Celebration of Excellence | Mr Damien Fall
Where might one encounter Nirvana and Metallica alongside Phantom of the Opera and a celebration of outstanding academic, cultural, sporting, and service achievements? At the College’s annual Celebration of Excellence evening, of course.
On Tuesday evening, the Terrace Family was again treated to an outstanding showcase of the talent and dedication that exists at the College. Celebration of Excellence is a highlight on the College’s annual calendar, and it is always a pleasure to hear the positive reaction of those attending for the first time.
Our evening commenced with a stirring performance from the Barrambin Yarning Group, led by mentor Mr Marlon Riley. In welcoming us to country, they told the story, in song and dance, of a young First Nations boy finding his place. The work of the Barrambin Group in recent years has been a wonderful addition to the College, and we thank all involved for the gifts you have brought to our community.
The evening’s musical performances have drawn an enormous amount of positive feedback since Tuesday evening, and justifiably so. The quality and variety on offer always present at a standard seemingly far beyond what would be expected of a school and justifies our consecutive years as Performing Arts School of the Year. There were far too many outstanding performers to mention individually. Still, it is important to acknowledge the efforts of our Music staff led by Mr Matt Cocking, Mr Derek Rose and Mr Brad Esbensen. On the back of the entertainment provided, it is far more than an awards ceremony. I pass on the sincere thanks of the Terrace Family for the privilege we were provided on Tuesday evening. I also thank our Communication, Maintenance, Sport, Cultural, and Academic staff for contributing to the evening’s great success. An enormous amount of time and effort goes into what is a memorable event.
Celebration of Excellence is a long evening for the simple reason that a huge number of awards are presented. While the criteria for awards have not changed, student achievement continues to improve, and we again awarded a record number of students for their efforts. Most pleasing was the number of Year 12 students who produced their best-ever results at the most important time of their school years. We are proud of the Seniors and feel confident that their efforts will be rewarded in December when ATAR scores are published. We look forward to thanking and farewelling them today at their Valedictory celebrations.
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, is an attractive school option for many families because we strive to find an appropriate balance in providing an education that seeks and celebrates academic excellence alongside a myriad of co-curricular opportunities. If students and their families seek a holistic education that allows them to challenge themselves, become involved, and excel, then Tuesday evening indicates that they are in the right place here at Terrace. If Edmund Rice and our founding Brothers were looking down on the evening, I have no doubt they would be proud of what they saw.
Every good wish and blessing to all in the Terrace Family for the remainder of the year.
