It has been wonderful to watch several of our exceptional Year 12 students receive prestigious and highly sought-after external awards in the last week.
The Order of Australia Youth Community Service Award
Last week also saw our College Captain Ruby Bron receive The Order of Australia Youth Community Service Award. This award recognises community service by individual students that would not normally be recognised by their school systems, which usually reward academic, sporting and leadership achievements.Ruby’s community service and advocacy achievements have been vast and impressive as noted in the citation submitted with her nomination:
As a young person, Ruby Bron has demonstrated a level of social awareness, generosity and compassion that belie her years. She has demonstrated a capacity to harness and foster her skills, interests and talents and to use these for the benefit of others and our natural world. She has done this with a consistently humble approach, always keen to acknowledge those who have played a part in her projects and initiatives and ensuring that the focus is always the issue or challenge and not herself. Nominating Ruby for this award is an opportunity for the College to shine a light on her considerable achievements in the area of community service.
Archbishop’s Award for Student Excellence
Friday 8 September saw Mr Reyes, Dean of Mission and Year 12 student Anna Le join with students and staff across the Sydney Archdiocese for the Archbishop’s Awards for Student Excellence. Anna is the very worthy 2023 recipient of this award for Santa Sabina and we congratulate her. Below is Anna’s citation delivered during the ceremony.
Anna has been present in the faith life in her own parish and at the College for many years. She has been actively involved in the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement and is currently training to become a youth leader. Anna is a pianist for the Choir in her Parish and also contributes as a Minister of the Word and an altar server. She has also been involved in various fundraising initiatives for her Parish. Anna is an enthusiastic advocate of prayer in her Homeroom and has been a reader at a number of College Liturgies. She has actively participated in fundraising initiatives and outreach activities for Caritas, St Vincent de Paul and various Dominican causes during her time at the College.
The Marie Bashir Peace Award
At the end of September, Year 12 student Sophie Way will be one of six students in NSW to receive the Marie Bashir Peace Award. These awards recognise students who have made significant contributions to social justice, promoting harmonious relationships and peace in their school and community. The awards are open to all girls in Years 10 – 12 in New South Wales Schools who have demonstrated a passion for social justice and work to bring the community together. The citation submitted with her nomination reflects her passion:
Sophie has given extensively of her time, energies and passions to make an impact in the area of ocean conservation and climate justice. As a young person, she has courageously used her voice to advocate for more funding and effective policies in these areas via her membership of a range of committees and groups including Ocean Youth, The Australian Museum Climate Solutions Centre Youth Advisory Board and the NSW Marine Parks Committee. She has spoken at special event launches, on panels and at a Business Leaders Summit – occasions that have required her to interact with adults in an adult world. Her capacity to garner the respect of others in these situations is outstanding.
It is most definitely award season at Santa Sabina not just because of the honour of several of our students receiving such amazing acknowledgements but also because next week will see all of our Year 12 students awarded with their graduation certificates. We look forward to acknowledging all their achievements and taking a very special opportunity to say thank you and good luck to this amazing cohort of young women.
Melanie van der Meer Deputy Principal Mission and Pastoral Care
