Graduating Class of 2026
Year 12 Graduation
The Year 12 Graduation Assembly and Graduation Mass provided our College community with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2026 and mark the completion of their secondary schooling journey. Both occasions were filled with pride, gratitude and reflection as we acknowledged the many accomplishments, memories and contributions of our graduating students.
We extend our sincere thanks to the parents, families and friends who joined us for these significant events. Your presence helped make these occasions even more meaningful and reflected the strong partnership that exists between home and school. Throughout their years at St Aloysius College, our Year 12 students have benefited greatly from your unwavering support, encouragement and guidance, and we recognise the important role you have played in helping them reach this milestone.
The Graduation Mass provided a special opportunity to give thanks for the gifts and talents of our graduates, while also seeking God's blessings as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives. The Graduation Assembly celebrated the many successes of the cohort and allowed us to acknowledge the lasting impact they have had on the life of the College.
As we farewell the Class of 2026, we thank our families for entrusting us with their children's education and formation. We wish our graduates every success and happiness in the future and look forward to seeing the positive contribution they will continue to make in their communities and beyond.
Particular highlights for me included Commodore Simon Harris accompanied by Lieutenant Eleanor Martin and Warrant Officer Kevin Harris attending the ceremony to present the Long Tan Award. Commodore Harris’ words were kind, considered and very reflective of our community. He commented after the ceremony how impressed he was with the student body and all their remarkable gifts and talents, remarking “the future is in good hands”.
Another highlight was the Year 12 Video - sometimes a source of angst and concern for school leadership this video was absolutely amazing. It was funny, inclusive and most importantly showed the grade for the wonderful people they are, and as I mentioned on the day, it was the first video delivered on time in 20 years of teaching!
Finally the School Captain’s farewell speech was truly one of the best, if not the best, I have ever heard. Ella Paff and James McGualley did an outstanding job with humour, grace and heartfelt nostalgia - please find a copy of their speech below.
Jon Cullerton
Assistant Principal
Ella: For thirteen years, school has been the one constant in our lives. We have complained about it, laughed through it, cried because of it, and counted down the days until we could leave. And now, somehow, we are actually leaving.
Distinguished guests, staff, parents, students and of course, fellow graduates.
Before we get into our thank yous, I would like to begin by starting this speech with a little story from this time a year ago. During the 2025 graduates mass, our first day on the job, the first challenges of leadership emerged. Whilst Father James blessed the communion I found myself fainting on the altar, Jim helplessly trying to signal a teacher down, Lachy laying faint on the floor of the priest chambers and Gabby frantically running across the altar in an attempt to hold me up.
At the time, I remember thinking: how are we supposed to lead the College when the leadership team can’t even make it through a Mass?
But ironically this became a key theme throughout our time here at the College. From that moment I knew that our leadership team, our teachers and cohort was always going to lift each other up in times of challenge, in this case literally. From this Jim and I formed the motto “Action and community fuels growth, excellence and unity.”
Whilst Jim struggled to articulate the meaning of this in our first assembly, I think it is time for him to reflect on the value that this message holds for our cohort.
Jim: *Cough Cough*
Thanks, Ella.
When we came up with that motto, I'll admit, it sounded a lot better than it did when I tried to explain it in that first assembly.
We have seen action in the way our year group has thrown itself into fundraisers, carnivals, sport, as well as commitment to academics and our schooling. We walked into this College as loud, slightly entitled Year 11s, ready to escape our feeder schools, and now we sit in front of a genuinely impressive cohort that has matured in every aspect of school life and contributed so much to the spirit of this College.
We have built that community through the experiences we have shared, whether that was having our library removed right before trials, surviving our retreat “Amazing Race”, turning line dancing into our unexpected signature move, or simply spending far too much time playing on the oval and handball courts after the bell. And we have seen excellence in all its forms, from our sporting achievements, to our performances, academics and everything in between.
Excellence has never been about being the outright best, but bringing upon the best in each other and ourselves. It is the dedication and determination you can feel in the room before an exam, the feedback you ask for after receiving a not-so-pleasant result, the hours of training, the rehearsals, the study, and the decision to keep going when things don't come easily.
Ella: Through all of this, we have grown together, and I think that is what makes our cohort so special. We have become a group that challenges each other, supports each other and contributes to something bigger than ourselves, a year group that has truly come together through action, community, growth, excellence and unity.
This school was never just about the classrooms or demountables.
It was the conversations that lasted five minutes longer than they should have. It was the people you sat next to every day without realising that one day, you would sit next to them for the last time. It was the teachers that dedicated hours and hours behind the scenes to make a lesson that was fun.
