Cohen Briggs commenced at GVGS in Year 7 after completing primary school in his hometown of Toolamba.
“It was challenging at the start because I didn’t know anyone, but it didn’t take me long to make friends. The teachers were all very supportive and made sure I felt welcomed to the School,” he says.
“To be honest, I’ve really enjoyed all my time at GVGS, but the camps over the years were definitely a highlight for me. My favourite was Year 10 camp when we went hiking in the Bogong High Plains – it was a great opportunity to bond with all the other students, and I made a few new friends on that camp that are still great friends of mine to this day.”
Throughout his time at GVGS, Cohen has been involved in many extracurricular activities – including playing soccer and volunteering to run the BBQ at ICCES competitions – but has focused on his studies in recent years.
“I thought people were just talking it up when they would say how hard it was for them, but VCE has been very challenging,” he says.
“Thankfully, my teachers have been amazing and available whenever I’ve needed them. They’re never judgmental when you have really simple questions you need clarified – they want you to be confident in even the smallest things, they genuinely want to see you succeed.”
After getting an insight into what life and studying in Melbourne would look like through the school’s annual Leadership Camp for Year 12 students, Cohen has decided to move to Bundoora in 2025 and study nursing at La Trobe University.
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster thinking about the future,” he says.
“I was initially planning to join the ADF, but now I think I’m going to go straight to uni. I spent some time in the Royal Children’s Hospital when I was younger and I had such a positive experience while I was there, so that’s what made me want to pursue a career in nursing. I really want a career where I can help people and make a difference.”
As his final year of high school draws to a close, Cohen looks back on his time at GVGS fondly and knows his connection with all the friends he has made won’t be broken when they aren’t seeing each other regularly in the schoolyard.
“I’ll be sad when it’s all over and I’m not getting to see everyone everyday, but staying in contact with people will be a priority for me,” he says.
“We’ll keep in touch over social media and keep each other updated on how life is going. It’s going to be a big change, but I’m excited for the future.”
