More than 200 high-achieving students from the Sydney Catholic Schools Class of 2025 have been honoured at the annual Executive Director’s Awards for Excellence in HSC and VET.
Held at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday 24 March, the awards were an opportunity to celebrate students’ hard work and success in both the 2025 Higher School Certificate and Vocational Education and Training.
“Tonight is a moment to pause and to celebrate, each and every one of you for your incredible achievements,” said Danielle Cronin, Executive Director at Sydney Catholic Schools.
“You have worked hard, stretched your abilities, and persevered through challenges, both expected and unexpected. You should be immensely proud. We are certainly very proud of you.”
Among those to receive awards were students who placed first in their course across Sydney Catholic Schools, students who demonstrated exceptional diligence in VET courses, as well as those who displayed outstanding aptitude in school based traineeships and apprenticeships.
Brigidine College Randwick graduate Emma Hammann was one the students acknowledged on the night after she placed First in Course across Sydney Catholic Schools in three subjects: Business Studies, Legal Studies and Mathematics Standard 2.
Emma, who has also represented Australia in powerlifting, credited her success to her discipline from training, and the spirit of excellence fostered by her teachers and peers.
“My Business, Legal and Maths teachers were incredible. All my teachers were great,” she said. “They just helped me enjoy the subject so much more and I think when you’re enjoying it, you’re bound to succeed.”
In 2025, nearly 4,500 SCS students completed HSC exams this year, collectively achieving 2,875 Distinguished Achievers listings, 43 Top Achievers, 53 All Rounders.
Sydney Catholic Schools also enjoyed incredible success across the Creative and Performing Arts and VET, with students receiving a record 321 nominations across HSC Showcases, and 1,989 nationally recognised VET Certificate II and III qualifications.
Addressing the graduates, Ms Cronin drew on Pope Francis’ description of young people as “artisans of the future”, not passive spectators, but creators responsible for shaping a more human, just, and beautiful world.
“I hope you will carry your Catholic education with you always. I encourage you to use your hands, your hearts, and your minds to change the world in small and big ways,” she said.
The night also saw awards given to SCS’ top performing schools. In the 2025 HSC, five schools placed in the top 100 high schools in NSW, with 17 schools ranking in the top 150.
Brigidine College Randwick was noted for achieving a state ranking of 53, the highest of all Sydney Catholic Schools, while Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College Burraneer was commended for both the most significant comparative learning gain of the year and the highest median ATAR.
