School achievers set eye on future
WARWICK State High School Year 12 students will hang up their uniforms this afternoon for the very last time and set their eyes on their future goals and ambitions.
While many will travel to the Gold Coast for Schoolies Week, graduate Jaime Spragge will be sitting through a series of tests and interviews.
"Starting (tomorrow) for two weeks I will be doing tests and theory session to qualify for officer training in the Defence Force and flight training as well," Jaime said.
"I am still deciding whether I want to join the air force or the army.
"I will be studying at the Australian Defence Force Academy for three years while doing my officer training.
"Then going onto pilot training."
Jaime said she started the application process in Year 11.
"I am just hoping I pass this round and then I'll be off to Canberra next year," the hopeful school leaver said.
While Jaime is excited to finish her 12 years of schooling, she's worried she'll miss her friends.
One student who has already secured his spot at university is Ben Vellacott.
"I am going to be doing a Bachelor of Popular Music at Griffith University," he said.
"I applied early in term three for the position and then had to go to an audition in the school holidays.
"I had to do a 10-minute performance of original songs then a 10-minute interview."
Ben said he was stoked when he found out a few weeks ago he was one of the 50 students selected, from the 250 who auditioned for a place.
"I was on cloud nine," he said.
And after getting his student accommodation application approved, Ben said he was really looking forward to his new adventure.
"The course is focused on what I want to do with my life and music," Ben said.
"It is not classical music and is about developing yourself as an artist.
"I am really hoping to be able to break into the music industry."
Also moving away from Warwick is Kasper Hicks.
"I have just finished a two-year traineeship through the Commonwealth Bank in Warwick," Kasper said.
"My family is moving to Forest Hill and the manager at the Commonwealth Bank has arranged for me to have a job as a teller at a Commonwealth Bank at Gatton or Ipswich."
Fellow student Mahala McLeod has her fingers and toes crossed for an OP1.
"I am hoping to get into university and study medicine," Mahala said.
"I really like the idea of oncology or paediatrics."
Mahala said she would miss the students and teachers at Warwick High.
Karlie Macdonald plans to take a year off from study and continue working at Woolworths.
"I am still working out whether I want to study animal nutrition or the business side of the agriculture industry at university," she said.