Congratulations to our Class of 2024!
On Tuesday 26 November, the College celebrated the Year 12s Graduation Day. A very special Graduation Mass was held at St Christopher’s Cathedral. At the conclusion of Mass, Year 12 students received their Angel’s Wings for Christian Service Hours served in our community. Our community also celebrated the presentation of the prestigious St. Angela Merici Award to a select group of young women. This award recognises those who have accumulated Christian service hours, but have also demonstrated excellence in multiple areas of college life, including Sport, Co-curricular, Cultural, and Academic activities. To qualify for this prestigious award, these students have also actively participated in all College events, including retreats and reflection days. Their commitment was underscored by a process of discernment, led by the College leadership team and this is what truly sets them apart.
We take great honour in congratulating the following students for their remarkable achievements:
Natasha Searle
Sean Hope Graig
Eleanor Roggeveen
We congratulate all our Year 12 students for their exceptional commitment to helping our community.
Principal’s Address – Year 12 Graduation Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Welcome all to this evening’s celebration farewelling the Year 12 Class of 2024. Welcome to our young women, welcome to their parents and loved ones and welcome to the staff from Merici College.
This evening marks a significant moment in the lives of everyone here, especially in the lives of the Class of 2024. A moment of change, fluidity and, above all, hope. Our theme for 2024 points to hope as being a steadfast and calm anchor that gives us courage, perseverance, resilience, composure, stability, joy, positivity and wonder as we move through our lives, however challenging and chaotic seeming they may be.
Taylor Swift, whom so many of Year 12 (and others) look to as a visionary star talks about what it means to be fearless:
- it is not the absence of fear, it is not being completely unafraid but having fears and living “in spite of those things that scare you to death.”
- fearless is falling madly in love again, even though you’ve been hurt before,
- it is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again
- It is to have faith that someday things will change.
I think Taylor’s source of fearlessness is hope and our tradition guides us to see that hope lies in God’s promises and all that the cross symbolises – unconditional love. For “…those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
When I was leaving school, long ago, Israel was invading Lebanon, Russia was bogged down in a terrible war in Afghanistan, a cost of living crisis was biting, inflation was high and we were very worried about the intentions of the new US President, Ronald Regan. The world hasn’t changed that much. That being said, the world moved on for most. People got on with their lives. Closed doors became open doors. Those with hope learnt how to forgive and to steel themselves as resilient individuals and communities working to shape a better world.
Year 12 know all about the fearlessness of hope and, as a cohort, are “high hope” people. How do we know this?
They have exhibited optimism. They have pushed through challenges with determination and at times, exuberant and energetic “can-doism”. They have set high expectations for themselves and their year group, achieving personal and collective goals and thus deep satisfaction!
They have increasingly shown control over their lives and a sense of self-worth in a complex world, become deft problem solvers and have had a positive impact on others.
They know the ways to stay hopeful:
- Being grateful no matter how difficult things seem to be
- Limiting their “bad news” intake
- Focusing on what they can look forward to
- And surrounding themselves with hopeful people.
We can all learn a lot from their example.
In all their glorious and vivacious positivity, loyalty, resilience and ‘mostly wise’ risk taking, this cohort have remembered that we are all human: fragile, vulnerable humans that have very physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual needs. They have learnt to take a moment to see how they have been caring for themselves and others. They know that to forgive each other and “the powers that be” frees them to move into positive, healthy, generative, and loving action. They can face what is new with courage, certain that they can navigate change in themselves and their world. Year 12 2024 have learnt to be adaptive, agile, hopeful and thus successful women. They have, as Joan Chittister says, “grasped the grace of new possibilities” this year and so have chosen to become women of hope.
I believe that the Class of 2024, as a group, have honed their ability to draw strength from each other in order to foster positivity, a strong voice for justice and vision for a better way of being. They are people of high hope and thus will be successful in whatever paths they choose to follow next.
Thank God we have had this wonderful group of resilient and futures focused women. They exhibit a myriad of talents, personalities, gifts and achievements. I am especially proud to acknowledge what they have achieved as a generative and dynamic year group. We have been the audience for many sublime musical and dramatic performances; impressed viewers of creative artworks and design innovations, excited fans cheering exceptional efforts in various sporting arenas and, proud educators thrilled to be giving feedback to learners working together to solve real world problems.
Year 12 2024 have not been able to develop resilience, adaptability and wisdom without the support and loving nurture of so many.
Thank you parents and loved ones for allowing your daughters to emerge as hope-filled individuals as well as helping them to connect with their peers so powerfully.
I must recognize the staff of Merici College, many of whom are here this evening. Over many years, they have been inspiring as they partnered with parents and the students themselves to arrive at this wonderful moment in time. You have cared for this cohort with wisdom, intelligence, love, style, creativity and impeccable organization.
To the Class of 2024. Congratulations. You have shown us all what can be achieved when individuals are fearless and hopeful, positively working in community to navigate complex change. In doing so, you have created so much that is strong and good.
I am proud of you.
What do I hope for you?
I hope that you take with you the talent for being both fearless and vulnerable, positively navigating change and caring for self and others into the rest of your lives. I expect you to continue to live the great tradition established by our wisdom women who faced into a complex world with faith, hope, courage and love. They went into that world, unique in their differences and founded, together, international communities that are still a force for good for so many.
