Forbes couple Kelvin and Elizabeth Parker were possibly the proudest grandparents in the state on Wednesday, when their twin grand-daughters Grace and Alisha received their HSC results.
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As reported in Thursday’s Advocate (‘Girls lead way in HSC’, p.7), Dubbo Christian College student Grace Parker shared top spot in the state in the traditionally-male HSC domain of automotive studies.
Grace and her twin Alisha, who also has an interest in automotive engineering, both received excellent results in their HSC, said their Forbes grandmother Elizabeth Parker.
Kelvin and Elizabeth’s son Roger Parker, who now works as a pathologist at Dubbo Hospital, attended Red Bend Catholic College. The twins are the eldest of his six children, and both have received offers of work or tertiary study after completing their secondary schooling recently.
Grace this week told the Dubbo Daily Liberal that she didn’t know the first thing about cars before starting the VET subject, which both girls completed through TAFE Western.
“I went into the course not knowing anything. I didn’t know anything about changing a tyre, checking the oil,” Grace said. “Coming from there to topping the class is something I’m proud of.
“I wanted something practical to do, and cars are something you use every day so I wanted to know about them.”
Grace was reluctant to describe her top results as a victory of any ‘battle of the sexes’ in automotive studies.
“I think the attention is really good...but it is not about females dominating over males,” she said.
“It is more a thing for me that females can do it and encouraging females to step out there and into these positions. It’s not about sexism, it is about congratulating females that work in male dominated areas and giving them a fair shot.”
Upon hearing she had topped the state in the subject, Grace was speechless and extremely proud of her efforts.
“It is something that I didn’t expect but it is exciting,” she said.
“I would never have expected something like this to happen to me, it is a really great way to finish the year off. I’d really like to thank all the TAFE teachers who do a brilliant job.”
Her Forbes grandmother said she didn’t know where the interest in automotive studies comes from.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I just find it quite amazing as Grace was very good at woodwork and loved making things, and next thing she’s enrolled in this [automotive] course,” Mrs Parker said.
“But they are both quite feminine,” she said of the twins.
Grace has been accepted to study a double degree at the University of Wollongong in international studies / arts, while Alisha has been offered an apprenticeship working in large vehicle repairs.
