Rooty Hill High School - Excellence Assembly (2024 Achievements)

2024 Achievements

PRINCIPAL’S EXCELLENCE ASSEMBLY ADDRESS Thursday 13 February 2025 Welcome to the Rooty Hill High School Annual Excellence Assembly, celebrating the achievements of the students, the school and the community in 2024. Welcome to students, ex-students, families, community guests and a special welcome to Year 7.

Today, just over 160 students, 4 staff and 5 community members will be recognised for outstanding achievements in 2024. I want to acknowledge the support of our community and, particularly thank our Elders for their ongoing support of the school.

I also want to acknowledge and thank last year’s School Captain Jacob Stirk who gave the Acknowledgement of Country today and was the first Torres Strait Islander or Aboriginal student to be School Captain of this school. Long overdue and well deserved – Jacob and his co-captain Zena Jali provided strong leadership that will be recognised later this morning.

As principal I want to highlight some of our major achievements and the stories of 2024: At the start of the 2024 school year, we had 9 permanent and 8 temporary teaching positions unfilled. At the time we did not know that most of those positions would remain unfilled until the end of Term 3. When we chose the core value of 2024 to be “Teamwork and Leadership” we simply did not know how important that would be.

We knew that working in teams and the “teams’ strategy” that underpins our work was important. What we saw in 2024 was all the features of great teamwork and leadership met. Our teams; • Had a common purpose • Shared the same values • Spoke the same language • Followed the same rituals • Supported each member of the team including outliers • Demonstrated set norms, rules and practices • Had common behaviours • Put the team first In December 2024, I was given 2 minutes to speak at the Director’s meeting to colleague principals about a highlight of my year and to show a slide. My slide contained lots of pictures of me with the teams that matter to our school, and I spoke about 8 teams. I said we had to work together to do our best given the challenges we faced in 2024. The teams I chose were: • The Head Teachers who ensured students had continuity of learning by just doing more and doing it better when we had 9 permanent and 8 temporary staffing vacancies.

• Staff subject teams who delivered personalised, expansive and culturally inclusive learning. We were already explicit!!!

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Expert staff and the student data analyst teams who used data and evidence to analyse, reflect, plan and implement better practice.

The Deputy Principals who led wellbeing, attendance and learning support teams to support over 75 students and families whose lives and learning required the intensive and complex solutions that only expertise can provide.

The SAMs and administrative teams who delivered a sophisticated operational plan and led the successful DoE audit. As a result, our two SAMs, Janice Stuart and Nadine Giorgianni were nominated for the Southwestern Sydney Executive Director’s awards.

The Learning Neighbourhood teams who delivered 37 different events connecting the five schools and the EC Secondary network who gave me unwavering support.

In the final slide (of the presentation) was a picture of me standing in the foyer with 4 Year 12 students – all much bigger than me. On the day we took that photo they told me “We have your back miss”. That is a highlight for methat the students in this school have the agency, and values to stand with all of us in all our teams. That relationship was at the core of how we made 2024 work. It is not surprising then that we have 7 teams nominated for the ‘Team of the Year Award’ and that we are also recognising some long-standing partnerships for their impact on our work over many years. Our students and staff continued to partner with The Origin Foundation, Aboriginal Indigenous Academy, “Learning Creates”, “PERU”, universities, and other partners delivering bespoke learning and transition programs.

There is evidence through the new School Plan (20242027) and the School Operations Plan that we met milestones in each of the strategic and management areas of the school. This included the successful introduction of faculty plans so that each subject could focus on subject based teaching and learning. The grades in years 7-9 demonstrated how much impact this had on progress for students in a secondary setting. We made good progress on our progress measures especially in attendance, but we also recognise we have more to do in reading and numeracy.

Students made significant progress (growth) and performance (attainment) on internal and external measures including in the HSC results. Year 12 students achieved strong results including 5 Band 6 results – our best in several years. 3 students achieved ATARs in the 90s and the Extension Mathematics results were among the best ever achieved. The success of students entering university via early entry was significant and recognised the importance of investing in Year 11 to achieve their best results. I do want to take time to acknowledge the DoE HSC Strategy. Although it will not continue this year, it made a major, measurable positive impact on our HSC teaching and on student results in recent years.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Smita Shah OAM, for her long-standing support of the school.

She and her husband have donated funds to the school to sponsor the award for the Team of the Year for the next 5 years.

