The Nowra High School student was not even sure how many band six results she achieved.

“I think it might have been five band sixes – maybe,” she said.

She got a Band 6 in Dance, English Advanced, English Extension One, Legal Studies and French Beginners.

Isabella had a chuckle about her General Mathematics result.

“In General Mathematics, I got a band five which was 88 and I was really happy about it because maths is not my forte,” she said.

She was happy her efforts paid off.

“I was always striving hard and wanted to do well,” she said.

“School was something I felt comfortable about doing and wanted to do well in.

“It was not as though I had plans for the future and I took thing days by day, which was important to me.”

Isabella was just one of many Nowra High students who did well.

Victoria Beahan got a Band 6 in Dance, Jessica Ibrahim got Band 6 in Biology and English Advanced, Samuel Johnstone a Band 6 in Automotive, Erin Monsalve-Fear got two top bands for English Advanced and Legal Studies, Aten Morris was another star with three Band 6 in Ancient History, English Advanced and Modern History, Joshua O'Driscoll shone in Society and Culture, Oliver Rodden did well in English Advanced and French Beginners, Rohan Sims got a Band 6 in French Beginners and German Beginners and Rhiannon Smith got a Band 6 in Ancient History.

Meanwhile, Isabella did not go overboard when it came to study.

“It was not that many hours of study to be honest but I would try to do as much as I could at school because I had limited time in the afternoons, as I worked and had dance to do,” she said.

“Dancing commitment took up a lot of my time and so school was the time to work.”

Isabella, when she did get home, studied right until she went to bed.

She said quality study time was better than quantity.

With five band 6 in the bank, Isabella is a good person to ask for advice when it comes to taking on the HSC.

“I would tell you to take things day by day. Once I did my HSC exams I did not stress about it or even think about them – they were in the past,” she said.

“If you put in the effort you will get the results. 

“You don’t have to be the best student because the effort is the thing that matters.”

Isabella said a piece of paper does not make a person.

“I feel so humble and grateful for that piece of paper but at the end of the day I am like ‘will I use it – who knows?’,” she said.

“My dad Todd is the epitome that you don't need anything like a piece of paper because he has owned his own businesses and he did not do the HSC and dropped out in year nine.

“It just goes to show you don’t need that piece of paper.”

The University of Wollongong has offered Isabella the Vice-Chancellor's Academic Excellence award and this comes with a financial scholarship.

All her success has put Isabella’s plans in doubt. She was going to have a gap year but will now reevaluate things.

She would like to do a double Law/Arts degree with a major in English Literature.

As a former Tomerong Public School student, Isabella is a role model for children who go to a small school.