Successes

One of our 2018 Year 10 graduates has recently been accepted into The University of Technology Sydney.

Here is what she had to say about her time at The Athena School...

"When I first came to Australia, I spoke little to no English. It was the teachers that helped me eminently improve my vocabulary. I would like to give my special thanks to Rose on that part. I am very lucky to have been able to study at this school. Everything just clicked in you know, after being able to actually understand what everyone was saying.

That’s not all. When I was in Vietnam, in schools there, we didn’t study to understand, we studied to pass exams. The four years I was in school there, I felt like I was being pressured into cramming all these things into my mind that I had to remember just for exams and won’t use any of it later on.

That’s the difference here though. I was able to really learn with the help of my teachers. For the first time I felt like school could actually be fun and I could actually use the knowledge I’m gaining through my studies. I am so grateful for everything that everyone has done for me here. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and was able to learn so much."

V.N.

“When our daughter first came into the Athena school 5 years ago, she had very little English and was a very shy person as she grew up in a non-English speaking country (Indonesia).

It didn’t take her very long to adopt the language. 2 months and she can correct my words sometimes.

Now she is 9 years old. I am watching her become a determined person with her ability to study and her ability in reading (500 pages a day) with full understanding. It leads her to a bright future.

She is now making books with the help of her teacher in the class room as well as her father at home. Her goal is to become an Author and also a professional Artist.

I feel a lifetime debt with the school because of the knowledge that my daughter gets. It is such a treasure.

Thank you so much.

I would like to acknowledge all of the teachers and staff at Athena for not only providing a sane environment for its students, but giving them the tools and technology they need to flourish and prosper in our society.

You educate your students as people on a personal level, not just a statistic. What you are doing at Athena doesn't last just a lifetime, but an eternity.

I am proud to say that I have the tools and technology that will guide me for the endless years to come.

Thank you for raising me as a person, with passion and purpose. Really, thank you."

L.K.

Past student at university. The Athena School.

Caterine graduated Year 10 at The Athena School, then went on to finish her Year 12 at Canterbury Girls’ High School, and recently finished Uni at UNSW.

This is what she wrote of her time at Athena:

I started at The Athena School in Year 1 and I graduated in Year 10. All the teachers really cared for me along the way ensuring I was happy with my learning. The many friendships I have developed at The Athena School will carry me further in life and I will keep these connections far into the future!

I know with this strong foundation of the study tools it has given me a clearer mind and a better way of viewing study and life. It has given me the tools to really achieve my goals. I also use what I know to help my friends do well too.
It is especially the study methods that have really helped me build a very sound knowledge with which to build my future.

Past foriegn language student. The Athena School.

Brian Hsu came to The Athena School in 2010, and whilst The Athena School does not deliver ESL courses for its students, our Study Technology is such that students learn swiftly and easily. His English rapidly improved, and he is now at University. This is what he states of his time at the school.

Before arriving in Sydney I couldn’t speak English smoothly when I talked with any English speakers. After arriving in Sydney, my study circumstances were better than before, therefore my English level increased greatly. After studying in the Athena School I became totally different. We use the Study Technology of L. Ron Hubbard in the school, which is quite different from other schools. We use checksheets to study and follow these checksheets step by step. Teachers, who are trained in these study tools, record a student’s progress on a graph and set targets to give the student a game, because they then have a purpose to reach the target.

If you are not studying well, you will be noticed by teachers and they will get you to re-check what you just studied, so that you can find your misunderstood words and clear them. If you handle these problems in your study, you can keep studying well and continue the steps of your course.

If you treat people honesty, Sydney, which is an international city, is a good place for you.

Now I can speak English smoothly and my reading and writing have improved greatly as well. The most important thing is being able to understand what English speakers say and at first I couldn’t understand foreigners when they spoke. After learning the 44 speech sounds of English, I can understand English speakers much better and I can even spell words that I hear but do not know. Ha!!! This is the biggest “win” for me in my time at The Athena School.

So, from my heart, I invite anyone who wants to learn and improve their English, to come to Sydney, to The Athena School.