Rewarded for commitment to faith and community
News
In a boost to their Year 12 studies this year, two Catholic school students have been awarded John Brewer Memorial Scholarships in recognition of their commitment to their education, faith and community.
The Knights of the Southern Cross presented the awards to Marcel Daniels from Samaritan College, Whyalla, and Kyra Xavier from Thomas More College at the Australia Day Mass last month.
Marcel and Kyra with Archbishop O’Regan and Knights of the Southern Cross.
Marcel has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, particularly in maths and science, and has also been recognised with the school’s Christian Leadership Award and served on the Student Representative Council.
His involvement in school liturgies and Masses, including as a reader and altar server, reflects his dedication to the spiritual life of the school.
Outside of school, Marcel has been a faithful altar server in the Whyalla parish for the past eight years and now mentors junior altar servers.
He and his family volunteer with the Good Sam Inn, helping prepare meals for those in need. In the wider community, Marcel plays soccer and coaches an Under 8 team, demonstrating his commitment to youth development and teamwork.
Marcel said his ambition was to become a doctor and help people make a difference in their lives.
“I want to study medicine because I care about others and want to support my community through compassion and service,” he said.
Kyra has also been actively involved in liturgies at Thomas More College and in her own parish community.
Through her SACE research project she undertook an investigation into the Catholic tradition after surveying her peers and discovering young people often search for meaning and don’t know where to turn.
Kyra’s project saw her develop a website named The Well where people can explore the rich traditions of the Catholic faith. She engaged Fr James McEvoy as part of this process to ensure information presented was in line with the Catholic tradition.
Her deep commitment to social justice and community engagement has led to her being an active member of the More Justice team, where she contributes to outreach initiatives and awareness campaigns, and the Student Representative Council.
An example of her leadership and creativity was her coordination of a school-wide mural art project for Thomas More Day. This initiative engaged more than 50 students from across all year levels, and under Kyra’s guidance, became a collaborative celebration of community and school spirit.
In addition to her service and leadership, Kyra achieves academic success across all subjects. Like Marcel, her goal is to work in the medical field.
“Ultimately, regardless of the path I choose, my aim is to work in a sector that gives back to the community, assisting people in their hour of need and using my abilities to positively impact their lives,” Kyra said.
Named after the late John Brewer, a highly regarded and long-serving member of the Knights of the Southern Cross, the scholarship of $1500 for each student will be used toward the students’ education this year.