And I would like to acknowledge that 2025 will be the 20th anniversary of our partnership with the AFL Indigenous Academy.

I also want to note that the award winners here today represent so much more than their individual achievements – they represent the future of this community, and they speak for the best that public secondary education can provide when we all work together.

As I said last year, we always retain a strong focus on our values, culture, platforms and change projects in the face of considerable external challenge, many new policies, new initiatives and sadly, reduced government funding.

And now to 2025. This year our core value will be Innovation and Creativity, the “I” in PERSIST. “Innovation and continuous improvement are expected for individuals, teams and the school.” We will ask – can you find a better, smarter or more creative way?

As the DoE launches its focus on high potential and gifted education, we will audit all the ways we currently provide opportunities for students, and we will re-open our book (the one we wrote with Professor Bill Lucas in 2017) on Creativity. We will use the Creativity Wheel as a driver of turning academic, physical, social and creative potential into success. I look forward to reporting on our lived experience of being innovative and creative in 2025.

Congratulations to all our award winners, their teachers and families.

Ms Christine Cawsey AM – Principal

STAFF & COMMUNITY AWARDS Leadership for Learning Award – Daynah Elford In 2009, ACER published a book written by the school principal called Learning for Leadership based on the story of the school's leadership in professional practice. The proceeds of the book are now used to give this award, an award given to a teacher in the school who, in the opinion of the principal and deputy principals has demonstrated exemplary leadership as a classroom teacher and leader of teachers.

Daynah has been a member of staff at this school since 2020 and she is recognised across the school for her intellectual leadership, academic integrity and capacity to deliver high quality programs in the classroom, in promoting student wellbeing and in personalised learning.

In 2024 Daynah's Year 12 HSC Advanced English class received Band 4 and 5 results, making these among the 2

best results in the school. The results for students in all her classes reflect Daynah's deep understanding of the English syllabuses, of texts and of the signature pedagogies of English. Her teaching demonstrates expertise in learning design and delivery. Her focus on explicit teaching of skills, careful tasks design and high levels of engagement ensures that all students make progress each semester. She is considered to be an excellent teacher by her peers and supervisors.

Daynah has demonstrated all those attributes in her work and her application.

The school is delighted to recognise Daynah's leadership as a teacher and to recognise her professional work in this award.

In 2022, Daynah became a year adviser. In that role she engaged Year 6 students and their families in the school's personalised transition and enrolment processes. Her attention to detail, her warmth and compassion established rapport with the students and with the families.

In 2023, in Year 7 Daynah mentored a large group of student ambassadors as she designed a year-based program that focused on the development of the whole child.

Working closely with other year advisers and Head Teachers, she ensured that students in the Year 8-year group had access to curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular programs. Students, colleagues and parents report on Daynah's capacity to identify a need and create high quality universal, targeted and intensive programs to address it.

It is also her capacity to work as a team member and team leader that has been noted by her supervisors and peers. In staff teams she is always positive, always contributing and always able to think in innovative and creative ways. In 2023 she joined the team to deliver the RIOT - resilience in our teens - initiative across the school and in 2024 she was co-leader of this critical wellbeing program that is one of the 4 pillars of wellbeing in the school.

It takes a deep level of understanding of the social and emotional, self-regulation and intrapersonal capabilities to design and deliver school wide practice. Daynah has this deep level of knowledge and the expertise to ensure that this program has had and will continue to have a deep impact on students and school relational culture.

In 2025, Daynah will continue to lead this work across the school.

Outstanding Contribution to Rooty Hill High School Award – Vicki Hulm Vicki was a dedicated member of the learning support team for 25 years. As a School Learning and Support Officer, she consistently went above and beyond to provide invaluable assistance to students, particularly in mathematics.

Her commitment to fostering a positive learning environment was evident in her classroom support, where she has helped countless students thrive academically.

Vicki's role as a supervisor and mentor to School Learning Support Officers enhanced their professional development and strengthened the overall support network within our school community.

Her ability to build strong relationships with students and their families was instrumental in monitoring academic progress and promoting student wellbeing. Families deeply valued her care and compassion.

Vicki’s unwavering dedication and passion for education made a lasting impact, and we are incredibly grateful for her contributions to our school community.

At the end of 2024, Daynah successfully made an application to become a mentor with the Bell Shakespeare company program in schools. This is a very prestigious program and an extremely competitive selection process.

