26 Feb 2025
Celebrating academic excellence
Last Thursday, the School welcomed the highest academic achievers from the Class of 2024 to our annual Academic Celebration Assembly.
The occasion opened with a speech from Churchie Old Boy Ben Rankin, awarded Proxime Accessit to the Dux in QCE 2023, who provided insights into the transition from school to university life. Ben was the recipient of the prestigious UQ Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics. While academics played a major role in his time at Churchie, as is the Churchie way, Ben was also actively involved in school life as Prefect, Captain of Tennis and a peer tutor.
The assembly recognised 41 students who achieved an ATAR or ATAR-equivalent score of 98.00 or higher. The Class of 2024 also featured 25 students who received an ATAR over 99, including three students who achieved the highest possible ATAR of 99.95—Max Gao, Oliver Pan and Hayden Zhu. An excellent 65% of students received an ATAR of 90 or above. By national standards, these results are a credit to our talented teachers, a tribute to our supportive families and broader community and, of course, they are a credit to our young men.
- Hugh Agnew
- James Aralar
- Hamish Barwick
- Isaac Bell
- Nicholas Bond
- Samuel Box
- Noah Chadwick
- Oliver Chancellor
- Akira Chang
- Garry Chen
- Nathaniel Chow
- Finbar Curran
- Benjamin Forrest
- Max Gao
- Charlie Gresham
- Zac Griggs
- Vincent Gutteridge
- Caleb Hanly
- Henry Hillier
- Nicholas Lau
- Angus Leggett
- Ryan Liaw
- Dario Lim
- Charlie Liu
- Pranav Malhotra
- Eli Manser
- Nicholas Mattiske
- Tate McAllum
- Bill McCart
- Nicholas Moody
- Ethan Naidu
- Luke O’Sullivan
- Oliver Pan
- Zac Quarterman
- Lachlan Rumery
- Ned Shepherd
- Hugo Stapleton
- Nathan Tan
- William Whitehead
- Beikun (Max) Yan
- Hayden Zhu
This assembly also provided the opportunity to present two significant bursaries.
The I M Williamson Memorial Bursary, is awarded to a top graduating student studying law. Endowed by the late Ivy May Williamson in recognition of the achievements of her nephew, Desmond Gordon Sturgess, Old Boy from 1944 to 1947, this bursary was awarded to Finbar Curran.
The Paul McCarthy Memorial Bursary was endowed by Haila and John McCarthy in memory of their beloved son, Squadron Leader Dr Paul McCarthy. Paul was a Churchie student from 1984 to 1991 who was tragically killed in Indonesia while on humanitarian service with the Australian Defence Force, assisting victims of the March 2005 earthquake. This bursary was awarded to Garry Chen.
The School congratulates these young men as they make their way in the world and looks forward to their achievements in the years ahead.
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