said. “I did not have free time for two years because I just studied. I couldn’t do anything that wasn’t studying without feeling guilty for not studying, so it was quite challenging.” Morawa District High School student Peta Humphreys had a different story to most, studying her five ATAR subjects online through the School of Isolated and Distance Education. She said her success required high levels of motivation, and called for the State Government to do more to help regional students. “With just two 40-minute online classes with each teacher per week, limited subject choices, and a lack of peer support it’s isolating, demanding and requires immense self-motivation,” she said. “WA’s ATAR participation rate has dropped to an all-time low of 27.4 per cent. If (Education) Minister (Tony) Buti wants to see this improve, the focus must be on supporting regional students. “The system isn’t designed for us to succeed — we lack the resources, the technology and the support. “The quality of our education should not be contingent on our postcode. It’s not just about the lack of resources and opportunities, it’s about the message it sends to us regional people. That our futures, our education, matters less. That we matter less.” SECRETS TO SUCCESS Winnie Bui (Nagle Catholic College) “Doing the work in class and then asking teachers for help, and being comfortable with your teachers, because you’re stuck with them for two years.” Hannah Muchamore (Nagle Catholic College) “I had really good teachers, so they definitely kept me motivated to achieve because they put so much effort in and I wanted to repay that as well. I’m a bit competitive as well. I just wanted to do the best that I can and open as many doors as possible.” Shanaya Gronow (Geraldton Grammar School) “I made sure I was doing a bit of each subject every night and staying on top of everything. I was getting help when I needed it and things like that.” Peta Humphreys (Morawa District High School and School of Isolated and Distance Education) “The secret to my success was staying focused, working hard and taking things one step at a time.” Malini Bass (Nagle Catholic College) “I made a lot of posters, just sticking them in the bathroom, watching them while I brush my teeth and stuff that was easy. Taking breaks, not thinking about having the end in mind, because obviously it feels important in the moment, but it’s not actually that big a deal in the end.” Jade Schwarz (Nagle Catholic College) “Every time I would sit at my desk, I always burn the same candle, listen to the exact same music, everything was exactly the same. So every time I enter that environment or listen to that music or smell that candle, then I knew that I was about to start studying. I found it easier to concentrate.” MID WEST ATAR AWARD WINNERS SUBJECT CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE (English) Jade Schwarz (Nagle Catholic College) CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION Shanaya Gronow (Geraldton Grammar School) Milly Kalajzich (Geraldton Grammar School) Chayla Argent (Nagle Catholic College) Malini Bass (Nagle Catholic College) Winnie Bui (Nagle Catholic College) Hannah Muchamore (Nagle Catholic College) Jade Schwarz (Nagle Catholic College) CERTIFICATE OF MERIT Dusty Morgan (Geraldton Grammar School) Samuel Wilson (Geraldton Senior High School) Jaimee Flannery (Champion Bay Senior High School) Carissa Davies (Nagle Catholic College) Samaia Friesen (Nagle Catholic College) Kailani Grant (Nagle Catholic College) Tarsuinn Hall (Nagle Catholic College) Finola Moulds (Nagle Catholic College) Hannah Nygren (Nagle Catholic College) Frauke Rawlings (Nagle Catholic College) Ashlyn Williams (Nagle Catholic College)