I hope that you use your diverse talents to form effective human and humane environments in whatever field of endeavor you pursue, be it at the most personal level as family or globally with the United Nations or a multi-national NGO or corporation. I want you to be confident, to have faith in your capacity to work with different people to achieve goals, overcome challenges and change the world for the better. I want you to be the change you want to be and see.
I call on you, challenge you, to take the skills and understandings you have exhibited as a cohort into the world. Be confident in using them. You are adept at negotiating life and impacting positively on others; you show mature inter-personal and trans-cultural ways of being and doing. As a group, you know how to find direction and strength through forgiveness and gratitude.
You will help shape our future as collaborators, connectors, communicators and, as unique souls. You are ready to enter a world that is defined by complexity, and, at times, distressing events and negativity. Know that you go into life beyond Merici College as a Child of God, deeply loved and with a solid foundation of care, tradition and compassion as your support and source of hope.
In 2020 Pope Francis wrote in his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti that hope “speaks to us of something deeply rooted in every human heart, independently of our circumstances and historical conditioning. Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfillment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love… Hope is bold; it can look beyond personal convenience, the petty securities and compensations which limit our horizon, and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile”.
Go, be bold, seek the lofty transcendentals of truth, beauty and goodness.
Know that we are all immensely proud of what you have achieved, of who you are and of who you will evolve to become.
Go with our confidence in you and with this blessing:
Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.
SPECIFIC ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENTS
We would like to congratulate all Year 12 students on their outstanding academic achievements.
Congratulations to the following students who have received specific academic awards:
Australian Mathematics Trust Award: This award goes to the student who places first in the highest Mathematics course after two years of study. The recipient of this award is: Gabrielle Shoebridge
ADFA Future Innovators Award: This award goes to the student who shows motivation, achievement and innovation in the areas of Science, Mathematics and other STEM areas. The student receiving this award has achieved highly in Specialist Methods, Chemistry and Physics. The recipient of this award is: Gabrielle Shoebridge
Long Tan Leadership Award: This Defence Force award goes to a student who demonstrates leadership traits in all that they do throughout the college. The student does not necessarily need to be a student leader; however, this year’s recipient is. This person is respected and held in high regard by all staff. She has been involved in many different events and represented the college with pride. She has been a role model to many junior students throughout this year. The recipient of this award is: Sean’Hope Craig
IB Overall Awards:
This year we introduce IB Diploma Core program awards, given to students who have demonstrated outstanding efforts across the three components of the core areas.
IB Theory of Knowledge: Awarded to a student for their critical thinking and frequent contributions in the two-year Theory of Knowledge course. The recipient of this award is: Natasha Searle
IB Extended Essay: Awarded to a student for their dedication, reflection and perseverance with the Extended Essay process across the Year 11 and 12 years. The recipient of this award is: Caelan Edghill
IB CAS Award: Awarded to a student who has consistently demonstrated outstanding involvement in Creativity, Activity and Service in the IB Diploma Programme and outstanding embodiment of the IB Mission statement. The recipient is being awarded for her balanced approach to all three strands of CAS. The recipient of this award is: Lily Sluis
Merici College Recognition of Excellence
It is normally at this point in the Graduation Ceremony that we would present the BSSS Recognition Awards. However, the BSSS have changed their awards process from 2024. From now, the BSSS will notify the school in December of students from Merici College who have won BSSS Awards. These awards will be presented at the BSSS Recognition of Excellence ceremony on Friday 13 December at Canberra Theatre.
Due to this change, we have created a suite of Merici College based awards for students who we believe should be recognised for their contribution and effort.
Award for Community Services: Awarded to a student who has contributed widely to the life of the college and the broader community. This student has been actively involved in service throughout her time at the College. She has given a staggering amount of time to the charity Remount, which is an organisation that assists ex-armed forces men and women, through horsemanship and horse therapy. She was recognised as a part of the charity for their service through the awarding of an Order of Australia recognition on Australia Day earlier this year. The recipient of this award is: Harriette Maguire
The Award for Student Growth: This award is given to a student who has shown consistent and significant social and academic growth over their time at the College. This is the first time we have awarded this particular award, and this recipient embodies what we mean when we say we want our Merici girls to thrive and grow in our care. This young woman has grown into a very responsible, mature, caring and independent person. She is to be commended for her persistence and courage. The recipient of this award is: Lila Eriksson.
ACU Spirit of St Angela Merici Award: This is award is one the most prestigious awards that is given in our community. The criterion for this award is: for a student who has lived out the College values in all that they do, both inside and outside the classroom. This student is highly respected across the school. She is kind, generous, intelligent, open minded and an exceptional role model to all students. When staff speak of this student, it is always in such glowing terms. Our community is richer for having her be a part of it. The recipient of this award is: Caelan Edghill
The Merici Dux and Runner-Up Dux awards will be given out formally in February, once all BSSS and IB DP ATARs are announced in December. We will invite the first and second placed student and their families to attend our Opening Assembly in February to be presented with their awards.
To conclude the evening’s ceremony, parents and carers presented their daughters with their Merici rose and alumni pin signifying their graduation and transition to the next phase of their lives.
Full gallery of images here:
