Alesco Student of the Year 2021

Annelise Brown
Annelise came to Alesco Cooks Hill to start Senior 1 at the beginning of 2020. Prior to this Annelise had been home schooled. She has flourished in Alesco’s learning environment. As unpredictable as 2020 was Annelise achieved excellent results and always maintained positivity, even during uncertain times. As a senior leader in 2021, she is a role model both within the school environment and in the community as a whole and has continued to be positive even in the face of personal struggles. Annelise always sees the best in others and will go out of her way to help them in class, whether that be helping them with their assessments and even printing out her own study notes for others to use. As a learner Annelise is incredibly independent and highly motivated, at times the classroom cannot function effectively without her presence.
Jacinta Cook
Jacinta is an outstanding student of the Tuncurry Alesco campus. Due to reasons beyond her control, Jacinta recently found herself without a home. The family’s housing situation has separated the family, with Jacinta separated from her parents and staying at various people’s homes. Despite these circumstances Jacinta maintains a positive outlook on her personal and school life. She maintains excellent attendance, coming to school each day. While she is at school she is engaged and participates fully in all aspects of classroom learning and whole school activities.
Jacinta is a teacher’s dream student and it can be easy to forget her difficult personal situation because she soldiers on so well. Jacinta is proactive and has jumped through hoops to obtain identification documents allowing her to get a job and get her L plates. She has stayed back after school to complete a resume and do a phone interview for Woolworths, which she was successful in. She has also stayed back after school hours to complete a Driver Access program to help her obtain her L plates.
On top of all this Jacinta is kind hearted and inclusive, often subtly taking the time to talk to and involve students who would usually sit out by themselves. Jacinta is a genuine young person who is currently living through circumstances way beyond her control, she takes it in her stride and gets on with her life, never complaining.
Jade Tau
Jade has been part of the Alesco Northlakes community since the campus began operating three years ago. Since the beginning, Jade has been a passionate advocate of our school community. She is one of the most caring and compassionate young people we have had at our school who has brought such a positive influence to the campus. Jade is always looking outwardly for ways that she can help and support others both in and out of the school. She has remained committed to completing her HSC studies over the last two years despite many personal challenges and setbacks. Jade also acts as a significant support to her mother and siblings; as well as to many others in her community who her and her family offer a home to throughout the year. Jade has actively participated in all of our whole school events and always represents the school in line with our philosophy and values. In the classroom Jade has a work ethic that is second to none. She is determined, has a can do attitude and has never given up on completing anything that has been put in front of her. We are all so proud of the amazing young lady that Jade has become and cannot wait to see her continue to shine as she enters the next chapter of her life at the end of this year, and show the world what she has to offer.
Tyson Dann
Tyson has done far more than demonstrate his academic ability this year. He turns up every day prepared to do his best and in doing so he has demonstrated a level of resilience and persistence not often seen in someone so young. Tyson lives with significant barriers to learning and since joining the Alesco family he has slowly yet surely pushed himself to do more and actively move beyond his comfort zone and challenge himself. For example participating in all whole schools events and excursions even though his social anxiety can seem almost crippling and in doing so he is consistently setting a solid example for other students by embodying all that we believe an Alesco student to be.