November 10, 2009 

On Tuesday 27th October 2009, the Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA) held its NSW 2009 Awards Ceremony at Government House, Sydney. The event was hosted by the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AO CVO.

Above: The Governor of NSW, Her Excellency Professor
Marie Bashir AC CVO, with honoured students participating
in the CEFA School Parliaments (CSPs) project.

The ceremony was held to reward excellence in CEFA civics education projects, programs and awards in schools and universities from across NSW.
Young Australians participate in a variety of civics projects to becomeengaged, responsible, active and informed citizens. The Awards recognised achievements in three areas: 

1. The CEFA School Parliaments Outstanding Efforts in Civics Education for Primary and Secondary School students, teachers, principals and new mentors.
2. Undergraduate Essay Competition and CEFA Scholarships
3. The CEFA Community Civics & Citizenship Awards for Outstanding Contributions from CEFA supporters in 2009

Her Excellency presented awards to students, teachers and schools for their outstanding effort in implementing the CEFA School Parliaments. This initiative is a whole-of-school civics project where the school community creates a mini democracy through a school parliament to provide a highly practical civics education learning experience for participating students.  The primary school awards were the first to be presented and they werepreceded by an invitation to the Prime Minister of St Patrick’s Primary College, The Hon. Nadim Sara, to address the gathering of distinguished guests. 

Following Prime Minister Sara’s address, Her Excellency presented the Primary School recipients with certificates for Achievement in Civic and Citizenship Education. The recipients for the awards were as follows -From

Colyton Public School

• Master Carl Winterstein
• Miss Simone Ferreira
• Master Muhommed Gondal
• Miss Clarissa Barona

 Rozelle Public School 

• Miss Siena Wynne
• Miss Lettie Wynne
• Miss Lily Cannon
• Miss Georgia Leppard

 From St Patrick’s Primary College 

• Master Nadim Sara
• Master Patrick Daaboul,
• Master Jared McLachlan
• Master Mitchell Musarra

Mr Gregory Edwards and Mrs Coby Candy from Colyton Public School and Mr Peter Vagne from Rozelle Public School were honoured with awards for Outstanding Achievement in Civics Education by a Primary School Teacher by Her Excellency. This was follow by acceptance of the award for Outstanding Achievement in Civics Education by a Primary School Principal for 2009 by Mr Jim Walters from St Patrick’s Primary College. Similarly, an award for the most Outstanding Achievement in Civics Education by a Secondary School Principal for 2009 was presented to Mr Brad Campbell of Gilroy College. 

The presentation then moved to the secondary school awards. Prime Ministerof Knox Grammar School, The Hon Jack Cook was called upon topresent his address. Following Mr Cook’s address, the certificates for Outstanding Achievement in Civic and Citizenship Education for secondary school recipients were presented by Her Excellency. The student recipients and their schools were as follows - 

Knox Grammar School 

• Master Lachlan Auer
• Master Spencer Bowen
• Master Jack Cook
• Master Andrew Wilson

 St Edmund’s School 

• Miss Melissa Jones
• Miss Alice Butts
• Master Brandon Donaldson
• Master Michael Wigan

 SHORE School 

• Master Michael Jamieson
• Master Simon Croker
• Master Will Millard

 In addition, Her Excellency presented to Mr Jeremy Longworth and Mrs Carly Steele from Knox Grammar School, Mr Carl Southern from St Edmund’s School and Ms Stephanie Figg from SHORE School with the Outstanding Achievement in Civics Education by a Secondary School Teacher 2009 awards.  The CEFA School Parliaments have been tremendously successful because of the role of CEFA Parliament mentors. In recognition of their important role, Her Excellency presented 19 new school mentors with a Parliamentary Mace to present to their school once they start implementing a parliament. 

In 2008 students from every university in Australia entered the Undergraduate Essay Competition, which covered topics including federalism, the relationship between faith and secular society, citizenship legislation and Australian history. Nine finalists were interviewed by a panel chaired by High Court Judge TheHon Justice Dyson Heydon AC and included Dame Leonie Kramer AC BDE, Mrs Kerry Jones, Mr Malcolm Mackerras AO and Dr Peter Gerangelos from the University of Sydney Law School.

The ceremony honoured Dame Leonie for her contribution to this program with the mentor of the year award for 2009. The winning students were previously honoured in a ceremony with the Governor-General at the Ian Potter Centre in Melbourne. The Scholar of the Year was also honoured and for the 2009 year, the award deservedly went to Joel Williams is currently pursing his studies in a Masters degree in Law and working with CEFA to further develop his project management skills. 

Special awards were also handed out to Mr Les Dudman for being the Volunteer of the Year in 2009. As well, an award for the CEFA Parliaments promoter of the year went to Mr Victor Alberts OAM. The Governor also honoured Mrs Julianna Lowy with an award for  

At the end of the presentation of the Awards, Her Excellency expressed herthanks and congratulations to all the students and teachers who participated inCEFA civics education programs and reiterated the importance of helping young people to develop into a new generation of active, knowledgeable and informed citizens. 

CEFA’s Executive Director, Mrs Kerry Jones, then thanked Her Excellency for her generosity of time and spirit in hosting this memorable occasion for all those who attended and presented the Governor with some flowers.