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"This is the sort of person who, given the right opportunities, has what it takes to make a difference," Beth Price – Michael Podger's VCE teacher who nominated Michael for the award
Winning the prestigious Box Hill Rotary Club’s Achievement Award at the Box Hill Institute’s Outstanding Student of the Year Awards Michael Podger feels quite modest about the whole event.
“I really don’t feel like I deserve it,” he said.
Beth Price who nominated Michael for the award disagrees. “He is one of the most intelligent and hardworking students it has ever been my privilege to teach,” she said in her nomination.
“This is the sort of person who, given the right opportunities, has what it takes to make a difference,” she said.
Michael scored an ENTER of 97.3 after completing his VCE with Box Hill Institute. He was close to being top student of the state for his marks in Literature and Biology.
Michael left Caulfield Grammar in Year 11 for which he had won a scholarship, “retrospectively I didn’t fit the system,” he said. “All the rules were really unnecessary.
“Understandably my parents were pretty enthusiastic for me to stay,” he explained. It wasn’t enough to keep him there. He later enrolled at Box Hill Institute to do his VCE.
Michael found Beth’s support a great help to his studies. “She’s really caring. She has to deal with a lot,” he said. “If you want to be there and take responsibility for your own education she’s really great.”
Michael plans to complete an Arts degree, majoring in environmental studies and anthropology. “Hopefully I’ll do my bit for the human race,” he said.
16 July 2003
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