The be selected teachers must demonstrate a deep passion, knowledge and expertise in translating the works of Shakespeare into relevant and engaging learning for students.

In addition, teachers need to have an even deeper understanding of the challenges of bringing a love of Shakespeare's plays to new student audiences, especially in those communities where parents and caregivers may not themselves have studied the plays or seen performances.

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Parents & Citizens Association and School Council Award for Outstanding Community Contribution – AFL Indigenous Academy In 2013, the school’s Parents & Citizens Association (P&C) commissioned an award to be presented by the P&C and parent community to a student, staff member, parent, alumni or community partner whose work for the school community has made a significant difference to the school.

The school would like to acknowledge the commitment of the AFL, the NIAA (National Indigenous Australians Agency and the team led by Matt Keevil-Scott and Charles Mundine in engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families at this school and the other partner schools.

The leadership of Matt, Uncle Charlie and other staff since 2006 has supported 3500 students (over 200 students a year) in 8 partner schools in Blacktown and Campbelltown. The program's commitment to using the partnership and providing opportunities for students at this school has been significant.

Yonalee with Professor Shah published in the British Medical Journal in January.

A second article written by Kim Rizzo and Kate Short will appear in a subsequent edition later this year. The students wrote and reflected on their experience in Health Hackathon, a two-day workshop with industry professionals where students aged 14-16 develop a health promotion activity for their school community.

To quote the students: We particularly enjoyed the learning process, where we explored others' experiences and mastered presenting our campaign with pride and confidence".

The school thanks the team from PERU and acknowledges that this partnership has made a significant impact in the school and in changing the health outcomes for our students.

Students have been supported to set strong educational goals, improve their attendance, complete academic programs and transition into employment and further study.

More critically, the team has also contributed to staff professional learning and provided expert advice to the school's cultural awareness programs. The team has always worked closely with school staff coordinating the programs and are always open to feedback and advice.

The programs and partnership have been exceptional for our students, and we appreciate the work the team does to give students opportunities they would not otherwise have had. Thank you for making a difference in our community.

Outstanding Partnership Between Western Sydney Local Health District (PERU) & Rooty Hill High School

STUDENT INDIVIDUAL & TEAM ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS School Council Student of the Year – Taliyah Suitupe

Dux of the School – Muhammad Abdullah Baig

It is the school's pleasure to invite Professor Smita Shah OAM, Kim Rizzo, Kate Short, Taiba Hussain and Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage to the stage to accept this award which recognises not only the 20 relationship between the school and the PERU program in delivering SALSA and the Youth Activist programs but also the outstanding achievement of having a paper written by Taiba and 4

Dux of the School Address Good morning, students, teachers, parents, families, honourable guests and members of the official party. My name is Muhammad Abdullah Baig. I would like to start by expressing how incredibly honoured I am to be standing here and addressing you as the DUX of Year 12 2024.

Firstly, I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me and believing in me. Their love, encouragement and a desire to make them proud are what have driven me to work to the best of my ability. I would like to thank Ms Cawsey, for providing an environment where we as students could challenge ourselves, grow, and become a better version of ourselves. And thank you to Miss Vuki for always reminding us to be kind and encouraging us to do our best.

And most importantly I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all the incredible teachers, who have supported me throughout my time at Rooty Hill, Mr Green, Mrs King, Miss Davison, Mr Bailey, Mr Shephard, Miss Parbery. And a special thanks to Mr Hewitt and Miss Munzie. Without all of you I would not be the person who I am today. Thank you for your unwavering support and your dedication to go above and beyond to help your students. I cannot express how grateful I am to have you as mentors.

The last two years of high school were, without a doubt, some of the most intense and demanding years of my life.

They were a series of long nights, early mornings and endless practice papers. My biggest goal during that time was to achieve a high enough ATAR so that I could get into whatever university I wanted. And even though I was able to get the ATAR I was hoping for, I ultimately did not need it. I was able to get into my desired degree, Bachelor of Civil Engineering at UTS through early entry using my Year 11 RoSA grades.

Looking back now, I realize there is more to high school than just your grades or your ATAR. It’s about the friendships you build, the memories you make, the lessons you learn outside of the classroom, and the personal growth that shapes you into the person you become. It’s about discovering your passions, pushing past your limits, and preparing yourself for the real world in ways that numbers can’t define. To the younger students, especially Year 7, I want to say, don’t rush through high school just to get to the end. Take the time to enjoy it. Try new things, make mistakes, and learn from them. It’s easy to focus on grades and forget that this time is also about growing as a person.

