When teachers walk through the classroom doors for the first time, it is these students they hope will greet them.
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Described as the very best of students, Wagga High School leaders Mackenzie Purtill-Wright and Edward Prescott have had their efforts in STEM officially recognised by the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute School Science Awards.
They join 20 other students in the region who have also received the honour, including Mount Austin's Cosette Niaga and Luke Davis.
"When you've got students who are really interested in science, they're self-directed and keen enough to go that extra step, you want them to be rewarded," said Graham Curry, who nominated Mackenzie and Edward for the award the last term.
"They're rewarded, of course by their marks, but they're the kinds of students the Victor Chang award is all for.
"When you think of Chang, he goes the extra mile for his research and his work. So do these students."
Beginning their HSC experience now, both Edward and Mackenzie are studying chemistry and physics, while seeking to pursue STEM-based careers.
Edward is still deciding which path to take but is currently looking towards a mechanical or aerospatial engineering career.
"They're finding solutions in those fields that I find interesting, I would like to see it develop in my lifetime and be a part of it," Edward said.
Meanwhile, Mackenzie is interested in using her passion for science to future-proof a changing world.
"I'm definitely looking at taking a science pathway, maybe in sustainability and renewables, but I haven't decided whether that will be research or engineering," she said.
"I believe it's a major part of our future. We need to find new energy sources for the future."
But the pursuit is not as easily laid out as it would be in the big smoke.
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Students in regional areas face challenges in getting their foot through the door in the science world.
Armed with their newly-acquired prestigious awards though, the students hope their networking options will be vastly improved.
Especially since the award comes with an exclusive offer to spend time observing procedures at the Victor Chang Cardiac Institute in Sydney.
"We try to get involved with everything that's going on, but it's harder in Wagga than it would be Sydney," Mackenzie.
"There are more universities in Sydney, we only have the one. So that's a limiting factor, if you want to get involved with [university-level] science, you have to travel five hours and that's especially time-consuming," Edward said.
Both the students have taken part in several university science initiatives, but it has cost them in time and commitment.
At the end of this term, Edward will travel to Sydney University for a five-day intensive summer school in engineering.
While both are confronting the barrier of distance, Mackenzie is also negotiating the typically gendered-bias of her chosen field.
"There are definitely [fewer] women in science and I can see that even at school. In my classes, there are only three girls in physics and I'm the only girl in my extension maths class," she said.
"In 2017 I went to an all-women's STEM camp in Wollongong that was entirely run by women in STEM. That's when I sort of started thinking about going into it."