Student Awards
2018 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Clean Tech Competition
Congratulations to students Alec Parkes and James Orman and science teacher Peter Ryan from Mt Maria College, Michelton who reached the finals of the 2018 Spellman High Voltage Electronics Clean Tech Competition in New York. The 2018 challenge ‘Solving Climate Change’ asked students to develop a clean technology solution to the many problems associated with climate change. Their successful submission was titled ‘Removal and Storage of Carbon Dioxide from Flue Gas through Monoethanolamine Filters and Lithium Hydroxide’.
Sunshine Coast Drama Festival Award
The Sunshine Coast Schools’ Drama Festival culminating in the Grand Finale on 10 May 2018 was a celebration of talented youth. The Festival aims to showcase and celebrate quality, innovative, raw and honest theatre emerging from our drama classrooms, with both published and student devised works being performed. Awards and recognition of the most outstanding performances were presented at the end of the Grand Finale.
The Middle School and Senior School Ensemble at St Therese’s Catholic College, Noosaville, received major awards at the Festival. Both ensembles were selected to perform at the grand finale at the Caloundra Events Centre where the Middle School Ensemble took out the Award for Aspiring Actors and the Senior School Ensemble was presented with the Award for Most Outstanding Performance.
TJ Ryan Scholarship Winners
Up to ten TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships are awarded each year, to support students who demonstrate a strong commitment to high academic achievement and outstanding leadership in both their school and the local community to pursue tertiary studies. The Medal represents a long-standing tradition of recognising educational achievement in Queensland and is a memorial to Thomas Joseph Ryan, former teacher, barrister and Queensland Premier (1915-1919).
Former students Shaun McAnally (Siena Catholic College, Sippy Downs) and Thomas Groth (St Mary's College, Maryborough) were recognised in 2018. Shaun received an OP1, is now studying a Bachelor of Advanced Science majoring in Physics at UQ, and has left a legacy at the College where he mentored fellow students and introduced new enrichment activities such as the TED-Ed Club.
Thomas’ achievements have included receiving a Peter Doherty Student Excellence Award for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Thomas has moved onto university, following recognition for his outstanding academic results and leadership qualities and community spirit
National winners – Class clowns
Year 9 students Liam Adam, Carlin Carruth and Kyle Bennett from Carmel College, Thornlands, were named the funniest teenagers in Australia after winning the 2018 Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Class Clowns competition for their sketch on awkward school situations. The students were chosen as wildcards against 14 other young comedy acts at a sold-out show in Melbourne.
Sports aerobics champions
Nine determined students from St Mary’s College, Ipswich, defended their title at the 2018 Federation of International Sport Aerobics and Fitness National Sports Aerobics Championships, held at the Chandler Theatre.
Congratulations to team members: Rebekah Ahrens, Lara Bell, Edyn Hutchinson, Elouise McDonald, Alexa Murrin, Regan Pike, Mackenzie Smith, Keira Smith and Kate Sotiriadis who retained the Secondary Schools Pre-Choreographed Team title. The team also came second in the Secondary Schools Large Team division. Recognition is also made for coach and former St Mary’s student Emily Heuer and St Mary’s dance teacher Courtney Crack.
Tournament of Minds
Congratulations to the students of the ‘7 Chapters’ team from St Oliver Plunkett Primary School, Cannon Hill, who were crowned Tournament of Minds Language/Literature International Champions at the Darwin Entertainment Centre on 14 October 2018. Tournament of Minds offers teams of students the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork.
Author award
St Teresa’s Catholic College, Noosaville, Year 8 students Erika O’Brien and Leila Kenzler were recognised in the ‘Telling Stories’ Short Story Writing competition hosted by University of the Sunshine Coast. Leila was awarded third place and Erika first place in the Year 8 category. Erika also won the Gary Crew Trophy, with her story selected by Professor Gary Crew, as the best story of the entire competition.
University of Southern Queensland–Australia, Vice-Chancellor Scholarship
Maynah Erece, a Year 12 student from St Augustine’s College, Augustine Heights, was awarded the 2019 University of Southern Queensland Australia Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship. This scholarship is offered to reward high achieving students with strong academic ability and to provide maximum opportunity for students to start tertiary study at one of University of Southern Queensland's campuses.