Four students from Catholic schools in St George and Sutherland Shire have been recognised for their community service both here and overseas with Archbishop's Awards for Student Excellence.
Fifty students were honoured during a virtual award ceremony, with the winners announced by Archbishop Anthony Fisher via Zoom last Friday.
Among them were Anna Dau, a year 12 student at St Patrick's College Sutherland. She was honoured for community service, including an immersion trip to Timor-Leste, volunteering at a Dominican Sisters orphanage in Bidau.
She was among a group of students who travelled to the impoverished nation in October last year. The group included three other students from St Patrick's College, four students from St John Bosco College, Engadine, and four students from Aquinas Catholic College, Menai.
"My whole perspective changed after that trip and I was in awe of their great spirit despite the poverty they were confronting every day and how accepting they were of us, even though we couldn't speak the local language and we had to rely on hand gestures most of the time to communicate," Anna said.
Anna has also raised funds for St Vincent De Paul Society Winter Appeal. She hopes to study chemical engineering after finishing school.
"I'm very passionate about tackling climate change and I would love to work in the renewable energy sector to put that interest firmly into action," she said.
John Bosco College, Engadine, vice captain Katie Walsh also received an Archbishop's Award for Excellence for community work undertaken on the trip.
Amy Munns, a year 12 student at De La Salle Catholic College, Cronulla, received an award for her work with children and women in need.
Amy led a Homeless Awareness Day at St Aloysius Primary School, Cronulla, and teaches scripture classes at Burraneer Bay Public School.
She also volunteered at a St Vincent De Paul womens' refuge in Gymea, offering support and helping them with garden maintenance.
Amy is considering a career in social work.
"I very much feel called to serve others, whether individually or on a wider scale," she said.
Marist College Kogarah student Chester King Damaso was recognised for his community outreach work, which included providing school supplies to rural communities in the Philippines, through the Infant Jesus Academy.
Archbishop Anthony Fisher thanked the students for the "positive contributions" each had made to their schools and the larger community.
"The passion you have demonstrated for your community is one you are challenged now to extend beyond your school days to new worlds of relationships, tertiary study, work and geography in the years ahead," he said.
