St Mary’s College celebrated the end of another successful year with an awards ceremony for Years7-11 at St Xavier’s School hall earlier this month.
The venue was packed with students, staff, parents and friends, with the college band playing the National Anthem and the school song Via Vitae Virtus, before parish priest Fr Abmar offered a prayer of thanksgiving.
St Mary’s College principal Cath Martin reflected on the many achievements over the past year, including academic, cultural and sporting events, thanking staff for their dedication, students and parents, who work in partnership with the college.
Deputy mayor Kate McGrath presented the Gunnedah Shire Council award for service to the community to Year 11 student Angus Johns. The Kevin Anderson MP prize for consistent effort in Year 10 went to Lily Canham and Hannah Carney, while Fr Antony presented the Poulos Prize for Christian leadership to Reuben Bekker. He also presented the Reuben F. Scarfe for commitment in Year 11 to Tiah Small.
The Rita Murphy memorial award was presented by Religious Education Co-ordinator Sandra Garnett to Paige Johnson. Mrs Murphy was a much-loved school secretary for 25 years when Sr Christine was principal. She treated everyone with the utmost respect and kindness. The award is presented to a Year 7 girl who exhibits enthusiasm, courtesy and concern for others.
The Peter Rootes memorial prize in memory of the Year 7 student who died tragically in the 1970s was presented to Ryan Raywood for enthusiasm, courtesy and concern for others. The prize is donated by the Ex-Students Association and was presented by Marie Hobson.
The Armidale Region of St Vincent de Paul award which honours and encourages a student with a heightened sense of social justice and exhibits empathy and practical support to others, went Year 11 student Madeline Mitchell.
Tahni Bush, Zoe Manks, Shiloh Moore, Tiah Small and Aleira Sunderland were recognised for their contribution to the closing ceremony performance of the Armidale Catholic Schools CSNSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education conference Spirit on Country.
Other awards:
Creative and Performing Arts award donated by Michael Crowhurst: Angus Johns (Year 11).
St Mary’s College award for Agriculture: Katie Eveleigh.
Positive contribution to the college community awards recognise students from each house in each stage; Loreto House: Reuben Bekker, Tiah Small (stage 6); Clinton Hall, Olivia Semmler (Stage 5), Hunter O’Neill, Kayla Ross (stage 4). Lourdes: Angus Johns, Lily Campbell (stage 6), Angus Hobson, Jazmin Hobden (stage 5), Lucas Welch, Emily O’Brien (stage 4). McAuley: Liam Naismith, Mikayla Straney (stage 6), Mayse Frey (Year 9), Madeleine Taylor (Year 10), Will Schutz, Paige Johnson (stage 4). Mercy: Emily Williams, Sophie Hunt (stage 6), Arlie Torrens, Jedd Smallwood (stage 5), Eugenie Goddard, Jonathon Martin (stage 4).
Year 11 awards for academic excellence and commitment to learning in each subject studied in the preliminary year of the HSC:
Studies in Catholic Thought: Ava Garbutt. Studies of Religion, Chemistry, Legal Studies, Advanced English: Madeleine Mitchell. Mathematics Extension: Madeleine Mitchell, Ryley Chaffey. Advanced Maths and Modern History: Ryley Chaffey. Standard English: Ryley Chaffey, Reuben Bekker. Industrial Technology Wood and Business Studies: Reuben Bekker. Visual Arts: Sienna Hobden. PDHPE: Isla Wise. Music: Sienna Sams. Society and Culture: Jack Hartnett. Mathematics Standard: Jesse Montgomery-Hutchins. Sports Lifestyle and Recreation; English Studies: Liam Naismith. Work Studies: Mia Wallace. Biology: Cayla McInerney.
Academic excellence awards, Year 10: Lily Canham, Hannah Carney, Monique Dangerfield, Faith Fleming, Myah Gibson, Alexis Hancock, Anna Roden, Madeliene Taylor, Arlie Torrents, Amber Welch, Corinne Wise.
Commitment to Learning awards: Eliza-Jane Allan, Chloe Cabling, Charles De Guzman, Hannah Donoghue, Yasmin Finigan, James Hayne, William Higgins, Angus Hobson, Emley Jones, Mackenzie Mulherin, Harrison Paul. Academic excellence Year 9: Bo Burgess, Dana Campbell, Tilly Gleeson, Audrey Hannaford, Leila Harris, Kierana Maheswari, Sarah McInerney, Olivia Semmler, Jedd Smallwood, Katie Spinks, Patrick Waterford, Alyssa Wise. Commitment to Learning: Dakodah Ashford, Jack Borthistle, Eliza Campbell, Kayleigh Eather, Mia Geddes, Jazmin Hobden, Casey Honeysett. Tyler Howes, Danika Jones, Eileen Murphy, Liam Nott, Charlee O’Hearn, Cooper O’Hearn, Torsten Williams, Elsie Woodford.
