Kerang Tech’s 2025 dux: “Balance out your life”

Gus van Hart

Kerang Technical High School has recognised Belle Morton as its 2025 dux after she finished with an ATAR of 80.85.

Ms Morton said she only found out when her Year 12 coordinator rang, and the news caught her off guard.

“I got a call from our Year 12 coordinator and he told me,” she said. “I was pretty shocked because I definitely didn’t expect to get it.”

Ms Morton said becoming dux had not been a set target, even though she had hoped to hit an ATAR of 80.

“I was hoping for the 80, but I didn’t really expect that to get me dux,” she said.

Like many students in small towns, Ms Morton balanced school with commitments outside the classroom, including netball and ballet dancing, as she worked through the pressure points of Year 12.

“I tried not to get burnt out and study too hard as such,” she said. “I tried to still do my sport and get together with friends and things like that, as well as trying to study really hard.”

She said her confidence shifted throughout the year as results came back.

“Sometimes I’d get my results back and be like, ‘Oh yeah, I reckon I can get it,’ and then sometimes I’d go, ‘Oh no, I’m not going to get it,’” Ms Morton said.

Ms Morton said she particularly enjoyed Legal Studies, English and Health as her favourite subjects, and credited her support network for helping her finish strong.

“My family was really great, and I had a good group of friends. We kind of helped each other through the year, which I definitely wouldn’t have gotten my ATAR without,” she said.

She also praised staff at Kerang Technical High School for being available when students needed guidance.

“They were all very good at saying, ‘Ask for help whenever you want it,’” Ms Morton said. “They were always very happy to help and sit down with you whenever you needed it.”

Next year, Ms Morton said she hoped to move towards a career in the classroom, aiming to study primary teaching at university, with Deakin University in Geelong her preferred option.

She said the idea grew during remote learning, when she helped teach her two younger sisters while her parents worked as essential workers.

“I had a moment when I was teaching my two little sisters and I thought ‘Oh I could actually do this as a career’,” she said.

As Ms Morton prepares for the next stage of her education, she had advice for Year 11 and Year 12 students when it came to exam time.

“Work hard, but definitely balance out your life,” she said.