国产麻豆AV graduate Zennjo Searle has been recognised as one of the state鈥檚 brightest young minds from the Class of 2019.
Zennjo was among 34 graduates who received awards at the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Achievement Awards, held last weekend at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane.
The awards were presented by Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace to the 34 graduates who received prizes in six categories.
Zennjo, who was one of the 11 Flinders students to achieve an OP1 in 2019, accepted the 鈥楧istinguished Academic Achiever鈥� award at the ceremony, with his family in attendance as support.
Principal Stuart Meade also attended the ceremony and congratulated Zennjo for his outstanding results, which have seen him accepted into a Provisional Medicine degree at the University of Queensland.
鈥淎s a College community, we are thrilled to see Zennjo recognised for his hard work, determination and passion for learning,鈥� Mr Meade said.
鈥淲e wish him well for his future, which will be bright and will no doubt see him help others.鈥�
Zennjo has been part of the College community for the past 10 years, joining Flinders in the Primary years in Year 3.
He credits his academic achievement, in part, to the team of friends, teachers and family who have supported him along the way.
Asked what he will miss the most about Flinders, Zennjo said, 鈥淚 have been lucky to have had incredible teachers who have inspired and encouraged me to pursue my love of learning.
鈥淚鈥檝e also had friends who follow their passions without compromise,鈥� he said. 鈥淗aving friends to study with is one of the best things you can do.鈥�
His advice for Year 12 students is to 鈥渉elp each other and do things that you love鈥�.
Parents Greg and Keiko Searle credit Zennjo鈥檚 success to the many habits and values he has learned over the years.
鈥淗is good work habits, developed from a young age, provided Zennjo with a solid foundation in Maths and the understanding that you have to practise problem solving in order to solve problems - this came from Mum,鈥� Greg said.
鈥淚 hope that I have taught him that you can never assume, and that you must always ask why or how when you don't understand.鈥�
Asked whether they are proud of their son鈥檚 academic success, Greg says, 鈥淚 think 鈥榟appy鈥�, rather than 鈥榩roud鈥�, is closer to how Keiko and I feel.
鈥淲e have wanted to give our children a belief that hard work is rewarded,鈥� he said.
鈥淪ometimes things don't work out and you don't get the reward; this is when it gets hard and you have to pick yourself up and work at it again.
鈥淭he knowledge that Zen seems to have worked this out at his young age makes us fulfilled as parents.鈥�
Greg thanked the College for supporting Zennjo during his many years at Flinders. Zennjo's brother is in his final years of schooling at the College.
鈥淲e couldn't have asked for more from Flinders,鈥� Greg said.
鈥淲ise, experienced, caring and challenging teachers and support staff, and College grounds and facilities that cater to all interests.
鈥淭his may not be specifically written in the College manual but we believe there is an intent or culture in the school that compels students to be the best they can be at whatever it is that excites them.
鈥淔or example, if a student wanted to excel at stamp collecting then I believe this would be encouraged and explored, and the lessons learned from this pursuit would then be applied to the broader task of completing High School to the best of their ability.鈥�
IMAGE caption: Flinders graduate Zennjo Searle with Flinders Principal Stuart Meade at the QCE Awards, Brisbane.
