From Assistant Principal Pastoral Care
Awards Season ....
Firstly, let me be transparent with the main awards at the College:
Kindergarten to Year 12 have Semester Awards at which time Academic Awards, Application and Consistent Effort Awards and Leading Learner Awards are given.
In Semester 2, add the John Liston Service Award (open to K to 12), the All Rounder (open to K to 12) and in Year 10 two ADF Awards (Long Tan and Future Innovators), the Australian Catholic University Academic Award and a Kristy McBain Citizenship Award. The Highest ATAR from the previous Year 12 also go here. We also have our Light of Christ awards.
At Year 6 Graduation there is the Principal’s Award, the Sporting Award, the Academic Award and the Reynolds Family Mathematics Encouragement Award.
At Year 12 Graduation there is the Light of Christ Award, the Unique Contribution Award, the All Rounder Award, the Sporting Award, the Cultural Award, the Paul Carroll Service Award, the David and Heather Waite Rotary Service Award, the Women in Business Award and the two ADF Awards (Long Tan and Future Innovators).
It was quite a mouthful to get all that out.
In a way not dissimilar to uniform, you can make a case for or against awards. The “for” case might run along the lines of recognition, increasing self-confidence, celebrating core values, encouraging… The “against” case probably includes variations of exclusion, elitism, promoting competition rather intrinsic reward. Like uniform, rewards should not continue just because, “we have always had them“ but need to regularly be reviewed and evaluated. Remember that some of the things schools (society) did in previous years are not acceptable today, the easy example is corporal punishment.
Perfection is a heady aspiration and I’m sure that we don’t quite get to there, but I think we do pretty well. I don’t think that academic achievement should be devalued and we have plenty of these awards. Our religious /ethical/spiritual values are reflected in the array of service/citizenship type awards (which, of course, are not the sole preserve of “academic” kids). You might notice that on Year 12 Graduation night that while academic ability might have some resonance in the All Rounder and Future Innovators (Science and Maths based) that most of the other awards try to capture the spirit of “Shine Your Light” - serving others, contributing to others, sharing your gifts.
There are dedicated Sporting awards in Year 6 and Year 12 and I wouldn’t argue with these either. I worry, particularly since COVID, about the numbers in junior sport. Too much screen time, too much isolation, not enough exercise… I can’t imagine growing up without sport with all its benefits, but perhaps this is a longer discussion for another time.
So let’s run the scenario that Student A is not going to receive an academic award (and remember that many subjects in secondary, as diverse as PDHPE, Food Technology and Music – might be considered to be as “skills” based as academic). Student A does not like sport. Student A has not completed any “formal” service. I might take some issue with this lack of service, but maybe in Student A’s life a combination of factors beyond their control conspires against them, so I’ll let it go.
Where was I? OK. Not academic, not sporty, no service. What do our award systems offer Student A? Here I would cue our Growth Mindset Awards – being the “best” is not an issue, this award is for doing your best. Student A might also be a contender for a Leading Learning Award – these try to capture the students who enable or inspire others to learn, who are gifted leaders or collaborators or facilitators in the processes of learning.
Not academic, not sporty, no service, hates school (ie. is not the greatest asset in the learning of others). While Student A is now beginning to stretch my resources (but we still love them), we have the Light of Christ Awards. These try to recognise particular aspects of Shine Your Light which we value so highly – honesty, empathy, compassion, kindness, humility………
I am sure that we have an award attainable for everyone. At the same time, it doesn’t feel like “everyone gets an award” and so is undervalued. I do occasionally hear kids being a little dismissive of ACE awards, but my advice on such occasions is to invite them to consider their position in regard to gratitude and empathy.
I am a veteran of school award ceremonies and remember far less the awards and much more the sense of common purpose.