Jim: The last 18 months here at the College have gone by in the blink of an eye, yet the memories and connections that have been made here will last a lifetime.
Looking back, it’s easy to focus on how quickly these years have passed, but what matters most is everything we have experienced along the way. We have grown together, supported one another, and created a community that we will carry with us long after we leave these gates. As we now look towards what comes next, I hope we can take a moment to appreciate not only how far we have come, but the people who have helped us get here.
Ella: To our families who have supported our educational journey over the last 13 years. Thank you. Thank you for the early mornings, the late nights, the countless lifts, the uniforms, the forgotten lunches, the encouragement before every exam, and for always being there through every high and every low. Thank you for believing in us, even when we didn't always believe in ourselves, and for giving us the support and opportunities that have allowed us to get to where we are today.
You have watched us grow through every version of ourselves.
And I think that is what makes today so special for you too.
Because you aren't just watching us graduate.
You're watching the children you dropped off at school all those years ago walk out as adults.
Jim: To the staff: Thank you for the countless hours, patience, encouragement, and the genuine care, dedication and belief you have shown in us throughout our time at the College. Thank you for seeing potential in us, even when we could not always see it ourselves, and for challenging us to become not only better students, but better people.
There are far too many teachers that deserve our utmost thanks, but we would like to especially thank Ms Aurelius for all that she has done for us. From the countless emails and reminders to the bigger challenges we faced as a year group, you have always been there to keep us on track, support us and somehow make sure everything gets done. Thank you for being someone we could rely on and for everything you have done behind the scenes to make our final year the best it could be.
We would like to extend our thanks as well to Ms Hughes for living up the faith aspect of the college, and Mr Cullerton for also putting up with our antics and maintaining law and order.
Also a massive thanks to the friendly faces down at the office who willingly sign us in late without valid excuses, keep the gate open for us several minutes after the bell, as well as giving out multiple trees worth of paper cups and razors for us to shave with, including the ones Cullerton made me use this morning.
Ella: Mr Mahoney, although you couldn’t be here with us today, we still wanted to take a moment to thank you for everything you have done for our year group and for the College. We know how much goes on behind the scenes in leading a school, and we are grateful for the time, effort and care you have put into making the College what it is. Thank you for supporting us throughout our final years and for helping us reach this point.
Jim: To our new captains, Kara, Camo and their leadership team, we know that you will lead our college with pride and dedication, leadership is not easy, so surround yourself with people who make it easy and fun and challenging.
Ella: But most importantly,
Thank you students for this epic journey you have taken us on. I don't think we give ourselves enough credit for what we have done.
We survived the awkward years. We survived changing friendships, difficult subjects, bad haircuts, questionable decisions, early mornings and everything in between. You have filled my bucket with so much happiness and I hope Jim and I have done the same for you.
Jim: Although today will be the last time we assemble together, and surround ourselves with familiar faces we have seen everyday for 6 or even 13 years, it is not the end, but rather the beginning. The beginning of the distant unknown future that looms ahead of us. It will be the times we reflect back on our school days, or even run into a past peer down at the Northies that the memories will come flowing back.
Ella: So as we leave for the final time, we shouldn't look back and think that something is being taken away from us. We should look forward and recognise that something is being given to us: the opportunity to take everything this College has given us and decide what we will do with it.
Jim: The end of our time at St Aloysius' is really just the beginning of everything that comes next. And although our paths will take us in different directions, we will always share this place, these memories and the people who helped shape who we are.
So, Class of 2026, this may be the end of our time here...
Ella:...but it is only the start of a long and happy journey ahead.
James: And for the last time, as we walk out of Carmody Hall, prepared for what's to come ahead of us, we come together and say….
Ella and James: Je suis prest.
Everyone: We are ready.
