Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has presented this year’s Archbishop of Sydney Awards for Student Excellence to 51 outstanding Year 12 students from Catholic secondary schools across the Archdiocese of Sydney.
The recipients were individually recognised during a ceremony held at St Mary’s CathedralCollege Hall on Tuesday for their commitment to Catholic values and for actively contributing to the faith life of the school, parish and the wider church community.
Archbishop Fisher commended the students on their dedication to bettering the lives of others and for setting an example for those around them through their varied and far-reaching work as catechists, altar servers, youth group leaders, ministers, social justice advocates, fundraisers, and helpers of the disadvantaged.
“With joy and gratitude we gather to congratulate the leadership and witness of our award winners that they’ve shown, giving thanks to God for the gifts they share so generously with others,” he said.
“We know that for each one of them there will be many other worthy recipients of such awards in their schools, parishes and communities.”
First established in 1999 by Cardinal Edward Clancy, the awards are an annual tribute to some of the exceptional young men and women in Sydney’s Catholic schools, and the positive role they play as leaders of faith among their peers.
Danielle Cronin, Executive Director of Sydney Catholic Schools, congratulated the students on their endeavours and paid tribute to their school communities.
“Today we celebrate you and your achievements. The way that you live your faith with courage, with integrity and generosity, you remind us all that the future of the church and our society is in very good hands,” she said.
“The excellence we witness today is part of what many call the Catholic school effect: the capacity of our school communities to form not just academically able students, but well-rounded young people whose intellect, character, faith and sense of service are nurtured in harmony.”
2025 Award Recipients (listed alphabetically by school suburb)
| Lucia ALIBERTO | St Vincent’s College, Ashfield |
| Danijela SUSIC | Trinity Catholic College, Auburn |
| Hayley BUI | LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown |
| Angelina SANFILIPPO | Freeman Catholic College, Bonnyrigg Heights |
| Sofia von der HOCHT | Our Lady of Mercy Catholic College, Burraneer |
| Natasha ANZELLOTTI | Southern Cross Catholic College, Burwood |
| James HUGHES | De La Salle Catholic College, Caringbah |
| Harry McDONNELL | St Aloysius College, Cronulla |
| Karin MULLER | St Maroun’s College, Dulwich Hill |
| Isaiah MAHALINGAM | Marist College, Eastwood |
| Jami MARONEY | St John Bosco College, Engadine |
| Nicholas ESPOSITO | Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield |
| Krista ORIAS-CABASAL | Domremy College, Five Dock |
| Lauren GOLDSMITH | Rosebank College, Five Dock |
| Elizabeth CHALHOUB | St Scholastica’s College, Glebe |
| Neven TOMENA | Good Samaritan Catholic College, Hinchinbrook |
| Lucas RIBEIRO SARDINHA | St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill |
| Stephanie SERTIC | Bethany College, Hurstville |
| Kayla THUMWANICH | Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Kensington |
| Stephanie PAINO | St Ursula’s College, Kingsgrove |
| Marcrisse DE VERA | Loreto Kirribilli, Kirribilli |
| Adam PARAGINOG | Marist College, Kogarah |
| Nathan ABOUHARB | Holy Spirit Catholic College, Lakemba |
| Blake BIRKINSHAW | Christian Brothers’ High School, Lewisham |
| Chloe FROST | Eileen O’Connor Catholic College, Lewisham |
| Evangeline EL-AZZI | All Saints Catholic College, Liverpool |
| Pitone ALUNI-TUULAUPUA | Corpus Christi College, Maroubra |
| Xavier Cerqueira MACHADO | Casimir Catholic College, Marrickville |
| Adryelle D’SOUZA | Aquinas Catholic College, Menai |
| Angelina JIJI | Mount St Joseph Catholic College, Milperra |
| Isaiah Riley ESPIRITU | St Aloysius’ College, Milsons Point |
| Tyler SESTITO | Marist Catholic College, North Shore |
| Sophia KOMADINA | Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney |
| JayanI WITZKE | Marist Catholic College, Penshurst |
| Sofia BARICEVIC | St Vincent’s College, Potts Point |
| Joseph BEJJANI | St Charbel’s College, Punchbowl |
| Michelle MANSOUR | Brigidine College, Randwick |
| Ethan LOBO | Marcellin College, Randwick |
| Bradley SIMLER | De La Salle College, Revesby Heights |
| Robert DIMITROV-JOHNSON | Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview |
| Alexia LANCASTER | Kincoppal-Rose Bay, Rose Bay |
| Finton COTTRELL | Holy Cross College, Ryde |
| Sophia WONG | Santa Sabina College, Strathfield |
| Anthony NAIM | St Patrick’s College, Strathfield |
| Holly SUMMERS | St Patrick’s College, Sutherland |
| Nathanael HIU | St Mary’s Cathedral College, Sydney |
| Marina ZEEBAREE | Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Wakeley |
| Annie HERBERT | St Clare’s College, Waverley |
| Archie GODBY | Waverley College, Waverley |
| Lauren CHANNON | Clancy Catholic College, West Hoxton |
| Alliyah GAGLIANO | Marist Sisters’ College, Woolwich |
