Bishop Joseph Grech Scholarship: congratulations to the 2021 recipients
26/07/2021Congratulations to Catherine McAuley College (CMC) students Jordyn Aldred, Jack Osborne and Jiya Patel, who were announced amongst the Bishop Joseph Grech scholarship recipients last Wednesday, 21 July.
The online presentation ceremony involved all ten scholarship winners for 2021, representing secondary schools in Bendigo, Echuca, Kyabram, Nathalia, Wodonga, Myrtleford and Wangaratta.
The Bishop Joseph Grech Scholarship recognises exceptional young people in colleges across the Sandhurst Diocese who model exemplary behaviour and contribute to the life of their College, through their commitment to their faith and to social justice. This is evident in the actions of the three CMC recipients and their intentions for the scholarship:
“I will work to tackle the issue of racism in our Mercy community and the way it intersects with instances of marginalisation in wider society. My focus will be the African-Australian community and how we can improve their experiences through education of allies – and future allies.” (Jordyn Aldred, Year 10)
“I would like to build a program where students can work together with ongoing support throughout their school years. I will delve into the importance of a healthy mindset, for both students and staff. My goal is to create an inclusive environment, because everyone’s problems matter.” (Jack Osborne, Year 10)
“After the recent pandemic many students have drifted apart and their wellbeing has sometimes been in danger. I would like to increase the activities available for student participation, to bring students together and increase connectedness in our school community.” (Jiya Patel, Year 11)
Executive Director of Catholic Education Sandhurst, Mr Paul Desmond said that the Bishop Joseph Grech Scholarship Award Ceremony was one of his favourite events of the year.
“Each year I have the privilege of talking with the Bishop Joseph Grech Scholarship recipients and I am always richer for the encounter. These young people are truly amazing, they stand up for what is right, they look for opportunities to make their communities better places and they instil a sense of confidence in me that the future of our world is in very good hands,” said Mr Desmond.
Mr Desmond chatted with each student about themselves, and their families, during the ceremony. Mr Brian Turner also attended and spoke in appreciation of the CMC recipients.
Thank you to Catholic Education Sandhurst for organising the scholarships and ceremony, despite the challenges of COVID, and we congratulate all ten 2021 scholarship recipients across the Diocese.
ABOUT THE BISHOP JOE GRECH SCHOLARSHIP
The Bishop Joseph Scholarship for Youth was established in 2011 to honour former Bishop of Sandhurst, Bishop Joe Grech. The scholarship enables senior students in Sandhurst secondary colleges to participate in spirituality or leadership programs beyond their schools, promoting young people as significant members of the church.