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give you, it’s to not be afraid of challenges. Whether it's difficult subjects, trying a sport you haven't played before, or just trying to balance your personal and school life, embrace the challenges.

They are the moments that will make you stronger and prepare you for whatever comes next. Congratulations to all the people receiving awards today. We worked hard all year and now it's time to celebrate. Thank you.

Representative Team of the Year – The Riff Drama Troupe Team Members: Melissa Adlington Abigail Camat Nichola Croft Natalie Gamsby Blake Green Breanna Hargreaves Savannah Leu Alaska Marshall

Georgia Quillano Shaun Siliva Himani Singh Emily Stephenson Danica Tahana Sasha Wellfare James Whiddon Brody Willcockson

RoSA GPA Awards – 4.5 or above Year 10

Year 11

Petra Ademovic Nattanicha Aye Mali Coombes Taiba Hussein Jemuel Nallas Myah Nguyen Ashmeet Parmar Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage Henrietta Ah Lam Fawz Al Jamhour Hooria Asghar Lilley Gotts Laurel Lyttleton Georgia McAndrew Saarim Saeed Lena York

Visual Arts Acquisition Prize – Genesis Bautista & Farah Sideq Genesis’s Artist Statement: My portrait series titled, 'Surreality', explores the depiction of dissociation. This series conveys the repetition of a blue figure, with a large contrasting eye in various poses symbolising the mental health struggles impacted by school pressures. The figure is depicted 5

oozing or dripping off the page to imply the feeling of dissociating, “zoning-out” in class and being exhausted; everything is repetitive, and your head feels too heavy to hold it up. The singular ‘big childish eye’ channels the work of Margaret Keane and depicts the feeling of losing all your senses whilst dissociating.

Andy McKay VET Student of the Year – Entertainment – Jazmin Birett

Farah’s Artist Statement: 'Raindrop Reverie’ captures the moment when you are indoors, and it is raining outside.

The oil pastels capture an evening merging with a drizzle that invites calmness.

Each viewer is invited to reminisce while looking. Rain can symbolise sadness or new beginnings. The piece invites audiences to take part in their sentiments, longing or tranquillity. The warm soft colours of the sunset, on one hand, contrast sharply with the cool steady presence of raindrops representing comfort and meditation. 'Raindrop Reverie’ is about finding beauty in ordinary things which allows one to pause for thought amidst life’s whirlwind moments and offers time for calm reflection in a world that often rushes by.

Genesis and Farah pictured with RHHS Alumni (class of 1971) Ms Jenny Combet and Ms Viive Howell.

Reuben F Scarf Award for Commitment & Ampol Best All-Rounder Award Reuben F Scarf Award – Riley Evagelia Daniel Ampol Best All-Rounder – Henna Mansory

Jazmin pictured with Mr Jason Miezis, Director - Educational Leadership, Eastern Creek Network.

Australian Defence Force Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Award Year 12 – Ryzell Soria Year 10 – Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage

Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award Year 12 – Muhammad Abdullah Baig Year 10 – Jemuel Nallas

Award winners pictured with Councillor Bob Fitzgerald OAM, Deputy Mayor Blacktown City Council.

Deputy Principal’s Award for Most Improved Student Year 7 – Krishma Gautam Year 10 – Jovan Tukuitonga Year 8 – Azlan Mohammad Year 11 – Rosaleah Paulo Year 9 – Maddison Briffa Year 12 – Toby Ostric

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Jan van Doorn Personal Best Award Year 7 – Tamihana Taoho-McLaughlan Year 8 – Miguel Villena Year 9 – Isabella Brooke

Year 10 – Matilda Roberts Year 11 – Michael Ner Year 12 – Jazmin Birett

Award winners pictured with former RHHS Deputy Principal Mr Jan van Doorn.

Year 9 – Laith Saleh Year 10 – Ashmeet Parmar Year 11 – Laurel Lyttleton

Dux Speeches Year 7 – Raina Kongkon

Chifley Awards School Service Awards Year 7 – Levi Falemoe Year 8 – Nevaeh-Maree Kake Year 9 – Ava Scobie Year 10 – Mikayla Mantua

Dux Years 7 – 11 Year 7 – Lilley Smith Year 8 – Raina Kongkon Year 9 – Duaa Saeed

Year 11 – Henrietta Ah Lam Year 12 – Madiha Ali Year 12 – Xiu Hui Lim

Science and Technology Award Year 12 – Muhammad Abdullah Baig

Hi Teachers, parents and students. To begin, I want to address how grateful I am to be up here receiving this award.

