What success means to me: Ballarat teens share their goals

18 Ballarat students who were awarded the Dorothy Irene Ellis-Thomas scholarship on Thursday, December 21. Pictures by Lachlan Bence and supplied.

Since 1999, an annual $2000 scholarship has been awarded to Ballarat school leavers in memory of Dorothy Thomas. The scholarship is not awarded based on academic excellence, but a student's strong work ethic and a drive to succeed.

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In the interview process, each student was asked what success meant to them. This is what they said.

Name: Isabella D'Amore

Age: 18

School: Ballarat Grammar

Plans for 2024: I have just received an offer for Radiography and Medical Imaging at Monash University.

What success means to me: It's not if [everyone else] thinks you've succeeded, it's a personal construct about when you're happy with yourself and have a positive feeling about what you've achieved. It's really just what you believe and if you're happy with how you've done.

Isabella D'Amore, 18, Ballarat Grammar. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Leo Keutmann

Age: 18

School: Ballarat Grammar

Plans for 2024: I'm hoping to study Urban and Regional Planning at RMIT.

What success means to me: Success consists of two main elements. One, you have to set clear goals and set a clear idea for yourself about what it means, and two you actually have to commit to it. You have to say this is what I believe, and this is how I'm going to live my life.

Leo Keutmann, 18, Ballarat Grammar. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Paidamoyo Ndoro

Age: 18

School: Ballarat Clarendon College

Plans for 2024: Hopefully I can get into medical school at Monash University next year.

What success means to me: Success is being happy at the end of the day. If I could leave the world knowing that I made a difference in one person's life, and knowing that everyone around me is safe and happy and I'm content with my life, that's success.

Paidamoyo Ndoro, 18, Ballarat Clarendon College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Jessica Sheehan

Age: 18

School: Loreto College

Plans for 2024: [I'll be doing a] Double Degree in Psychology and Sports Science at Australian Catholic University.

What success means to me: It's getting your goal and then achieving it in a way that you can look back and be happy with how you've done it, not only what you've done.

Jessica Sheehan, 18, Loreto College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Jasmine Goon

Age: 18

School: Ballarat High School

Plans for 2024: I'm hopefully going to Melbourne Uni for fine arts.

What success means to me: Being proud of yourself for accomplishing really small things in hard times, even brushing your teeth in the morning. Just accomplishing those really small things, and then recognising that [they're] really important.

Jasmine Goon, 18, Ballarat High School. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Jack Domaschenz

Age: 18

School: Ballarat High School

Plans for 2024: I'm planning to take a gap year and build up some money working with my brother while I study for the UCAT to get into medicine.

What success means to me: Success is being able to look back on the work you've done and know you didn't leave anything on the table and you gave it everything you could.

Jack Domaschenz, 18, Ballarat High School. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Rohan Saha

Age: 18

School: Damascus College

Plans for 2024: I'm planning to go to Federation University to study Exercise and Sports Science.

What success means to me: Success is being able to learn from your mistakes, then being able to move forward with your goals, and being able to achieve [them].

Rohan Saha, 18, Damascus College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Poppy Rowland

Age: 18

School: Damascus College

Plans for 2024: I plan on starting off the year with a bit of travel [to France], and then going to do a Bachelor of Arts majoring in psychology at the University of Melbourne.

What success means to me: It means being open to incidental learning, be willing to take opportunities when they come and not having too many expectations, and just being open and willing to learn new things.

Poppy Rowland, 18, Damascus College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Flynn Coyles

Age: 18

School: Phoenix College

Plans for 2024: I'm moving to Melbourne to go to RMIT to study chemical engineering and pharmacology.

What success means to me: Reaching your goals and doing it your way.

Flynn Coyles, 18, Phoenix College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Ella Sandford

Age: 18

School: Phoenix College

Plans for 2024: I got into Melbourne Uni to study a Bachelor of Fine Art in photography.

What success means to me: For me it's two things, feeling fulfilled in my goals, but then also just being happy and feeling good about what I'm doing day to day.

Ella Sandford, 18, Phoenix College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Bridget Smith

Age: 18

School: Mount Rowan Secondary College

Plans for 2024: I'm going to Victoria University to study teaching.

What success means to me: Being happy with what I'm doing and reaching my full potential in whatever I do, and not giving away challenges and opportunities I could take.

Bridget Smith, 18, Mount Rowan Secondary College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Connor Brown

Age: 18

School: Mount Rowan Secondary College

Plans for 2024: I want to study a Bachelor of Games Design at RMIT.

What success means to me: Being able to make a meaningful impact on those around me.

Connor Brown, 18, Mount Rowan Secondary College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Esther Rosenberg

Age: 18

School: Woodmans Hill College

Plans for 2024: I'll probably study a Bachelor of Conservation and Land Management at Federation University.

What success means to me: [There are] two responses to this, one of them is the "journey". The other one is being able to look at yourself in the mirror.

Esther Rosenberg, 18, Woodmans Hill College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Esdras Assimadi

Age: 17

School: Woodmans Hill College

Plans for 2024: I'm thinking of a Bachelor of Commerce at University Melbourne.

What success means to me: It's taking advantage and making sure you make the most out of the opportunities that you get, and seeking out those opportunities as well.

Esdras Assimadi, 17, Woodmans Hill College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Vadim Rudoi

Age: 19

School: Mount Clear College

Plans for 2024: I'm planning to study information technology, probably at Federation University.

What success means to me: Everyone defines it differently, so in my opinion success is when you're achieving [or moving] towards your goals. It's a journey when you put in effort to go for it and achieve your goals.

Vadim Rudoi, 19, Mount Clear College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: Mikala Lund

Age: 18

School: Mount Clear College

Plans for 2024: I plan to take a gap year before going to university for music. I'm going to keep working as a vocal coach, and hopefully pick up an internship in Melbourne with a music company, and also go over and tutor in Europe.

What success means to me: I actually think success is unattainable, because I feel like every time I get something, it just opens up more opportunities, and I want to do more. It comes back to reflecting and being grateful and taking pride in what you've done to achieve your dreams or what you're passionate about.

Mikala Lund, 18, Mount Clear College. Picture by Lachlan Bence

Name: James Halsall

Age: 17

School: St Patrick's College

Plans for 2024: I'm going to Melbourne next year to study with the Richmond Institute, doing a dual diploma in sport, leadership and management.

What success means to me: Being able to achieve your goals and trying to stick to those goals. I also think, having a positive influence on others and the world around you is a really important thing. If you can make the world a better place and achieve your goals at the same time, I think that's a really successful thing to do.