More Than a Score: Redefining Success Beyond School

What do you do when the number on the screen feels like it just closed every door you'd planned to walk through? This episode is for any parent, or young person, who has ever felt defined by a disappointing result, and it's a reminder that a score is a moment, not a verdict. In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Ryan Bedford: three-time Australian representative sprinter, former j...

What if a score that's higher than you hoped for could actually work against you? This episode is for any parent, or any young person, who has ever felt boxed in by a number, or quietly written off at school, and it's a reminder that being good at school and being set up for a good life are not the same thing. In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Brendan James Murray: award-winni...

What happens when your child gets a near-perfect score and still feels stuck? This episode is for any parent, or any young person, who is high-achieving but uncertain, and it is a reminder that a great score is a starting point, not a life sentence. In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Felicity “Flick” Pountney: former chartered accountant, prenatal yoga and hypnobirthing educato...

What if the pressure your teenager feels to have their whole life mapped out by Year 12 is the very thing holding them back? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Lyle House, General Manager of Enchanted Adventure, former carpenter and builder, lifelong cricketer and captain, and dad of two, whose path from school to leadership took just about every turn a path can take. If you ar...

What if the most important thing your child needs isn't a higher score, but someone who truly sees them? Adam Hipwell knows what it feels like to believe school just isn't for you. After leaving Year 12 disappointed with a score that didn't reflect what he was capable of, Adam made the courageous decision to repeat his final year. Looking back, it wasn't simply a higher score that changed his futu...

What if the thing your child keeps getting in trouble for at school is the exact gift that will carry them through life? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Odette Barry, PR and media relations founder, community builder, and a self-described former professional nightmare. Odette grew up in an affluent Melbourne community with two high-achieving older sisters and parents who val...

What if not knowing your path is not a problem to fix, but the very thing that builds a creative and resilient life? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Manny Kechayas, musician, former teacher, self-taught video producer, and co-creator of the highly successful Australian children's entertainment group act Pevan & Sarah. Manny spent most of school waiting for a lightbulb moment...

What happens when your child does everything right and still hits a wall? For any parent of a driven, high-achieving young person, Sarah Kechayas' (co-founder of Pevan & Sarah) story is both honest and reassuring. This is part one of a two-part conversation. Sarah is a musician, performer and co-founder, with her partner Manny Kechayas, of the much-loved children's kids entertainment group Pevan &...

What if success has less to do with having a perfect plan and more to do with understanding your strengths? In this episode of More Than a Score, we sit down with Steve Younane: a business leader, CEO, musician, father, and someone whose pathway from school to leadership was far from predictable. Growing up as one of seven children in a family that deeply valued education, Steve felt the pressure...

If your teenager is unsure what comes next, this episode is reassurance that confidence usually comes after action, not before. It is for parents supporting a young person through big decisions. What if the right path only becomes clear once you stop chasing it? Athan Didaskalou, founder of the Australian luggage brand July, talks honestly about his uneasy relationship with school, the uncertainty...

If your child is told off for the very things that make them, well them, this is for you. The traits flagged at school are often the foundations of a thriving life later. What if the qualities that make your child different at school are exactly the ones that help them thrive in life? Sarah Pound, known as Wholesome by Sarah, is a nutritionist, author, educator and mum of three whose report cards...

If your child does not love the classroom or does not have a clear plan, they are far more normal than they feel. This episode is for parents of a young person who shines outside school. What if success is less about getting it right the first time and more about staying open to opportunity? Stephanie Pahl is an athlete, captain, coach, and fitness professional whose confidence and identity came t...

If your child quietly compares themselves to high-achieving siblings or peers, this honest conversation will help. Note: It briefly discusses suicide, so please choose what feels right for you. What happens when the thing you worked so hard to achieve makes you question what success even means? Melissa Lozanovski is an educator, leader, former founding principal, and mum. At school, she compared h...

If you are watching your teenager leave school without a clear direction, this episode is a reassurance that they are not behind. It is for any parent worried about the missing plan. What if success was never about the perfect plan, but learning to adapt when the plan changes? Ben Amos is a teacher turned entrepreneur and digital storyteller who built his career by staying curious and figuring thi...

If your child has ever been labelled at school, this episode is for you. Being called lazy was never the real story. It is a reassurance for any parent advocating for a child who learns differently. Called lazy, placed on the lowest table, and told she would not succeed. The truth was very different. Myfanwy (Van) Fitzpatrick struggled at school not because she lacked ability, but because her dysl...

If your teenager left school without a clear sense of what success looks like, they are more normal than they feel. This is for parents who want to support without forcing a path. What does it look like to navigate school, life, and identity when the path is not clear? If your teenager left school without a clear sense of what success looks like for them, they are far more normal than they feel. F...

If you have ever worried that your child does not fit the traditional mould, this is a hopeful, practical listen for parents and educators alike. What happens when school does not quite fit, but life beyond it opens something bigger? Lael Stone is a speaker, educator, author, and school founder who reflects on leaving school without being defined by her score, traveling overseas alone at seventeen...

If you are watching your child step off the traditional track, this is reassurance. For Sam, leaving school in Year 11 was the start, not the setback. What happens if you leave school early and do not follow the expected path? Sam Gawenda left in Year 11, became a bricklayer, moved into mortgage broking, built and sold a business, and is now starting a new chapter. His pathway is a clear reminder...

If your child is measuring their worth by a number, this episode offers a better measure. It is for parents who want to understand what actually shapes a meaningful life. Blaise Witnish got an ATAR she was proud of, but that is not what made her successful. A CEO and global team leader, she boarded in Year 12 after financial hardship, found her strengths through drama and stand-up comedy, and buil...

If your young person does not yet have a direction, this shows how a real creative career is built. It is for parents and students unsure about the next step. Not everyone leaves school with a clear plan, and not everyone needs to. Hayden Bevis is the founder of Poster Boy, but his path there was anything but straight: optical mechanic, trivia host, early YouTube experiments, then a creative busin...

If your child finds the academic side of school hard, this lands. Not academic was never the problem, just a sign their strengths are elsewhere. What if being not academic was never the problem, just a sign that your strengths are somewhere else? Ellie Pascazio is a makeup artist and small business owner who found school hard academically but loved people, energy and making others feel good, and n...

If you are trying to help your child work hard without overwhelming them, this conversation will help you breathe. It is for parents navigating pressure and expectation. What if success was never just about getting through school, getting the degree and starting work? Val Gnanakone moved from Singapore to Australia as a young person and grew up where education was essential, not optional. He worke...

If your child is tying their worth to a number, Claire's story is one to share. It is for parents, students and anyone untangling self-worth from performance. Have you ever achieved something others celebrate but still felt like you fell short? Claire Tonti is a former teacher turned musician, filmmaker, podcaster and CEO. She grew up in a high-achieving family quietly believing she was not smart...

If you are navigating subject selection or university pressure with your young person, this gives real perspective. Changing direction is often growth, not failure. This is a TITANIC episode. (See what we did there?). Have you ever started down a path because it seemed right, only to realise it did not fit? James Cameron is a teacher, mentor and outdoor education specialist who began university on...

If your child has ever been quietly written off, Cade's story matters. It is for any parent whose child has been told they are not likely to get the score they need. What happens when you are told university probably is not realistic for you, months before your final exams? Cade Witnish heard exactly that. Co-founder of Loud and Clear and sports-tech platform PlayHQ, he grew up in regional New Sou...