From the Deputy Principal

By Sue Hinchliffe

One of the amazing aspects of being an educator is witnessing the growth in students as they navigate the challenges of learning, exploring their passions, and both trialling and extending themselves in their strengths and talents. This of course looks different for each and every student and at Loreto we are very proud to celebrate individual successes as students develop the confidence to thrive and the courage to embrace their 'Loreto Spirit'.

Each student will have had their own triumphs, challenges and hopefully moments where they’ve been proud of the way they’ve handled something - their results, their independence or their resilience. As adults it can be difficult to stand along side our young adults when they are challenged, but out of the furnace of challenge builds strength. This newsletter, I am thrilled to be able to highlight some of our students who have ‘risen higher still’ in a very public way. We are not only very proud of them, but congratulate them on their tenacity and determination to achieve what they have.

Monash Scholars Award

Congratulations to Charlotte (Year 10) who has been accepted into the Monash Scholars program for 2026.  This program is for high-achieving secondary school students based in Victoria. The program is offered by Monash University to give students a unique experience of university life. Congratulations, Charlotte. 

Ballarat Order of Australia Award

Congratulations to Georgia (Year 9 ) who was recently presented with The Students’ Citizenship Award from The Order of Australia Association – Ballarat Group. Georgia received the award at a ceremony at Ballarat Town Hall last Thursday in recognition of her maturity, compassion, and commitment to others. Georgia’s leadership, inclusive nature and positive influence on others make her an exceptional role model and a highly deserving recipient of this recognition. Congratulations to Georgia on this wonderful recognition.

Sport

Congratulations to Addison (Year 12) who has been selected in the Victoria Women’s Team for Bowls Nationals to compete in Perth from the 13 - 17 October. Known as a ‘young gun’ in the sport, Addison started playing bowls in 2019 at 11 years of age and played her first pennant game the following year at 12 and now, is representing the State. Good luck, Addison! 

The Raven Collective

We were incredibly proud of the Year 12 VCE VM Personal Development Skills students who recently put their planning and teamwork into action, hosting a celebration lunch for Raven Collective. The Raven Collective is a Ballarat social enterprise supporting women rebuilding their lives after family violence through paid training and employment opportunities.

As part of their VCE Vocational Major Personal Development Skills community project, the students worked together to plan and deliver the event, taking responsibility for everything from the menu and catering to invitations, decorations and venue set-up. The lunch was a chance to celebrate Raven Collective and its work in the community, while giving students the opportunity to put the skills they have developed throughout the year into practice.

Congratulations to the students and thank you to all staff who worked to bring their project to life and creating such a thoughtful event.

City of Ballarat’s OurBallarat magazine

It’s wonderful to see our students using their voices to make a difference in our wider community. Year 8 student Audrey is featured in the latest edition of the City of Ballarat’s OurBallarat magazine, sharing her experience as a Youth Ambassador and the importance of young people having a voice in decisions that affect them.

As part of the Youth Ambassador program, Audrey is working alongside other young people to advocate for issues that matter to them, including respectful relationships and domestic violence awareness. As Audrey says in the article, “Having our voices heard is empowering.”

BAS Culinary Competition

Having spent much of the term refining their menu and practicing their culinary and plating skills, four of our Year 11 students represented Loreto College Ballarat at the BAS Culinary Competition, competing against St Patrick’s College and Clarendon College as our very own ‘Master Chefs’.

Our students were cool, calm and collected as they put their culinary skills to the test, taking out first place for the third consecutive year!

Congratulations to our Year 11 students, Emily, Arabella, Emme and Lily on a wonderful achievement and thank you to St Patrick’s College for hosting this year’s competition and welcoming our students into their kitchens