As December drew to a close, over 800 members of the Mudgee High School Community continued the tradition of showcasing the outstanding academic, community and sporting achievements attained by many talented, hardworking and community minded students.
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Highlights of the night included several outstanding musical items which kept the large audience entertained prior to and during the ceremony.
Year 9 student Sarah Gatley excellently led the audience in singing the National Anthem and this was followed by two group items; Billy Joel’s ragtime number Root Beer Rag, performed by Hannah Boland, Robert Westwood and Hamish Fitler and Top of the World performed by Molly Fraser, Rachel Carrier, Gordon Nemeth, Robert Westwood, Hamish Fitler and Mr Carl Holleman.
Last year’s Dux award was presented to Daniel Reinhard with an ATAR of 97.2. Daniel delivered an excellent speech, thanking the staff of Mudgee High School for their professionalism and commitment to teaching, followed up by an inspirational address to the student body, to continue the school’s long tradition of striving for excellence.
This year, Year 8 student Sammi Atkinson achieved a special honour by receiving The NAIDOC Medal of Excellence.
This is awarded to the top 30 students across the state who participated in a range of short story and creative writing competitions as part of the national NAIDOC Week celebrations.
In a very strong field of Year 10 candidates, the ADF Long Tan Award for leadership, teamwork and good communication skills was awarded to a highly deserving Angus Blackwell.
On the sporting fields, Mudgee High was represented by an outstanding group of sporting ambassadors, none more so than Lincoln Huia who received a Western Area Sports Association Sporting Blue for his outstanding success in Rugby League.
Many other highly prestigious and sort-after awards were conferred throughout the evening. A full list of these special awards follows.
The Mudgee High School Community expressed their appreciation for the continued generosity of Ulan Coal, the Rotary clubs of Mudgee and Rylstone-Kandos, the Mudgee branch of the CWA, the Mudgee Teachers Association, the Holland and Leister families and the Mudgee Bahai community who all continue to provide the sponsorship of these awards.
The school also thanked its special guests for giving their time so freely to assist in the recognition and celebration of its student’s wonderful achievements.
Awards presented
- Principal’s Gold Medals - Ninoska Birchall, Ella Werth, Grace Woodgate, Lewis Roth, Sammi Atkinson, Harrison Christofis, Dominic Lynn, William Drakeford.
- Mary Lester Award for 2018 - Paige Martin.
- CWA Literacy Awards - Harriet Etherington, Jemima James, Kelly Kurtz, Emilie Martin, Charlotte Roberts, Bailey Brydon, Jesse Colefax, Delta May Fraser, Lucinda Lillis, Lara Stubbs.
- ADF Long Tan Award - Angus Blackwell.
- Moolarben Spirit Award - Lachlan Wall (senior); Sharni Ekert (junior).
- NAIDOC Medal for Excellence - Sammi Atkinson.
- Dux of MHS for 2017 - Daniel Reinhard.
- Outstanding Debating - Lachlan Wall (senior); Emilie Martin (junior).
- Mudgee Teachers’ Federation Scholarships - Simone Napper; Phillip Riley.
- Rotary Junior Mathematician - Lucinda Llllis; Literacy Award - Brandon Conley.
- Premier’s Sporting Challenge - Zachary Stewart.
- Billy Holland Memorial Award for Sport and Sportsmanship - Ruby Forrest, Lachlan Thyrd (junior); Abigaile Lynch (senior).
- MHS Sporting Blue - Alex Sutherland (Touch Referee); Lincoln Huia (Rugby League).
- Western School Sport Association Blues Certificate - Lincoln Huia (Rugby League).
- Service to MHS - Hilary Wright.
- Rotary Club of Rylstone LOTE - Harrison Cole, Ruby Dyke, Harriet Etherington, Jack New, Leiticia Peterson, Deegan Schoonderbeck.
- Virtue Awards - Stephanie Bartlet, Daniel Kurtz (Year 11); Caoimhe Griffiths, Jackson Webster (Year 10); Abigail Hamilton, Blake Dwyer (Year 9); Emily Cowden, James Pegg (Year 8); Jake Brakel, Olivia Hopson (Year 7).
- Year Adviser’s Awards - Abigaile Lynch, Duncan McNeill (Year 11); Morgan Hurrell, Joshua Kondo (Year 10); Emily Nott, Ashton Breadsell (Year 9); Sammi Atkinson, Lachlan Thyrd (Year 8); Alyssa Boland, Arnab Ghosh (Year 7).
- Outstanding Academic Awards - Hannah Boland, Milla Jones, Daniel Kurtz, Molly Fraser, Ethan Reinhard, Ryan Staub (Year 11); Ella Werth, Alexis Gaffney, Luke Hawkins, Connor McNeill, William Wiseman, Grace Woodgate (Year 10); Ruby Forrest, Isabelle Hauville, Emily Knott, Lucinda Lillis Maree Ioane, Brooke McPherson (Year 9); Ethan Blamire, Emily Cowden, Aiden Hargraves, Dominic Lynn, James Pegg, Lachlan Thyrd (Year 8); Harriet Etherington, Emilie Martin, Lilly Nicholson, Safara Niven, Ashlyn Richardson, Charlotte Roberts, Emma Thyrd (Year 7).