Starting high school and being in Year 7 was a new thing for all of us, and at the start of the year, I did not think I would be up here today! I want to thank both teachers and friends for guiding me through this new experience and being there for me.

I truly wouldn’t be here without my teacher’s help, educating me and assisting me with all this new Year 7 work, especially in maths and science! I wouldn’t be up here either if it wasn’t for my friends, helping me enjoy this year, grasp concepts and just being there for me when I struggled.

I’m grateful for the friendships I have made, and how we have helped each other. And of course I can’t forget my parents. Despite making me do so many chores, you have always been there for me through ups and downs and will continue to, which I am thankful for.

Ben Chifley Achievement Award for Leadership Year 12 – Zena Jalil & Jacob Stirk

Getting this award was not a breeze, and it took work and effort for me to achieve this. I believe that little things like giving my full attention to teachers when teaching, revising classwork and especially asking questions when struggling to understand the work really impacted how I learnt, as well as my grades and building up to get DUX for Year 7. I also feel that becoming ambassador and being a part of the ‘tell them from me’ analyst team contributed to this award.

This year has been a whole bunch of different experiences, much different compared to primary school. From completing stressful assignments or presenting presentations, to going to the movies or soon to be raging waters, all of these events and experiences have helped us get to where we are. This year made me realise that all these things we get to do are valuable and to be remembered.

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As much as focusing in class and getting all the work done does have a large part in getting these types of academic awards, I think that helping and providing support to one another is a big part of it as well. As I said before, I wouldn’t have gotten here without all the guidance and support I have received from friends, and I still stand for that. Without these supportive peers, I don’t think my year would have been just as enjoyable or successful as it has been.

You just need to find what motivates you. What you’re working towards. For me, all I want is to make my parents and myself proud. I want to live my life to the fullest and get the most out of the few short years we get in this world.

Even then, you can’t rely on motivation, it’s about discipline. Just like how if you want to win the volleyball schools cup, you have to train, if you want to get an A, you have to study. They say “you only live once,” well, if you do it right, you can make sure that once is enough.

My friends have made me want to come to school by giving me fun times and laughs, which in a way increased my passion to work hard academically. If we continue to help our friends and our peers, provide assistance and support in various ways, we could all achieve so much and enjoy our time at school.

Miss Elford always praises us on how supportive we all are of each other, and every word she says is true, and to me, it’s beautiful. We’re an amazing year group. We have many leaders who are bound to go far in life, on the peer mentoring training day it felt as if at least half the grade was there, talented musicians and singers who have the most beautiful voices, athletes, who can play basically every sport there is to play. There’s so much potential in each and every single one of you.

We have all accomplished so much this year, despite it being big or little, found our place in high school, and I am excited to see what else we all can accomplish in the years to come.

Thank you.

Year 8 – Raina Kongkon Good afternoon Ms Cawsey, Ms Vuki, Mrs Andrews, Miss Elford, teachers, parents, fellow students, and respected guests. It is my absolute honour to be standing here today as the Year 8 DUX of 2024.

Time flies, doesn’t it? It feels like just the other day we were clueless little Year 7’s walking through the school gates for the first time, and now, look at us, already picking our electives. This year’s been packed. The swimming carnival, Camp, Harmony Day, the Athletics Carnival, Haka Warriors, Origin Day, Inspire8, Strength in Numbers, the Salsa Youth Games, M.A.D.D Night, and finishing it off with Luna Park. I feel like in our second year of high school together, many of us have come out of our shells, made stronger bonds, deepened connections.

Some of us even made new friendships. I for one, personally have. I’d like to give a shoutout to Natasha, Aalia, Jesnoor, Lialeti, and Millie. It feels so great to be able to call you guys my friends and I love you all so so much.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Cawsey for all her effort she puts into making this school as good as it is, my teachers for their support and guidance in helping me reach my goals, my close friends, Mariam, Vicky, Sienna, Khadija and Sofi, for always being there for me, my English class, for being my favourite class to be in, our year adviser Miss Elford for always being a reliable friend we can all count on, my mum and my dad for their unwavering support, I couldn’t ask for anything more from you guys, and lastly, God, for all His blessings.

