11 Feb 2014
At our Annual Presentation Day it is customary for the Dux of the previous year to present the current Dux and to make a speech on life since attending Nambucca Heads HIgh School. At Presentation Day 2013 Ruth Curtis, Dux of 2011, gave an extremely insightful speech on how she is achieving her ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. Following are the words Ruth imparted to the students and attending guests, they are inspiring words:
I am very honoured to have been invited to be a speaker today. I am still incredibly proud to have been a student of this school.
Since graduating from Nambucca High two years ago, I have been living in Sydney and have been completing a bachelor of medicine/bachelor of surgery at the University of NSW.
During the HSC I had my mind set on getting a high ATAR, being accepted into a medicine degree and eventually becoming a doctor. This goal that I had set acted as an enormous driving force during Year 12, along with a slight competitive streak and my own high expectations.
The HSC was not easy, it was stressful and exhausting and I worked very hard, however, at the end of the year when I received my ATAR and was awarded dux the fowllowing year, that past year had seemed worth it. A few weeks later I received an email offering a place in the Medicine course at UNSW, following an additional exam and an interview.
My reaction to receiving that email was completely the opposite to what I had expected it to be. All year I had had this simple, large goal in my mind that I was determined to achieve, and finally I had, I felt incredibly scared and over whelmed, it was all becoming very real. I began to realise just how big of a commitment I was going to make and it scared me.
My year group at university consists of some of the most intelligent young adults state wide, interstate and internationally and it can be extremely intimidating, expecially coming from a small town and school that nobody has heard of. I realised I had entered a very different world when I met two girls who both told me that they had been slightly disappointed with their ATAR's of 99.3. The majority of students have attended various prestigious, well known schools that I was previously completely unaware of . I am still amazed, after two years, at the type of wealth these students come from. Despite the obvious privileges, I rarely feel as though I have misssed out, rather, I feel as though this school has given me a far more realistic view of the world, a greater sense of belonging and community, better preparation for university and an enormous sense of achievement.
The past two years of this degree have been the hardest thing I have ever done, and I still have four years to go. However, I know that in four years' time when I graduate as a doctor, the tears, the stress and the many hours spent studying will have definitely been worth it and I'm very excited for the future.
I am extremely grateful to this school for providing me with so much support and continuing to do so with the constant well wishes. I received endless help, advice, encouragement and comfort during Year 12.
While it might not seem so obvious now, this school will provide you with one of the best opportunities you will ever be given, just as it has done for me. Don't come away from this school after 6 years with nothing to show for it, it's a waste of your time and others. The teachers here have always been so willing to help those who ask for it and those who want to do well. Through this school and the HSC you can achieve many things, some of which you may have previously thought not possible.
We live in a small, low socioeconomic town and expectations aren't very high, but I want you to prove to others that we can succeed, whether that's through the HSC, University, TAFE courses, apprenticeships and other employment.
I want to stress to you the importance of setting goals, aspirations, hard work, determination and the opportunities available to you, which will almost always benefit you in the long run. We are not all born academics; many of us have abilities in different areas, use this school to make the most of your abilities and do not limit yourself to low expectations.
I would like to thank the school for allowing me to share my gratitude and my hopes and encouragement for the students of Nambucca High. Thank you.