This year, our College Awards Ceremony and Senior Farewell took on a new look with the presentation of awards taking place all on the same day along with the acknowledgement of our Seniors and their last assembly. Many new awards were presented with a different criteria for selection across the four key areas of our College life, Academia, Sport, Culture and Spirituality.

Special guests were welcomed and the proceedings commenced with an address from Mr Cuskelly outlining the great work done over the year in improving reading data across the whole College as well as recognising improvements in other areas of learning and College life.

Presentations commenced with the LYF awards with one student being selected from each class from Prep to Year 12 as a representative of someone who has demonstrated kindness, consideration, humility, compassion, care, selflessness and gentleness. The LYF Awards were presented by Father Jim Cronin. This was followed by the ADF Long Tan Award for Leadership and Teamwork presented by Leading Seaman Lauren Faulke from the ADF. The Year 10 recipient of this award was Clancy Biggar while Lytana King-Togia received the Year 12 award. The Dalby Rotary award was presented by Dalby Rotarians Mr Frank and Mrs Jean Bach to a student who showed involvement in community service and this year's recipient was Gabrielle Parker.

Cultural Excellence Awards recognised the commitment from students in the areas of The Arts and Culture and included activities such as the Eisteddfod, art shows, The College Musical, Choir and Optiminds. There were 21 recipients of this award and a further three students were then named as the winners of the Cultural Distinction Award. They were Fallon Baxter, Anna Lilburne and Jonty MacDougall.

Sporting Excellence Awards were presented to a number of students from each year level from Year 5 to 12 and the criteria included representation in any sport at Darling Downs level or higher. It is remarkable to have so many students achieve at this level in sport and a further three students from this group were then named as Sportsperson of the Year. These included Carla Nobbs, Michael MacDonald and Lytana King-Togia.

The presentations then moved to focus on Academia and a new criteria for 2019 included all students from Prep to Year 12 firstly with Excellence in Progress Awards for one student from each class who has shown significant improvement in their core subjects. These were followed by Subject Excellence Awards for Senior students who must have achieved an 'A' in that subject.

Academic Excellence Awards were presented to students from Prep to Year 12 who achieved 'A' across their core or chosen subjects and no more that 2 'B's or one 'B' for Year 12. It was very pleasing to see a number of students in some year levels receiving Academic Excellence as this demonstrates a high level of achievement in all areas of learning. 

Academic Distinction Awards were presented to one student from each year cohort who achieved at the highest level across their core subjects and were also a recipient of an Academic Excellence Award. The winners of these awards were Mary Nevell, Benjamin Barwick, Lucy Bennie, Lucinda Conn, Claire Davison, Charlise Conn Braithen Crothers, Samuel Luck, Felicity Stephen, Claudia Henderson, Charlotte Crothers and Laura May. Mr John Coman from Toowoomba Catholic Schools was in attendance to present the awards for both Excellence and Distinction.

The Short Story Award is presented in honour of Mr Andrew McGahan who was a past student and winner of many literary prizes including the Miles Franklin Award. This year, this award was presented to Garet Mathews. The Persuasive Literature Award is donated by Madonna King for a student who demonstrates excellence in persuasive writing in Year 11 or 12 and this year the award went to Samuel Gillespie.

The Award for Excellence in Technology and Creative Industries is donated by Mr David Presley, a past student and leader in his field. The award is presented to a Year 11 or 12 student who demonstrates excellence in this field and includes a $100 gift voucher and this year, the recipient was Ariella Stephen.

Harrison Gwynne received the School Based Apprenticeship Award from Mrs Julie Payne of Toowoomba Catholic Schools while Lytana King-Togia was awarded the Outstanding Vocational Student Award by Margaret Harth from TAFE South West. Mayor Paul McVeigh then stepped forward to present the Western Downs Regional Council Community Spirit Bursary which includes a one-off payment of $1000 plus an opportunity of paid work experience at Council over vacation periods. Mayor McVeigh proudly presented this award to Gabrielle Parker for 2019.

MacKillop took out the 2019 House Cup while Harrison Burton and Chase Price received the Saint Mary MacKillop Award, Clancy Biggar, Charlotte Crothers and Lachlan Sankey were awarded the Mons Thomas Nolan Award, Claudia Child, Tom Clarke, Elsie Irwin, Noah Nothdurft and Gemma Sullivan received the Catherine McAuley Award and Lucy Bennie, Carter Harth, Oliver Harth and Harriet Martin were presented with the Blessed Edmund Rice Award.

The Our Lady of the Southern Cross Award is presented to one student who displayed involvement in College life during the year as well as being a diligent student. The winner received the Mary Barry Perpetual Bursary of $100 and the winner for 2019 was Lytana King-Togia. Thank you to our P and F President Dr Lotte Verhoef for being present to distribute the Icon awards.

Congratulations to all the award recipients for 2019. Too see the full summary of all award winners and the criteria for each award, please click on the link 2019_College_Awards.pdf.