Coleambally’s Ryan Mannes has a lot to be smiling about. The Year Twelve student topped his class with an ATAR of 96.55. 

He wasn’t the school’s only high achiever. 

Josh Fattore scored Band 5 in Industrial Technology, Tom Mannes walked away with a Band 6 in Industrial Technology and Band 5 in Agriculture and Molly Young scored two Band 5’s in Community and Family Studies and Food Technology. 

Principal Timothy Allen said he was excited to see their hard work pay off. 

“Coleambally Central School is celebrating students’ achievements in this year’s Higher School Certificate,” he said.

Mr Mannes has even more to celebrate than most. He was recently announced as one of the recipients of the prestigious Tuckwell Scholarship. 

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Offered through Australian National University, the scholarship offers a wide range of financial, academic and emotional support from the Fellows, peers and the staff of the program. 

Mr Mannes said the scholarship was an honour. 

“It’s a pretty big honour and it’s very generous. It covers things like housing and textbooks,” he said. 

His ex-Principal is just as proud. 

“This is an outstanding achievement for Ryan and demonstrates what study, effort, commitment and initiative can achieve,” Mr Allen said. 

A lengthy application and interview process narrowed almost 800 applications down to the final 25. 

Within his individual subjects, Mr Mannes also scored a Band five in Chemistry, a Band five in English (Advanced) and a Band six in Geography. He did all of this while studying Geography by distance. 

Mr Mannes also paid credit to the teachers who helped his class through the year. 

“We really couldn’t have done it without them. They really did a great job,” he said. 

“Everyone tried their hardest and we had a really good range of subjects on offer this year.”

From here, Mr Mannes will take up a flexible double degree at ANU in February.