I feel an immense gratitude that I can’t even begin to explain that He let all these incredible people into my life.

Without them, I don’t know where I would be.

Throughout the year, occasionally people would ask me for academic advice. Truth is, there is no shortcut or secret.

I couldn’t ask for a better year group, let’s keep striving for our goals, I promise you, just keep going and watch how much we can achieve.

I pray that God blesses you all and I hope you all have a lovely holiday.

Thank you.

Year 9 – Duaa Saeed & Laith Saleh Good morning, Ms Cawsey, Ms Mattimore, Ms Andrews, Mr Crosilla, teachers, parents, guests and Year 9.

We are incredibly honoured and privileged to be receiving the DUX title of Year 9 2024 in this year's Principal's assembly.

As we reflect on our journey throughout this year, we recognize that it has been a time of growth and learning. Year 9 has brought us new challenges and experiences that have shaped us into who we are today and helped prepare us to enter our senior years.

The countless opportunities given to us to excel and succeed always bring the best out of us. In relation to the hard work, we brought as students in our last junior year, we would like to especially thank Mr Crosilla and others who assisted in planning the multiple events of this year including our Luna Park and our elective excursions.

These periods of time where we got to enjoy ourselves allowed us to relax and take our minds off assignments.

We’d also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our teachers who have gone above and beyond to support our academic journey. Your dedication, patience, and guidance have been instrumental in our success. You've 8

challenged us to think critically, encouraged us to ask questions, and inspired us to reach for excellence.

To our parents, family and friends who've been supporting us with understanding and patience from the start, your belief in our abilities has motivated us to push through challenges and strive for our best.

Year 9, your resolve to be amazing this year is what makes you stand out from every other year. We want to commend you all for taking one of the biggest steps in high school, becoming a senior.

While we approach new tests of our strength and knowledge, we encourage you all to enter Year 10 with perseverance and a growing mindset.

Thank you once again for this incredible honour and let us continue to strive for our best in the future.

Thank you.

Year 10 – Ashmeet Parmar Good morning, Mrs Cawsey A.M., Ms Vuki, Ms Munzie, Ms Short, students, teachers, parents, and distinguished guests. Today, I am both humbled and honoured to stand before you as the Dux of Year 10 for 2024. This year has been one of immense change and growth for all of us. Transitioning into senior school has felt like crossing a threshold. We’ve left behind the familiarity of our junior years and stepped into a world of greater responsibility, higher expectations, and exciting opportunities.

Year 10 has been about laying foundations, not just for our academic futures, but for the kind of people we want to become. We’ve faced big decisions this year, such as choosing our Year 11 and 12 subjects, and we’ve earned our RoSA, a tangible milestone of our progress so far. But this year was about much more than ticking boxes or reaching goals. It was about learning to adapt, to persevere, and to dream even bigger than before.

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to the incredible teachers who have guided us through this transformative year. Your dedication, patience, and wisdom have shaped us in ways we often take for granted.

You’ve taught us lessons that extend beyond the syllabus, lessons about resilience, curiosity, and the importance of hard work. You’ve shown us what it means to believe in someone, even when they’re still learning to believe in themselves.

To my friends, you’ve been the constant in an everchanging environment. Thank you for being my motivators, always having my back, and being my escape when things felt overwhelming. School is so much more than classrooms and assignments; it’s about the bonds we form along the way, and I am so grateful to share this

journey with all of you. And finally, to my family, more specifically my Mum and Dad, you are my greatest support system. You’ve been there to celebrate the victories and to help me rise after the setbacks. Your encouragement reminds me why I work so hard, and your belief in me fuels my own belief in what’s possible.

Looking back, it’s easy to focus on the moments of triumph, but it’s the challenges that have defined this year.

There were times when balancing commitments felt impossible, when self-doubt crept in, and when the goal seemed too far away.

But these were also the moments that taught me the most.

They taught me that success isn’t about avoiding failure; it’s about learning from it. It’s about showing up every single day, even when it feels like progress is slow, because every step forward matters.

As we stand on the cusp of Year 11 and our preliminary studies, I want to remind my peers that this is just the beginning. Senior school will test us, but it will also shape us. Embrace the challenges ahead with determination and an open mind.

Set goals that scare you a little but excite you even more.

And remember, it’s not just the destination that matters, but the journey and the growth along the way.

To everyone who has been a part of this incredible year, thank you.