Award Recipients
Congratulations to the recipients of the following awards:
Aboriginal Catholic Ministry for Social Justice Award- Scarlet Davies
Academic Excellence Recipients (issued with medals)
Cloe Callanan
Elizabeth Chen
Emmanouil Delimarkou
Andrew Eleftheriades
Tiarne Evans
Matilda Fanning
Eva Goodger
Gabriella Gregoire
Daniel Jaja
Emilia Jennings-Smith
Rhys Johnston
Gabrielle Kent
Mia Martin
Talea Miller
James Mc Gaulley
Grace McLean
Lucy McLean
Laila Nicholson
Jasmine O’Brien
Ella Paff
Sophie Robb
Antonia Rushton
Achievement of Academic Growth
Rhys Johnston
Lucas Correia
Emilia Jennings-Smith
Henry Scheider
James McGaulley
Austin Pyne
Elizabeth Chen
Gabriella Gregoire
Ryan Tierney
Charlotte Olliver
ADF Long Tan Award- Ella Paff
Archbishops’ Excellence Award - Ruby Cavanagh
ASPIRE Award
Miley Mandile
Arabella Maceri
Best Performance in an External Subject
Tiarne Evans- Languages
Ella Paff - Drama
Jasmine O’Brien- Dance
Canteen Assistance
Ella Paff
Ruby Cavanagh
Gabrielle Kent
Mia Paige Russell
Sarah Barett
Brooklyn Masau
Catechist Awards
Sarah Barrett
Annabellla Bayer
Charlotte Buhagiar
Ruby Cavanagh
Bridget Clarke
Scarlet Davies
Christian Di Noia
Kiara Hall
Lucy McLean
Brody Trivett-Clarke
Catholic Education Foundation & Social Justice & Excellence Award- Annabella Bayer
Creating and Performing Arts - Elsie Smith
Debating - Emmanouil Delimarkou
First Place In Course
Creative and Performing Arts
Visual Arts- Elsie Smith
English
Extension 1- Ella Paff
Advanced - Gabrielle Kent
Standard- Sophie Robb
Studies - Lara Duffy
HSIE
Ancient History- Emmanouil Delimarkou
Modern History - Emmanouil Delimarkou
History Extension - Emmanouil Delimarkou
Business Studies- Grace McLean
Legal Studies- Gabrielle Kent
Economics - Grace McLean
Work Studies 1 unit - Jacob Handel
Work Studies 2 unit - Addison Cawley
Mathematics
Extension 1 - Andrew Eleftheriades
Advanced- Andrew Eleftheriades
Standard 2- Jasmine O'Brien
Standard 1- Nicholas Parnell
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Health and Movement Science - Sophie Robb
Community and Family Studies - Gabrielle Kent & Sophie Robb
Marine Studies - Kiara Haasz
Sport Lifestyle and Recreation - Lara Duffy
Religious Education
Studies of Religion 2 - Gabrielle Kent
Studies of Religion 1 - Andrew Eleftheriades
Studies in Catholic Thought- Samara Lester
Science
Biology- Sophie Leek
Chemistry - Andrew Eleftheriades
Physics - Andrew Eleftheriades
Technical and Applied Studies (TAS) and VET
Design and Technology - Charlotte Ollivier & Arabella Maceri
Engineering - Rhys Johnston
Food Technology - Jasmine O'Brien
Industrial Technology: Timber - Austin Pyne
Industrial Technology: Multimedia Emilia Jennings-Smith
Hospitality - Summer Cordingley
Construction - Lucas Correia
Lasallian Medal of Service- Gold
April Farrugia
Ella Paff
Ruby Cavanagh
Sarah Barrett
Mia Paige Russell
Samara Lester
Oliver Bradshaw
Andrew Eletheriades
Lasallian Service Award
Miley Mandile
Lachlan Brinckley
James McGaulley
Olympic Changemaker- Matilda Fanning
Outstanding Academic Effort Award Across All Courses
Annabella Bayer
Sarah Barrett
Orlando Alam
Nicholas Benfield
Pastoral Award
12.1 - Orlando Alam and Alessia Carageorge
12.2 - Daniel Jaja and Livia Wiley
12.3 - Andrew Eleftheriades and Sarah Barrett
12.4 - Jacob Handell and Annabella Bayer
12.5 - Kawaii McNeilly and Gabrielle Kent
12.6 - Nicholas Parnell and Lora Skoric
12.7 - Tzyon Southood and Eva Tokouzis
Principal Recommendation Scheme- UOW Scholarship- Sarah Barrett
Resilience Award
Jarrah O’Connor
Scarlet Davies
Tyler Jazevski
Sportswoman of the Year Award-Matilda Fanning
Sportswoman of the Year Award-Cooper Penman
St Aloysius Award - Lachlan Brinckley and Gabrielle Kent
St John Baptist de La Salle- Ella Paff
St Vincent de Paul Award for Community Service
Mia Paige Russell
Sarah Barrett
VET Awards
VET Excellence Award-NSW Training Regional Winner- Lara Duffy
VET Excellence Award - The Youth Partnership- Millie Leijin
Executive Director Nominee- VET Award Hospitality- Miley Mandile
Executive Director Nominee- VET Award Construction- Lucas Correia
Executive Director Nominee- VET Award Business Services - Mia Paige Russell
Executive Director Nominee- VET Award School Based Apprenticeship- Tahu Vanzino
Executive Director Nominee- VET Award School Based Trainee - Matilda Thearle
100% Attendance
Oliver Bradshaw
Aidan Considine
Andrew Eleftheriades
Arabella Maceri
Mikayla Perez
Austin Pyne
