Teaching and Learning Report – August 9, 2019

2019 Semester One- Chris Nolan Academic Awards

The College community gathered this week for the annual presentation of the 2019 Semester One Chris Nolan Awards. Established in 2008, they acknowledge the academic excellence of individual students. To receive a Chris Nolan Award, a boy must be in the top 15% of his year level. This is determined by the aggregation of all semester results (including exams and all reported assessment items). This level of academic success has required commitment, discipline and application. For the most part learning is a solitary journey. Of course, students work with teachers and study with friends but the process of information transferring to knowledge and awareness transforming to insight is deeply personal. It can be a slow, cumulative process, monitored by teachers, supported by families but ultimately generated from within. Chris Nolan Awards recognise constant academic achievement for every assessment task,- for every subject, for a whole semester -“ that’s a lot of hard work! Chris Nolan and his family and friends joined us for the assembly.

Chris graduated from St Patrick’s College in 1985 as College Captain. He completed his Law Degree at Monash University and went on to practice law in Vietnam. Chris was highly respected by all for his commitment and enthusiasm to all aspects of College life and demonstrated his intelligence and ingenuity shortly after leaving St Patrick’s as one of the co-founders of the highly acclaimed Meredith Music Festival. In 1996, after several years in Vietnam, Chris acquired severe brain injuries from a viral infection leading to total organ failure.

Chris is profoundly disabled physically and is very limited in his communication. Chris and his family, and in particular, Chris’ mother, Mary, are actively involved in developing awareness and support for young people with acquired brain injuries. Mary’s long-term work in this area has been recognised with membership in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM). Chris continues to be highly respected by his classmates and teachers for his commitment and enthusiasm to all aspects of College life.

As a student at the College, Chris regularly achieved strong academic results and in his final year he was awarded:

– – – – – – – – – – – – the Headmaster’s Award for Leadership

– – – – – – – – – – – – the History Prize

– – – – – – – – – – – – the Sir Hugh Devine Prize for Impromptu Speech

– – – – – – – – – – – – a W.T. Doyle Prize for Debating

– – – – – – – – – – – – the 1st XI Cricket Bowling Award

In his time at St Patrick’s, Chris clearly exemplified the pursuit of excellence across a range of our important educational programmes and activities. At the assembly, it was wonderful to have Mary share a few of her thoughts on behalf of Chris encouraging the boys to make the most of the diverse range of opportunities offered to them at St Patrick’s College. She also acknowledged and congratulated the 2019 Chris Nolan Award recipients.

Please click on– this link– to view the list of boys who were awarded with a 2019 Chris Nolan Award.

VCE Unit 3 Headmaster’s Academic Excellence Awards

We also recognised the VCE Unit 3 Headmaster’s Excellence recipients for the highest ranked student in each VCE Unit 3 subject.

Joel Azzopardi- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ECONOMIC

Hamish Britt- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – FOOD STUDIES

Xavier Brodie- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – LITERATURE and RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Matthew Catterson- – – – – – – – – – – – PHYSICS

Ben Dodd – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ACCOUNTING

Riley Doherty- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Fergus Drendel- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – INDUSTRY AND- ENTERPRISE

Matthew Duffy- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ENGLISH LANGUAGE, JAPANESE SECOND LANGUAGE and- SPECIALIST MATHEMATICS

Hugo Ferguson- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – COMPUTING: INFORMATICS

Sam Forbes- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ENGLISH and HISTORY: REVOLUTIONS

Broden Haintz- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – LEGAL STUDIES

Aidan Hanrahan- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – CHEMISTRY and MATHEMATICAL METHODS

Ethan Henderson- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – FURTHER MATHEMATICS

Tom Howes- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – PRODUCT DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Banjo Leahy- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – OUTDOOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Jaspar Magri- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – THEATRE STUDIES

Mitch McKee- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – HISTORY:- AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Max Olver – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Will Powlett- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – MEDIA

Caleb Reilly- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Tarquin Schreenan – – – – – – – – – – – – STUDIO ARTS

Connor Shugg- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Jack Tillig- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – BIOLOGY and HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Damian VanGaans- – – – – – – – – – – – – – TEXTS AND TRADITIONS

Tom Walters- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – PSYCHOLOGY

We congratulate the boys acknowledged at the 2019 Chris Nolan Academic Awards- Assembly and hope that the accomplishment of each provides all other boys at St Patrick’s College with the example and motivation to vigorously pursue personal academic success.