Thank you for your support, your encouragement, and your belief in what we can achieve together. I am deeply grateful for this honour, and I look forward to seeing where the next chapter takes us.

Thank you.

Year 11 – Laurel Lyttleton Good morning, everyone, I just wanted to share my gratitude for this achievement and for all the support I have received working towards it.

I just wanted to give a big thank you to all of my teachers, who have given me continuous support and encouragement, and who have helped me to achieve what I have today.

I also wanted to thank my beautiful friends and family who have motivated me and kept me focused and balanced, I am so blessed to have you all.

This achievement is something that we are all capable of, and through doing our best and staying consistent can help us in achieving success.

I hope that this can encourage you to do your personal best, and to keep working towards achieving your goals.

Thank you.

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Subject, Achievement & Sport Awards

Name

Year 7 Name

Alghasim Balla

Fahima Bare

Brooklyn Cayabyab

Wafaa Chandab

Krishma Gautam

Kavvya Hingu Jack Shang Zhao Long Li

Zeth Maralang

Liam Mondala

Liam Mondala Haani Mohammad Londyn Paluch Quincie Pugosa Jarryd Santiago Lilly Smith

Year 8

Award

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Human Society and Its Environment Best Performer Mathematics Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer Science Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Best Performer Languages Other Than English Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Outstanding Attendance Award Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

Aaliyah Acosta

Natasha Ah Lam

Hasibullah Azizi Amelie Bogaz Aizel Reign Cellona

Ethan Gao

Nevaeh-Maree Kake

Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Human Society & Its Environment Premier’s Sporting Challenge Medal Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Sports Champion – Junior Girls Sports Champion – Junior Boys Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English

Raina Kongkon Best Performer Science

Faith Nucom

Khang Phan

Noah Sinnett Miguel Villena

Melissa Yang

Outstanding Attendance Award Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Outstanding Attendance Award Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Mathematics

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Year 9 Name

Year 10 Award

Name

Aaron Acosta

Best Performer Mathematics

Petra Adamovic

Tala Ah Lam

Excellence in Sport

Shahad Al Nemer

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

Mulufuaina Sofeni Ah Cheung

Best Performer English Ecrin Diler Ekaterina Lapteff Maxene Mojica Daveleen Mulbah Mitch Neich Duaa Saeed Duaa Saeed Laith Saleh

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Human Society & Its Environment Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

Nattanicha Aye

Mali Coombes Khalia Evagelia Daniel Taiba Hussein

Jemuel Nallas

Ava Scobie

Lillyarna Suitupe

Timothy Tumbaga

Alyssa Urfano

Best Performer English Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Science

Myah Nguyen

Best Performer Science Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award

Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

Ashmeet Parmar Ashmeet Parmar Yonalee Polwaththa Gallage Samuel Vista Christabelle Zapata Castro

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Mathematics Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Human Society & Its Environment Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

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Year 11 Name Marwa Amini Christopher Aoun Hooria Asghar Ramon Ayoub Sienna Briffa Athiei Deng Lilley Gotts Sautualasi Heron Matthew Lim Laurel Lyttleton Georgia McAndrew Angelina Ofisa Isabella Pakas Madeline Phillips Rohan Prakash Natasha Schofield

Shaun Siliva

Danica Tahana Phoenix UssherJackson Angelique Vinensig Brionne Vulimaibau Brody Willcockson Lena York

Year 12 Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Human Society & Its Environment Sports Champion – Senior Boys Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Sports Champion – Senior Girls Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Best Performer Mathematics Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer VET Hospitality Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Science

Name Madiha Ali Mustafa Al Khazaaly Muhammad Abdullah Baig Joshua Campbell Yakup Derin Riley Evagelia Daniel Maria Halatanu Maria Halatanu

Freshta Hashimi

Zena Jalil

Xiu Hui Lim Ryan Manansala Henna Mansory Rhianna Nallas

Ryzell Soria

Jacob Stirk

Taliyah Suitupe

Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Creative & Performing Arts Best Performer Technology & Applied Studies Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Personal Development, Health & Physical Education.

Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer English Best Performer Science Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Best Performer Human Society and Its Environment Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Best Performer Economics (Sydney Distance Education) Best Performer Mathematics Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Outstanding Attendance Award Principal’s Award for Outstanding Achievement Olympic Changemaker

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Rooty Hill High School Learning, Leadership & Achievement North Parade, Rooty Hill NSW 2766 P.O. Box 70, Rooty Hill NSW 2766 Phone: 02 9625 8104 Follow Rooty Hill High School:

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