Hannah McKane excelled at Year 12 and is looking forward to the holidays. Photo: Reanna Floriani.
Region recently profiled this author as part of its ongoing series on high achieving Riverina Year 12 graduates.
I’ve always loved writing and I’m considering a career in journalism, so the editor suggested I do a profile on one of my classmates to gain some reporting experience and to produce my first published article.
I chose to interview my hardworking and clever friend Hannah McKane. After growing up in South Africa, she moved to Western Australia and then to Griffith, joining me at Verity Christian College, where she topped her class in biology, advanced maths and agriculture. She also shares my love of animals and plans to be a vet.
Furthermore, Hannah is a champion swimmer who represented Verity at the Christian School Sports Association championship and she is an all-round wonderful person.
She sat down with me to reflect on her time at school, inspirations, plans and the dangers of social media.
Name: Hannah McKane.
Age: 18.
School: Merredin College WA (Years 7-10), Verity Christian College (Years 10-12).
Best memory of school life: Back in South Africa in Year 1, we collected stickers and traded them with the other kids. I still own them to this day.
Naughtiest thing you ever did at school: Attempting to skip class in Year 5 or 6. It was a friend of mine who had chickened out, and we were caught.
Teachers that inspired you: To be honest? My maths teacher Mr Brooker helped me learn how to actually take a break and I liked Mr Barker for being wacky and weird, and his ability to have fun at any age. I also have Mrs Greig to thank for helping to diagnose me with ADHD and assisting me through my own mental health struggles.
Hannah excelled at maths and dreams of becoming a vet. Photo: Reanna Floriani.
Famous person you admire most and why: It was crocodile hunter Steve Irwin that sparked my animal obsession through his fearlessness and heart for wildlife. He was humble and never let fame get in the way of his family.
One thing you’d changed about the education system: Definitely more school sports. It is important that students get out of the classroom to do compulsory sports as it is beneficial for their health and their learning. It was actually my friend that sparked my love for sports, especially hockey. Schools should do all they can to motivate kids to get outside too.
Plans for next year: Gap year, staying in Griffith.
Social issue you care most about: Being too dependent on social media as it stops people from forming strong bonds. Not spending the time with people around us is not healthy and it is known to slow down brain development. It is also a breeding ground for misinformation.
Special skills: I consider myself to be a decent artist.
Dream career: Veterinarian.
If you know a Riverina Year 12 student worthy of recognition, or you’d like to have a go at writing an article, drop us a line at [email protected] or call 0498 843 181.
