Liberating Education

As a Catholic School in the Edmund Rice Tradition, we challenge all to prophetic leadership within the school community and beyond.

 2025 College Prefects

It is with immense pleasure that I announce the following students as Prefect Leaders for the 2024/2025 School Year.

Maxwell Bayss

Lachlan Herd

Kaine Hieber

Tristan Jackson

Chiko Katsande

William Lynch

Jesse Mantell

Kaden Old

Harvey Olsen

Max Oteiwi

Lisitoa Paea

Lachlan Renton

Michael Sikuka

Logan Treble

Marcus Tredwell

Lawrence Ure

These prefects were selected through a rigorous process involving a detailed written application and student and staff voting. On Wednesday August 14, these students participated in a Leadership Induction Day at Killcare Surf Club facilitated by Mr Powell, Ms Connor, Mr Herringe and me. I have great confidence in the potential of these fine young men to lead the student community at St Edward’s over the next year. These boys have demonstrated through their applications, a great passion for the College and their enthusiasm, maturity and commitment to the role is very clear.

A Prefect Investiture Mass will be held on Wednesday September 4. At this Mass, we will bless the newly elected prefects for the year ahead. The College Captain and Vice Captains for the 2024/2025 school year will also be announced at this Mass.

Youth Community Service Award

Kale Puata

It is with great pleasure that I inform our community that Kale Puata of Year 12 has been selected to

 receive a Youth Community Service Award by the NSW Branch of the Order of Australia Association. The Award recognises NSW senior High School students who have shown commendable service to their Local communities.

Kale has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to community service, both within and outside of school, showcasing an unwavering dedication to making a positive impact to our local, national, and even global communities.

One of Kale’s significant contributions is his involvement in Surf Lifesaving. Achieving his silver medallion and serving as a patrol captain, he has been a vital part of volunteer patrols, ensuring the safety and well-being of beachgoers from 2020-2024. His leadership and dedication in this role exemplify his commitment to serving his community, putting other’s and their safety first, demonstrating his selflessness. Throughout his time patrolling Kale has saved lives and contributed to safer beaches each summer.

Kale also participated in multiple Edmund Rice Sleepouts, where he learned about homelessness by spending a night outdoors. This experience deepened his empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by the homeless, motivating him to continue supporting initiatives aimed at alleviating homelessness.

Moreover, Kale has volunteered at Coast Shelter, where he cooks evening meals for those in need. His consistent involvement in this initiative highlights his compassion and dedication to providing support and care to vulnerable members of society, providing nourishment and conversation, brightening the days of those he has interacted with.

In addition to these efforts, Kale has actively contributed to environmental conservation through the Clean4Shore program. By participating in local coastline cleanups, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting and preserving the environment for future generations.

Kale has also been a member of the NSW Youth Advisory Council, where he has provided valuable insights and contributed to youth-related discussions and policies. His involvement in this council underscores his dedication to representing and advocating for his peers. Kale has also been an active member of our Justice, Peace, and Advocacy Student Leader Portfolio, utilising his leadership skills and passion for social justice to organise and participate in various initiatives. His involvement in this important group has been instrumental in raising awareness about social issues and promoting positive change within our school and the wider community.

Furthermore, Kale has raised funds for World Vision Australia through the 40 Hour Famine, showing his commitment to addressing global issues and supporting those in need. He has also led efforts to raise awareness and funds for mental health by completing and leading the Push Up Challenge, highlighting his dedication to promoting mental health awareness and making positive changes within our community.

Additionally, I would like to highlight Kale’s remarkable achievement of completing 100 hours of community service each year while studying at St. Edward’s College. This level of commitment and consistency is truly exemplary, and it demonstrates his sincere desire to make a positive impact on the lives of those around them. His dedication to service has earned him the prestigious Edmund Rice Honours award, an accolade that recognises individuals who embody the values of compassion, justice, and service championed by our school.

Year 11 Max Potential

The Max Potential Program is an initiative of Clubs NSW, and offers twenty-two weeks of personal leadership development, including coaching, to young leaders from schools, TAFE, University and the community to help them maximise their potential during the final years at school and beyond. Max Potential also encourages students to focus on raising awareness regarding health. Well-being and social issues on the Central Coast. Gosford RSL Club has been successfully facilitating the program in the Gosford City local government area since 2008 providing young people with an opportunity to impact on others and their region through a community project supported by local community leaders and networks.

St Edward’s College has been proud supporters of the Max Potential Program since its inception with Year 11 students participating each year. This year William Lynch and Max Oteiwi participated in the program and their personal leadership outcomes will be publicly showcased at a special presentation on Thursday August 22.

As part of this program William and Max had to develop a presentation on a special interest project related to a contemporary community issue. William’s project focused on improving the mental health of people over the age of sixty and Max’s project centred on methods to reduce the risk of injuries in the sport of AFL.

I look forward to them presenting their projects next Thursday and I congratulate William and Max for completing this program.

William Lynch

Max Oteiwi