For the Red Bend Catholic College class of 2025, their high school experience hasn’t been the smoothest.

They began their secondary schooling in 2020 which got quickly interrupted by Covid, moving school to home and again in 2022 in Year 9 due to floods.

But all that is now behind them as they look to the future after their HSC results were released on 18 December.

For Jed Neilsen and Jamie Chanthapany of Parkes and Ellie Parker of Peak Hill the completion of their HSC couldn’t have come sooner.

“The HSC was challenging,” Ellie said.

“There’s so much you have to cover and so much content that you have to learn and remember over the two years,” Jed said.

“I’m definitely glad it’s finished,” Jamie added.

Jed received an ATAR of 76.85 with band 5 results (score between 80 and 89) in extension one mathematics, advanced mathematics, music, business studies and religion.

Jed will be jumping straight into the workforce with a local accountancy firm while studying accounting.

“It’s something I started wanting to do since the start of Year 11,” Jed said.

“I did a week of work experience at an accountancy firm and from then it’s been on my mind so I went back to them and asked if they would want to take me on and they said yes.”

Jed will be working part time while studying a bachelor of accounting at Charles Sturt University part time.

For Jamie he is heading straight to university in January.

“I will be going to the University of Newcastle and I’ll be doing a diploma of business, and once I finish that in my first year I will be going straight into a bachelor of business in my second year,” Jamie said.

With his degree Jamie hopes to one day start his own business.

Ellie achieved an ATAR in the 60s with all band 4 results.

“I will be studying physiotherapy at Orange Charles Sturt University,” Ellie said.

Ellie has always had her sights set on going into physiotherapy as it is an active job.

“It allows me to work with my hands and be active.”

For Ruby Arnott, college captain from Canowindra, she will be heading north to Katherine in the Northern Territory to work on a cattle station for one or two years.

“It’s something I have always wanted to do and once I do a few years up there I will come back and start university for primary school teaching,” Ruby said.

Ruby achieved an ATAR in the high 70s with two band 6 results (score of 90 or above) in agriculture and primary industries, and a band 5 in religion.

This year’s DUX of Red Bend was Blake Reeves of Bribbaree near Grenfell.

Blake achieved an ATAR of 96.15.

Across this year’s graduating class there was a total of 21 band 6 results and 118 band 5 results.

At least 66 students have received university offers and students will be studying in a range of fields including engineering, law and marine science.

But university is not the only pathway available to these students.

During their final years of high school Red Bend said student engagement with work placement and VET courses has been outstanding.

The construction course saw a 100 per cent increase in participation compared to 2025 with 20 students enrolled and achieving a 100 per cent completion rate.

The primary industries course also saw an increase of 52 per cent with 28 students enrolled and all achieving full certification and work placement was undertaken by 60 students who gained vital industry experience.

"We farewell the class of 2025 with immense pride not only for what they have achieved, but for the people they have become," Red Bend principal Stephen Dwyer said.