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Fintona's 2024 Duces, Amelia, Maggie and Saria are three extraordinary young women. Learn more about them and their time at Fintona.
It is said that ‘good things come in threes’, and so we celebrate an outstanding VCE outcome that saw three students become Duces of our Class of 2024.
Amelia Graham, Maggie Little and Saria Ratnam each scored an ATAR of 99.85 and we are incredibly proud of them.
Throughout their school years each student has demonstrated not only academic excellence, but has maximised involvement in co-curricular activities, shaping themselves as reliable and committed team players, extraordinary leaders, and influential amongst their peers, as well as role models for younger students.
Between them, they have been recipients of a long list of awards and prizes both in and out of school. Their talents span music, mooting, drama, public speaking and debating and they have displayed sporting prowess in cross country, triathlons, netball, AFL, swimming, softball, and rowing. They have represented the School in National and State competitions and have received local community recognition and awards.
Saria’s academic results bestowed her with the Prize for English, the Prize for French and the Prize for Literature. A champion of the environment and sustainability, Saria has been a member of the School’s Green Team and was appointed Environment Captain in 2024.
Maggie has received numerous awards in State and National competitions, including being awarded a Monash (University) Scholars Award in 2022. She has represented the School in many sporting and cultural competitions throughout her Fintona journey. Maggie held the leadership position of Ower House Captain in 2024.
Amelia is also the recipient of numerous awards in State and National competitions. She received the School’s Prize for History, the Prize for Economics, the Prize for General Mathematics, and the Prize for Latin. Amelia was appointed House Captain of Clarke House in 2024.
We applaud their creative and cultural talents and scholastic strengths. Just as each of them has lived by our motto Age Quod Agis, ‘do what you do well’ throughout their Fintona school years, we hope they continue to do so and wish them every future success.
Below is a little insight from each Dux.
Amelia Graham
What is your fondest memory of Fintona school life?
My fondest memory of Fintona school life is being in the school musical, Xanadu, in 2024. This was an incredible opportunity for students across different year levels to work together towards producing a final show. Throughout this process, I was able to forge new friendships with younger girls, which really reinforced my sense of community at Fintona. With singing, dancing, acting, and even roller skating featuring in the production, it was an amazing outlet amid the academic demands of Year 12. I’m so grateful to my incredible teachers who made this such a fun experience!
Looking back on your earlier school years, what message would you give to your Year 7 self?
Looking back, I would tell my Year 7 self to not be afraid to lean on her friends. Coming into Year 7, it can be daunting to ask those around you for help or advice, and it can feel like you have to manage all the aspects of your school life yourself. But I have learnt that it is impossible to make it through high school without working together with your peers. We all have periods in our lives where we feel overstretched, and it is okay to accept support in these times.
What’s next for you?
In this next chapter of my life, I will be commencing my Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne. I plan to major in History, which I am so excited for! After this, I will undertake the Juris Doctor, as I hope to become a lawyer one day. In these next few years, I also hope to travel to new countries with friends and family. I want to experience new adventures in parts of the world that are so different to Australia!
Maggie Little
What is your fondest memory of Fintona school life?
My favourite moments at Fintona always involved my friends and being surrounded by the people I love. Whether it was spare periods, lunchbreaks, GSV, camps, or House events, they were the moments that I treasured the most. Whenever we were together, I was reminded of how lucky I was to have a community that relieved my stress and made school more exciting and enjoyable, especially during my final years at Fintona.
Looking back on your earlier school years, what message would you give to your Year 7 self?
I would encourage my younger self to be more adventurous and take advantage of the different opportunities she was presented with. Looking back now, I realise that your earlier school years are the best time to push yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. Rather than allowing her fears to be the reason she didn’t participate in certain activities, I would support and urge her to live more freely. Nevertheless, even as she progressed in her schooling, I’d remind her that it’s never too late to pursue different passions and form new connections.
What’s next for you?
This year I’m excited to start studying a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne as part of the Commerce/Juris Doctor graduate degree package. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and exploring different opportunities, as well as saving to travel the world with my family and friends.
Saria Ratnam
What is your fondest memory of Fintona school life?
What I remember most fondly about Fintona school life is how passionate the teachers were about what they teach. So many of my teachers had a kind of effervescent, infectious love for their subject which seemed to fill their classrooms, inspiring the kind of whole-class discussion that encourages everyone to think and contribute. I’d learn so much as well from just chatting to them after class- all our teachers are just so full of knowledge that a simple conversation would often shift my thinking or learning in a pretty remarkable way.
Looking back on your earlier school years, what message would you give to your Year 7 self?
I would tell my younger self to stop worrying that it was too late to try new things. In Year 7, I wanted to pick up a new sport or instrument, audition for the school play and try public speaking, but I had this fear that it was too late because everyone else had probably started much earlier. My new approach to trying things that I’m nervous about is simply weighing up whether I’m going to regret not doing it more than I’ll regret doing it- and if I’d thought that way when I was younger, I would have tried so much more.
What’s next for you?
I’m following the Arts/Juris Doctor pathway at the University of Melbourne, so this year I’m commencing a Bachelor of Arts, studying English, Creative Writing, International Politics and French. Outside of that, I have a few writing projects that I’m starting on, and I’m working at a bookstore and a tea store. Next year I’m hoping to travel or do an exchange overseas.
