Knights create path for young trailblazers
News
An aspiring female football umpire and a passionate social justice advocate are the recipients of this year’s John Brewer Memorial scholarships awarded by the Knights of the Southern Cross.
Year 12 students Hannah Timpani, from St Michael’s College, and Grace Leonello, from Thomas More College, were presented with their awards at the annual Australia Day Mass in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral.
Hannah with her family and Archbishop O’Regan.
Grace with her family at the Mass.
Hannah is a member of Henley Beach parish where she has been a reader since the age of nine and has played violin during Christmas Masses.
At St Michael’s she has organised and participated in year level Mass and chapel services and was a Lasallian leader in 2024. This involved assisting with fundraising for Catholic Charities, Domestic Violence Awareness Day, Project Compassion, Vinnies and the Hutt St Centre as well as organising retreat activities and liturgies.
Hannah has also excelled in school and community sport, having competed in two Australian Athletics National Championships and two Australian Cross-Country Championships.
She has played club soccer for eight years and in 2024 played for Adelaide University Soccer Club but it’s in the field of Australian Rules Football that her ambitions lie as a boundary umpire.
Following her selection as the only female boundary umpire in last year’s SANFL under 16 grand final, Hannah has set her sights on being the first female boundary umpire in the top SANFL men’s league.
She is also planning to study medicine and specialise in either paediatrics or sports medicine.
“I want my future studies and career to challenge me to become an even better person, so that I may touch the lives of people I meet in meaningful ways and help put a smile on their faces,” Hannah said in her scholarship application.
“My faith in God is important to me and I hope that it also will help me relate to people with love, care and patience always.”
A parishioner at St Augustine’s, Salisbury, Grace has participated in various religious activities at St Thomas More, including assisting with readings, liturgies and the spiritual life of the school community.
She has supported fundraising initiatives and shown her commitment to social justice through her role on the Student Representative Council from Year 7 to 11 and her participation in environmental and peace campaigns. Grace initiated a whole-of-school event to promote acceptance and appreciation of diversity in the school community.
A skilful debater, having won ‘Speaker of the Night’ on four occasions at interschool debating competitions, Grace participated in the YMCA Youth Parliament which she described as “one of my most transformative experiences” and was engaged in youth mentoring for the Youth Governance Leadership Program at the Leaders Institute in 2024.
Recently she was offered a position on the South Australian United Nations Youth Representative Council, fuelling her advocacy passion and potentially leading to employment opportunities with the UN.
“I am excited about the prospect of engaging in diplomacy and contributing to global discussions on justice and community wellbeing,” she said.
“Ultimately, while my career ambitions are not set in stone, they revolve around fostering social justice and equity.”
