AcademicPrimarySecondary

SCAS Awards for 2018

The SCAS Award is considered the highest honour attainable at St Columba Anglican School. In acknowledgment of the holistic nature of education, it represents the four main facets of St Columba – that of Spiritual Service, Culture, Academics and Sport. The SCAS Award is an annual prize recognising a student who has attained all-round excellence in these areas.

In 2018 the Primary, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Awards were presented to richly deserving recipients at our end of year Awards Presentations.

The following are the citations read at our Awards Presentations by the Chair of Council Dr. Gordon Burch.

Ned Bylsma, Primary SCAS Award Recipient

The recipient of this award has been an outstanding participant in the four areas of Spiritual Service, Culture, Academics and Sport. The recipient has represented the school in sporting activities throughout their primary schooling. Teachers who have had the pleasure of working with this student, all agree that this student is truly exceptional, not just for their academic, cultural and sporting achievements but for the empathy, helpfulness and reliability they display at all times.

  • The recipient displays leadership in all that they do.

  • The recipient displays maturity and integrity.

  • The recipient is enthusiastic and encouraging in class, in the playground and on the sporting field.

  • The recipient balances their schoolwork, homework and a variety of co-curricular and out of school activities.

While actively looking for situations where they can be of assistance to staff or students, this recipient is usually the first to volunteer when a volunteer is needed.

This recipient is a valued member of the Student Leadership Team who has represented the school regularly in the ANZAC Day March. Within the cultural and service areas, they have been a valued member of the Drama Ensemble. They have raised money for charitable foundations and been involved in environmental causes at school including the Sustainability group and preparations for the Waste audit. They have even been found sharpening pencils for their buddy class in their free time.

The recipient has an outstanding academic record over their time at SCAS and has continued it throughout  this year. The award winner was a valuable member of the Da Vinci Decathlon team, attended the Maths Challenge camp and taken part in numerous academic competitions throughout the year . The award winner has represented the school at Hunter Region Independent School events in Touch Football this year.

The recipient is highly thought of by their peers and respected for their enthusiasm and his integrity.  Overall, they are an excellent role model to others and a worthy winner of this prestigious award. It is with great pleasure that I announce the 2018 SCAS Award recipient is Ned Bylsma

Jesse Beard, Junior Secondary SCAS Award Recipient

When the poet Robert Frost penned the poem, “A Road not Taken”, and lamented that he was sorry he could not travel all the roads life laid out before him – he wasn’t reckoning on the calibre of person who is before us as tonight’s SCAS Award Recipient. It appears that there just aren’t enough roads for this young person to take. This year’s recipient of the SCAS Award is an outstanding individual and a worthy winner of an Award which attempts to capture the holistic nature of education at St Columba Anglican School. Tonight’s recipient has this year been a student leader, participated in the Duke of Edinburgh’s programme and tonight received a Citizenship Award.

In the Cultural realm, tonight’s SCAS Award recipient played, sung, spoke and toured with the best of them – participating in the HICES Music Camp, Legacy Public Speaking, the SCAS Big Band, the Secondary Concert Band, the Secondary Senior Choir, a specialist choir of some renown and, naturally…the Secondary Senior Drama Ensemble. As if that was not enough, the recipient’s Academic achievement serves to complement, enhance, and possibly even overshadow their sporting, cultural and service activities. Tonight’s recipient was a member of the Tournament of Minds team which travelled to Darwin and took out the International title; a member of the Da Vinci Decathlon team and attended LitFest.

Tonight’s recipient received first in subject accolades and featured highly in the Order of Merit for Year 9. One might think that the list above provides enough roads to go down for one year- not so! Representing the School in sporting competition came naturally to this person in the form of Athletics, Swimming, Netball, Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Cricket and Triathlon.

The recipient achieved HRIS, AICES and CIS level of representation throughout the year in a number of sports and was recently honoured at the Secondary School Sports Awards. His Year Patron notes that tonight’s recipient “is a friend to many and one who shows initiative and independence in his learning…one who has demonstrated his well-rounded gifts and serves to be a leader and role model amongst his peers.”

Emily Brown, Senior Secondary SCAS Award Recipient

‘Bright star! Would I were steadfast as thou art-’ John Keats It would be fair to compare our SCAS Award winner tonight to Keats’ Bright Star on a number of levels. Tonight’s SCAS Award recipient has two of the key qualities Keats’ alludes to in his poem. Tonight’s recipient shines brightly in the school community through selfless and cheerful participation in almost every aspect of school life.

Tonight’s recipient has also been a constant on the school campus, reliable and faithful. Tonight’s recipient takes a sensible, logical and optimistic approach to all tasks. In taking on responsibility, the recipient ensures work is done efficiently, with minimum fuss. The recipient is extremely tolerant and accepting of others, models exemplary manners and conduct, and as noted by the Year Patron, presents as a personable, yet organised and effective leader and is a positive role model for other students.

Tonight’s recipient participated in Peer Support Leadership, Stage 1 Reading groups, an overseas service-learning activity and represented the school at various community engagements in the Senior Years. Tonight’s recipient is a member of the Senior Leadership Committee. Over 13 years of schooling at SCAS, tonight’s recipient has made a valuable contribution to the School’s Performing Arts programme and has variously been involved in Choir, Drama, Dance and 2017’s Musical Beauty and the Beast. Our recipient’s involvement in School events, in organising, running or simply helping out, has contributed significantly to the sense of community across the School from Stage One Primary to Senior Secondary.

Academically, tonight’s recipient has developed dispositions fundamental to academic success – dedication, perseverance, grit and insight. In Year 11, tonight’s recipient participated in the Da Vinci Decathlon. Tonight’s recipient received academic Awards for three Higher School Certificate subjects and featured prominently in the Year 12 Order of Merit. Our recipient also achieved Platinum level on the Senior Honour Roll. The Year 12 Patron noted that this year our recipient has ridden the waves of intensity with enthusiasm, organisation and integrity and “shone like a beacon” – or should we say, star?

Whilst sport sometimes fades into the background for HSC students, tonight’s recipient managed to remain active across the senior years, variously participating in: Cross Country, Swimming, Futsal and Touch Football both locally and at HRIS. With a predilection for organising others, tonight’s recipient was very visible at school carnivals and cultural events. An outstanding record of selfless participation, enthusiastic organisation, service leadership and academic rigour characterises tonight’s winner.

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