Our Diocesan Community - March 2013 1 - Catholic Diocese of ...

Knights break new ground
with scholarship scheme
The Ballarat Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross
is delighted to report that all three Year 5 applicants for its
inaugural Secondary Education Scholarships Scheme, that
was explained in ODC in November 2012, were successful.
The purpose of the $2000 scholarships is to assist Catholic
families that lack enough resources to afford Catholic
secondary education for their children, with ‘seed’ money to
enable enrolment. The awardees were Jack Seamons, a
student at St Columba’s, Ballarat North; Matthew Harbour, Our
Lady Help of Christians, Wendouree and Lilia Manok, Lumen
Christi, Delacombe. They can now proceed to enrolment at
the regional Catholic secondary school of their choice with
financial confidence.
The KSC is grateful for the generous collaboration of the CEO
with this project and is planning to continue this education
support program with similar grants in future.
The Branch can also report on the success of another
scholarship scheme that it helped conduct in 2012, again
in collaboration with the CEO, on behalf of State Council of
the Knights, the J J Tomlinson Scholarship program, which
embraced the whole of the Diocese of Ballarat. While the
number of applications received from the 50+ Catholic primary
schools was rather disappointing, the two successful Year 6
awardees for the $1000 grants and their chosen secondary
schools were from St Augustine’s School, Creswick: Keighan
Wray (St Patrick’s College) and William Grawich (Damascus
College) . These scholarships will be available next in Ballarat
Diocese in 2016.
Peter Finlayson
KSC Branch Chairman
Catherine King Award
for retiring teacher
Yvonne Horsfield was a worthy recipient of the annual
Catherine King MHR Community Award at St Brigid’s Primary
School, Ballan. At St Brigid’s, Yvonne was affectionately
called Senora Ivana by all her classes in which she taught
Italian. Presenting the award on behalf of Catherine was Di
McAuliffe.
Pictured below: J J Tomlinson Scholarship awardees with their
proud parents, from LtoR: Keith and Leonie Wray, Keighan Wray,
Peter Finlayson, KSC Branch Chairman, William Grawich and Maria
Grawich.
During Signora Ivana’s many lessons to the children, she
has shared her love and passion for everything that is Italian.
We have experienced Carnevale, Italian pasta, Renaissance
dancing and “happy Birthday” Italian style. Each Tuesday we
have welcomed Yvonne who has kept us guessing with the
latest colourful hair style, the most intriguing stockings and life
experiences she weaves into her lessons.
Recently Yvonne took up the challenge to document the
history of St Brigid’s school – the school that has been a very
important part of her life this last decade. It is a factual account
of how this school has grown over the years and is a valuable
source of information about early Ballan.
Yvonne has been actively involved in the Royal South Street
competition – not as a participant but as one of the behind the
scenes helpers. She records the comments of the judges to
provide feedback to the participants.
Yvonne has had a long association with the Ballarat Fine Art
Gallery – providing informative tours and conducting education
to the visitors.
Yvonne has retired from teaching to spend more time with her
husband, Linton, her grandchildren and to research a book on
her Chinese ancestry
Peter Johnson
Principal - St Brigid’s Ballan
23
www.prayertoons.com.au
Our Diocesan Community - March 2013