Mackenzie Clark started at GVGS in Year 7 after finishing primary school at Grahamvale Primary School, at the time joining older sister Olivia (Class of 2021) and soon to be followed by her younger brother Shannon (Year 10).
Mackenzie has taken advantage of the wide variety of sports on offer at GVGS and was awarded two leadership positions in her final year: Fairley House Captain and Basketball Captain.
“We won the ICCES basketball competition both last year and this year, so we’ve had a good run recently and it’s always a highlight when the day rolls around. I’ve played basketball since I was eight years old and getting the chance to represent my school doing what I really enjoy is a lot of fun,” she says.
“Being both Fairley House Captain and Basketball Captain has given me the reassurance that I do have it in me to be a leader, by providing me the opportunity to step up and support the people in my team and give them confidence before a game.”
Mackenzie says the unwelcome interruption of COVID-19 in recent years affected her sporting calendar, as well as her connection to friends and schooling. “It was so chaotic in those days being home all together,” she says of learning from home with siblings Olivia and Shannon.
“Being removed from the classroom and not having my teachers with me in person during the pandemic was tough. It interfered with everything – I really felt that lack of structure in my day and I fell out of routine,” she says.
“Thankfully, the School was very supportive while we were going through it. After everyone came back into the classroom full-time in the middle of Year 9 it was a quick transition back to normal life. I have a friend who came to GVGS in Year 10 and I knew that would be hard for her in many ways, but the School was great at making sure she felt welcomed during such a difficult time.”
Next year, Mackenzie plans to have a gap year and has applied for a 12-month nursing assistant program at Goulburn Valley Health.
“The program would give me some insight into what it would be like to do nursing, which is what I’m planning on studying at uni in 2026,” she says.
“Students who’ve just completed Year 12 get the opportunity each year to apply for a variety of roles throughout the health service. The School encouraged me to apply and I thought it would be a good chance for me to experience being in a hospital setting and get a feel for the clinical environment before making my decision.”
After her gap year, Mackenzie plans to study close to home.
“I initially wanted to go to La Trobe in Bundoora and live on campus, but I’m now considering studying through the La Trobe Shepparton campus,” she says.
“I think I’ll stay locally so I can be close to my family and keep playing netball and basketball.”