Academic Excellence Year 8: Victor Bueno Gomes, Sophie Chad, Liam Dorrington, Cadence Dowdell, Violet Egan, Lucas Grosser, Olivia Launders-Hennessy, William Longstaff, Henry Maslen, Emily O’Brien, Lucas Welch. Commitment to Learning: William Curran, Johanna Gordon, Lucy Hannaford, Sophie Hartnett, Harrison Law, Jonathon Martin, William McClymont, Sophie Neilson, Lukas Ridley, Isabella Smith, Bella Southwell, Jorja Tresize, Cooper Zappa.
Academic excellence Year 7: Elsie Barton, Stevie Borthistle, Aria Brown, Charlotte Duncan, Eugenie Goddard, Paige Johnson, Danielle McGregor, Lila Mortimer, Nethanya Ranasinghe, Ryan Raywood, Elsie Walshe, Anya Weerasinghe. Commitment to Learning Year 7: Keith Borrowdaile, Noah Cregan, Charlie Ellison, Stella Goodall, Benjamin Grosser, Evan Hausfeld, Jake Hausfeld, Shania Hobbs, Abiageal Imrie-Dunn, Ashley Phillips, Owen Rixon, William Schutz, William Stevenson, Evan Thomas, Fletcher Whan.
School Service Awards, recognising the student leadership: teams in each year: Ellie Beasley, Paige Johnson Year 7), Lukas Ridley, Jazmine Martin ((Year 8), Zach Akinyemi, Patrick Waterford (Year 9), Lachlan Castles, Madeleine Taylor (Year10), Jack Hartnett, Madeline Mitchell (Year11).
Sport awards:
College Half-Blues: Zach Akinyemi, Tahnee Steele (swimming), Jedd Smallwood (rugby league), Audrey Hannaford (swimming and touch football), Katie Spinks (swimming, cross country). College Blue: Katie Spinks, Clayten King, Cameron Lucas (athletics), Alexis Whitton (swimming). Armidale Diocesan Sports awards for team representation: Charlie Barnes, Jack Hartnett, Matthew McInnes, Patrick Waterford (boys’ tennis), Sophie Hartnett, Eileen Murphy, Molly Murphy, Sophie Neilson (girls’ tennis). Year 9-10 basketball team: Macey Carlyon, Tilly Gleeson, Audrey Hannaford, Maya Hennessy, Zoe Law, Kierana Maheswari, Clare Robinson, Arlie Torrens, Imogen Torrens, Corinne Wise.
Student sport service awards for coaching, managing or officiating in school sport: Matthew McInnes (rugby league referee), Katie Spinks, Harrison Law, Sarah McInerney (soccer referee), Juliet Maxwell, Chelsie Smith (netball coach), Jonah Cameron (basketball coach).
Armidale Diocesan secondary Sport Council staff service awards: Karen Stanley, Monique Hannaford.
Graham Groth Memorial award recognises students who participate in sport with a positive attitude doing more than just playing the game: Corinne Wise, Mayse Frey. Blue Ribbon Award for most outstanding athlete which recognises excellence in a variety of sports: Matthew Poss, Katie Spinks.
Most outstanding sporting achievement award was presented to Michael Borrowdaile who is the current NSW Boxing junior flyweight champion, representing NSW at the recent Australian championships where he won the Australian title.
Sport leadership awards for house captains; Reuben Bekker, Lucy Lawrence (Loreto), Angus Johns, Eamon Martin (Lourdes), Jai Read McInnes, Mikayla Straney (McAuley), Juliet Maxwell, Emily Williams (Mercy).
John Lennan Award for the winning house in the lunchtime sports competition: Loreto House.
The Sisters of Mercy Honour Shield for the best performing house, recognising the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy since 1879, was won by Mercy House.
Six new sporting records were set this year: Alexis Whitton (13 years 50m freestyle – 27.59 seconds, 13 years 100m freestyle – 1:02.54); Audrey Hannaford (15 years 50m backstroke – 35.38 seconds); Lenni Frey (12 years javelin – 20.42 metres); Macey Carlyon (15 years 100 metres – 12.13 seconds); Digger Valks (vortex throw – 79.30 metres).
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