Year 12

Ms Linda Burland
Leader of Wellbeing – Year 12

It has been a busy start to the year for our Class of 2026! 

As Year 12 continue their HSC studies, the High Achievers Assembly at the beginning of the term provided some powerful motivation. In particular, 2025 Dux Christian Yacou’s speech emphasised the importance of balance and prioritising your mental and physical health during the stresses of Year 12. His unique insight into how he juggled leadership, extracurricular activities, sport and work – all whilst achieving excellent results in his HSC – gave our Year 12 students inspiration alongside some helpful strategies to help them to achieve their best.

Year 12 marked their last Swimming Carnival at the College with enthusiasm and some creative costumes. Races were intense, chants were heated and tensions were high but at the end of the day Leopold was able to edge out the competition for a convincing win, rallying behind the leadership of House Captain Oscar Fitz Gibbon. The Senior A Basketball team demonstrated Year 12’s sporting prowess by becoming Conference 2 Champions, defeating longtime rivals Casimir Catholic College 38 to 30. Congratulations to the team and their coach Mr Brombal and in the words of one of our star players Tom Boyle: “Winning. This is what we do.”

In Week 8, Year 12 were able to grow closer as a cohort as they embarked on Retreat, a highlight of their final year at school. Students were able to take a break from the pressures of the HSC to focus on spending time with their peers and deepening their faith. Student Alex Lee noted that “the best part of the retreat was the deeper connections I’ve made with unfamiliar people,” a sentiment no doubt shared by many of our Year 12 students.

Throughout the term, our Year 12 students have been getting involved in a range of co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities. Students mingled with politicians and other students from Ryde Council schools at a Parliamentary High Tea, getting the inside scoop from MP Jordan Lane about what it is like to work at State Parliament. To mark International Women’s Day, Year 12 addressed the College about the importance of the women in their lives and fundraised for Project Compassion to support women in need around the world. The College was represented by Year 12 leader Rehan Rasul in the Grand Final of the CSDA Public Speaking competition where he achieved second place overall – congratulations Rehan! 

We look forward to the adventures that await Year 12 in Term 2!