By Esther Lauaki
Tayla Eckley is charging her way towards a bright future.
The Hoppers Crossing 18-year-old was recently honoured with a Premier’s VCE Award in product design and technology after she last year earned a 50 study score and exceeded 90 in her ATAR score.
The Premier’s Award recognises students who demonstrated outstanding achievement in their VCE year
“I was shocked,” Tayla said of receiving the award.
“I’m very proud to receive the award but I wasn’t expecting it.”
While she earned the award for textiles and design, her tertiary studies are leading her in another direction.
Tayla is now settled into her first year of a bachelor’s degree in psychological science at Deakin University.
“I’ve always been really interested in why people think the way that they do,” she said.
“I definitely want to pursue something relating to psychology in the future.”
Outside of study, Tayla keeps fit and busy as a taekwondo instructor for five to seven-year-olds at City West Taekwondo in Hoppers Crossing.
She is a second dan black belt and said she hoped to earn her third dan this year.
