"We had one hour to write two essays on the space, time and dynamics of two dance pieces," Ellie said.

"An extra 10 minutes for each essay would have been great but it was actually pretty easy."

One of the choreographed dances Ellie said she had to analyse as part of the HSC Dance exam on Thursday was a contemporary Indigenous piece Terrain by Bangarra Dance Theatre.

"It was really interesting because we had to explore how the connection between land and people is demonstrated by movement examples and space."

Ellie said she was "frustrated" when the state went into lockdown a week before she was meant to present the practical element of her HSC earlier this year.

"We put in so much time and effort and ended up getting nothing out of it. We spent the whole year rehearsing and putting in extra hours outside school."

Ellie said rather than presenting to NESA markers, their practical element was assessed by the school's teachers based on progress students had made before lockdown.

More than the HSC performance, Ellie said COVID impacted the showcase that creative and performing arts students at Irrawang High would usually put on for the community..

"It's a massive thing that we usually have sponsors come to which has been cancelled the last two years," she said.

Now exams are done, Ellie says her immediate plan is to save a bit of money before starting university next year.

"I've been working a bit lately doing COVID vaccinations at a small surgery in Raymond Terrace," she said.

"It's worked out well because I had to get a CPR certificate specific to GP surgeries which I will also need for my degree."

Ellie will be studying what she described as her "dream course and dream job" next year.

"I've got early entry for a Bachelor of Paramedicine at Port Macquarie's Charles Sturt University," she said.

"After I get my degree I eventually want to come back and work around Newcastle to give back to the community that raised me."

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