Student Achievements
Ben S- Ryde Public Speaking Competition Winner
Congratulations to Ben S, Year 12, who competed in the Ryde Public Speaking Competition at NSW Parliament House and took out first place in the High School Category!
A fantastic achievement and a wonderful recognition of Ben’s confidence, preparation and public speaking skills.
Below is a copy of his winning speech.
What’s a challenge facing young people today, and how can the government solve it?
"I wish to magnify the current system of social connection bred within our youth. Ecosystems strung upon hours and hours, spent online. Some feel fine. Connected, entertained, fulfilled. Yet others quietly drown to a system they cannot see. What separates them isn’t willpower, nor character. It's a societal shift towards a life of distraction.
We live in a world where digital landscapes sculpt modern relationships, methods of communication and self-identity. When I put a survey to over 200 students in Years 7 and 9, I set out to prove exactly that; that the birth of technology has caused the death of authentic connection, that a society built on algorithmic pleasure and disingenuous online connection has bred a plague of isolation.
Yet when I reviewed the data, I found something more complicated. 80% of respondents said technology benefits their life. 75% said they'd rather grow up now than in an offline '70s childhood. Whilst my view regarding the issue of technology in younger generations remained, my perception regarding the cause significantly changed. Despite the irrefutable notion that technology has exacerbated social isolation and the corrosion of the modern individual, an underlying issue remains in the normalisation of excessive use, and the blindness of society regarding its prevalence. Furthermore, current technology literacy programs that are mandated in school do not educate on the danger of negligible reliance on technology.
The University of Sydney conducted a research report into mental health trends, with research showing the proportion of young Australians meeting diagnostic criteria for anxiety, mood or substance disorders has increased from 23 percent in 2007 to 36 percent in 2022. Severe disorders nearly doubled, from 14% to 24% and suicidal thoughts more than doubled for those aged 16 to 24. However, this research leaves a glaring question unanswered; to what extent does technology exacerbate this trend, and by what mechanism does it do so? According to the Black Dog institute, a significant correlation was found between higher overall daily screen use and higher incidence of both depression and anxiety. Specifically, it was found that of adolescents who reported using screens for over 5 hours per day, 22% met the criteria for depression and 21% for anxiety. In contrast, among adolescents who used screens for less than 1 hour a day, only 5% met criteria for depression and 3% for anxiety.
Yet if technology is leading to worsening mental health, increases in depression and anxiety, and an overall negative impact on the youth, why is society normalising this behaviour instead of stopping it? Because the harm is invisible, rooted in the commercialisation of attention, with a Harvard School of Public Health study finding that advertising aimed at children and adolescents generated almost $11 billion USD in 2022, across just six major social media apps. Design mechanisms such as the infinite scroll, endless notifications chasing attention and a system of engineered rewards drawn from likes and comments have turned socialisation into quiet consumption. Moreover, individuals throughout their developmental stages, in which their identity, self-esteem and overall perception of the world is most malleable, are forced into comparing themselves with curated, unrealistic snapshots of another's fictitious life.
This is the real answer as to why most don't see it: the system isn't designed to be noticed. It's designed to feel normal."
Justin L- Australian Youth and Cadet Championships
Justin L, Year 8 competed at the 2026 Australian Youth and Cadet Championships and achieved Third Place in the Boys’ Foil Team event. Congratulations Justin!
Marco C- All Schools Sports Australia Diving Championships
Congratulations to Marco on an outstanding achievement in winning a bronze medal in the 13 Years Boys Springboard event at the School Sport Australia Diving Championships in Melbourne.
NSWCHS Athletics Championships
Congratulations to our Epping Boys who were part of the Boys 15 years 4x 100 and came 2nd place at the recent NSWCHS Athletics Championship!
