General News
19 December, 2025
Engineering dreams for Zander Eckermann
Rainbow P-12 College student Zander Eckermann has been named the school’s 2025 dux, with an ATAR of 95.80 in recent VCE results, announced on December 11.
He described the moment his name was announced as both exciting and surreal.
“Oh, I was obviously quite stoked at it,” Zander said.
“I got a really good result, and I was quite stunned when I heard it.”
Zander said the outcome was hard-fought, with intense competition throughout the year.
“It was definitely like a two-horse race between my classmate Cooper and me, so we knew one of us would get it,” he said.
“I would have been fine if he got it, though we kind of motivated each other throughout the year.”
Reflecting on his studies, Zander said specialist mathematics and physics were his favourite subjects.
“Specialist maths was probably my favourite because it was challenging and really niche,” he said.
“With physics, I just found all the content really interesting, learning how things work and applying that knowledge.”
Like many senior students, Zander said staying motivated during exam preparation was one of the biggest challenges.
“Preparation for exams can get hectic,” he said.
“But thinking about the end goal and trying to impress my parents helped keep me motivated.”
Zander credited his family and teachers for their support, particularly the close connections formed in a smaller school environment.
“Obviously, my parents and all my teachers were really involved,” he said.
“Being at a smaller school, you get good connections with all your teachers, and that definitely helped.”
Looking ahead, Zander plans to pursue engineering at university next year, with options in Adelaide or Melbourne.
“I will either be going to Melbourne or Adelaide for engineering,” he said.
“In Melbourne, Monash would probably be my first preference.
“I’m not set on a specific discipline yet, but the flexible first year will open up a lot of avenues.”
Outside the classroom, Zander has balanced his studies with sport and recreation.
“I play football for the local team, Southern Mallee Thunder, through winter,” he said.
“In summer, I do a bit of water skiing on the nearby lakes.”
When asked for advice to current Year 11 students, Zander encouraged them to stay focused without becoming overwhelmed.
“Just stay on task and don’t get overly stressed about the little things,” he said.
“At the end of the day, there’s always another way to get into what you want to do, so stress less.”
Building works at the school were Zander’s favourite school memory throughout his time there.
