Top local student, Claudia Smith is only thinking about one thing at this moment. Surprisingly, it’s not the much-delayed 2021 Higher School Certificate (HSC).

 With this year’s timetable for the culmination of 13 years of formal education proving a “moveable feast” due to lockdown, the accomplished scholar is only reflecting on what she can control, not what she can’t.

 This practical and common-sense philosophy has so-far served the Orange High School top academic well, as she was recently named among only a half-dozen others to receive the NSW Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.

 The annual awards recognise top-performers in public education and is also for teachers, parents, and staff with Claudia named alongside other winners from Bathurst, Cowra, Inverell, and Coonabarabran.

 “I feel like it was a surprise, I knew that I was nominated for something, but not what it was,” Claudia said. “I suppose I appreciate the spotlight, but without actively seeking it,” she added modestly.

 Her cheery, outgoing disposition, however, overlays a serious intellect. Asked if she has always been a keen student, she says: “I do all the subjects, that I’m able to, in ‘Advanced’. Yes, I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist with my school-work, I have to admit,” she explained.

 With her finely-tuned scholarly skills, she was as disheartened as anyone by the continuing HSC timetable changes that have seen the exams now pushed-back to November and December. “It was a bit of a disappointing time, and I did think, ‘what do I do now?’

 “It’s definitely not easy, but there’s not anything that I can do. I’m just going to embrace it and take the opportunity to do an extra little bit of study,” Claudia said.

  Asked how she’s coping with the current uncertainty over the already twice-delayed HSC exam timetable, Claudia says: “I’m not worrying about it, I’ve decided that I’m only going to think about what I can control, not what I can’t” she added

 Orange High Deputy Principal, Kate Rogan, said that the changes to the HSC timetable have been stressful for everyone with students, teachers, and staff continuing to battle-on.

 “it’s the uncertainty that is unsettling, what we’ve been trying to do, is keep a routine as normal as possible. It’s increasingly-hard with remote learning, but we’re trying to keep consistency so it’s not mentally so daunting,” she added.

 Teaching remotely has also presented a whole range of challenges for our teachers, Ms Rogan believes.

 “Teaching relies on the ability to connect with students, but it’s not so easy to connect when you’re not dealing with them in person,” she said.

 “It’s certainly a challenge for teachers having students at home. A lot of our job with young adults are to do with personal interactions, which is so different online,” she said.

 This topsy-turvy past two years though has shone a light on the adaptability of our young, she added.

 “It’s incredible how resilient they’ve been, this is the second or third time that the timetable has been moved,” she said.

 Also being Claudia’s Extension Science teacher, Ms Rogan believes that she knows the open-secret to her success.

 “She is exceptionally hard-working; Claudia is very dedicated and focussed which is so important for the HSC.”

 Ms Rogan adds that, Claudia’s achievements are also a nice reflection on the local high school where she has been a student since Year 7.

 “It’s an incredibly proud moment to see one of our students recognised as a ‘Student of Excellence’,” she said.

 Claudia intends to take the almost obligatory “gap year” for 2022 and sees her bright future in one of the medical fields.

 “I’m tossing-up between bio-medical research or a doctor, between curative medicine, or research,” she added

 Fine scholarship, however, is not the only string to Claudia’s bow.

 She is also an accomplished dancer and teacher who loves helping kids to discover their inner performer. “It’s a release for me, I feel like it does offer me an outlet and a way to let go.

 “And teaching kids is a very rewarding way to relieve the stress of the HSC,” Claudia concluded.