DALIA SABLE

THE highest achieving Victorian Curriculum of Education (VCE) students of 2008 were recognised with Premiers awards in a ceremony at the New Melbourne Convention Centre this week.

Among the top achievers were more than 10 Jewish students from Melbourne’s Jewish and non-Jewish schools. They received their awards from Victorian Premier John Brumby at the ceremony on Tuesday, July 21.

The Jewish schools were once again successful with Mount Scopus Memorial College leading the charge with five students — Gabrielle Debinski (English), Nadav Harel (religion and society), Daniel Nash (religion and society), Jake Newstadt (religion and society) and David Spicer (accounting).

Two Bialik College students received Premiers awards for religion and society — Lara Fisher and Steven Goldberg.

Two students from Beth Rivkah Ladies College received awards for text and tradition — Rickel Broh and Tali Grossman.

The King David School’s Sam Osborn received an award for media studies and Leibler Yavneh College’s Liana Kalkopf for legal studies.

Jonathan Heilbron, a classical double bass music student at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), received the award for his achievement in the VCE subject, music styles, which he completed at the VCA Secondary School, where he attended from year 10.

“It was the conclusion of several years of hard work,” he told The AJN. “It felt good.”

Alexandra Merkrebs, who graduated from Methodist Ladies College, received a Premiers Award for her perfect score in business studies. She has since gone on to study marketing and management at Monash University in Clayton.

“I was pretty shocked and surprised when I found out I had received the award,” she told The AJN.

Former Mount Scopus student Nash, who received the award for religion and society, said: “It is great recognition of my hard work during year 12 and on top of getting into the course I wanted, is another accolade. I am very proud of my achievement.”

Former Bialik student Fisher, currently studying fashion and business at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said: “It was really nice to be recognised especially now that VCE is over.”

Former Beth Rivkah Ladies College student Broh, who received the award for text and tradition, said she enjoyed the subject matter and veteran teacher Sima Paltiel’s teaching.

“The whole school system and staff have encouraged us for many years and built us up.”

Paltiel’s students have received 11 Premiers awards during more than 30 years at Beth Rivkah Ladies College.

Have we missed anyone? Email dalia@jewishnews.net.au