The winners of the 2024 Young Voices Awards (YVA), brought to you by Australian Catholic University, used print, digital and photography in innovative ways to spread good news stories. Around 500 Catholic school students from Years 5 to 12 took part in the YVA which had as its therme, ‘Do good, be good, spread the good news’. The awards were divided into three sections – junior (Years 5 and 6), intermediate (Years 7 to 9) and senior (Years 10 to 12).
In selecting the winners, judges considered execution, content, message and creativity to find entries they felt had the strongest impact. The entrants in the intermediate digital section were deserving of special mention, with the judges commenting that the entries in that section achieved a particularly high standard.
Congratulations to the winning stories, photos and digital media entries for some excellent storytelling, insight, composition and engaging subject matter.
Thanks also to our judging panel: Michael McVeigh (Jesuit Communications head of publishing), Michele Frankeni (Australian Catholics editor), Laura Kings (Australian Catholics assistant editor – education and youth), Fr Andrew Hamilton (Jesuit Communications editorial consultant), and Julian Butler SJ (Jesuit Communications staff).
2024 Young Voices Awards Winners
Senior (Years 10-12)
Digital: Winner: Lucas Weston, Year 12, Trinity College, East Perth, WA, ‘Feed the Little Children’. Special mention: Charlie Moore, Year 10, Holy Spirit College, Corrimal, NSW, ‘Land and ocean pollution’.
Photograph: Olivia Georgiou, ‘Max – abandoned in a forest in rural Victoria’.
Highly commended: Timothy Van Der Vlist, ‘The beauties of nature’, Year 11, McAuley Catholic College, Clarenza NSW.
Article: William Edwards, ‘An enriching Experience – The Beauty in Aged Care’. Olivia and William are Year 11 students from Loyola College, Watsonia, Vic.
Highly commended: Adillah Dzarir Liddell, ‘Laufey, A letter to my thirteen-year-old self’, Year 12, Marymount College Burleigh Waters, Qld. Sarah Gijo, ‘Now or never’, Year 12, St Francis Xavier College, Beaconsfield, Vic. Isabelle Milne, ‘Together through the chaos’, Yr 11, Mother Teresa Catholic College, Baldivis, WA.
Intermediate (Years 7-9)
Digital: Winner: Agamjot Kaur, Year 8, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Enfield, SA, ‘The Life of the Special Market: More than just a place’. Special mention: Lilli Juanta, Year 8, Cabra Dominican College, Cumberland Park, SA, ‘Celebrating Differences’.
Highly commended: Allegra, Fishy business', William Richards, 'Clean-up Australia Day', both Yr 8, Cabra Dominican College, Cumberland Park, SA.
Photograph: Winner: Hugh Nihill, Yr 9, Catherine McAuley College, Junortoun, Vic, ‘The Angelus Contextualised’. Special mention: Eva Trubiano, Year 8, Academy of Mary Immaculate, Fitzroy, ‘The future is bright’.
Highly commended: Charles Nihill, ‘The Legacy of Faith’, Yr 8, Vic. Ruby Sfetcopoulos, 'A smile can create another smile', Yr 8, Keinry Ban, 'All Around', Manniya Kumar, 'Kindness grows', Chloe Natividad, 'Homelessness', Erin Agatep, 'Becoming Vegan', all Yr 9, Thomas Carr College, Tarneit, Vic. Samuel Worland, 'A Foreseeable Future of Hope', Yr 9, St Pius X High School, Adamstown, NSW. Henry Bryan, 'Human light, city bright', Yr 7, Saint Columba's Memorial School, Yorketown, SA.
Article: Winner: Jobe Schumacher, ‘A Legacy of Resistance: Honouring the Fight for Indigenous Rights’. Special mention: Josphine Ryba, ‘Adventure, Education, and Spreading the Good News’. Both are Year 9 students from St Pius X High School, Adamstown, NSW.
Highly commended: Trisha Desai, 'Acting in ways that positively benefit others', and Sienna Tanzimat, ‘Generous Strings’, Yr 9, Thomas Carr College, Tarneit, Vic, 3029. Demetria Hall, 'The Widow’s Offering – A Modern Adaptation' and Isaac, 'Cultures Matter', both Yr 9, St Pius X High School, Adamstown, NSW. Sophie Lynch, 'Personal Reflection' and Aiden McGovern, 'Stereotypes: Helpful of Hurtful', both Yr 8, Gilroy Catholic College, Castle Hill, NSW. Evie McNamara, 'Listen up people', Yr 9, Iona College, Charlemont, Vic.
Junior (Years 5-6)
Digital: Lola Mantle, ‘Creating communities to inspire young girls in sport’, Year 6, St Joseph’s Merewether, The Junction, NSW. Special mention: Theodore McCauley, 'Wellbeing Matters!', Yr 5, St James Primary School, Kotara South, NSW.
Highly commended: Eve Humphries, 'Girls and their ADHD superpower!', Yr 5, Piara Waters, WA. Amelie Mansour, 'Being Grateful', Xavier Crosby, 'Spread the News, Save Lives: Organ Donation', Hayden Craig, 'Survivor's R Us Incorporated' and Ava Knox, 'Red Cross Saviours', all Yr 6, St Josephs Merewether, The Junction, NSW. Aya Doherty, 'Vinnies helps us open our eyes to the reality of the world', Yr 6, St Saviour’s Primary School, Toowoomba. Eli Moulder, 'Going to Church Interview Podcast', Yr 5, St James Primary School, Kotara South NSW. Olivia Ayton, 'Our Journey', Yr 6, St John The Apostle Primary School, Florey, ACT. Cormac Walsh, 'Ireland through Art', Yr 5, Our Lady of Lourdes, Prahran East, Vic. Lily Morris, 'The Future of Our Environment', Yr 5, Orana Catholic Primary School, Willetton, WA.
Photograph: Evan Beacher, ‘We Must Stop Plastic Waste’, Year 6, St Joseph’s Merewether, The Junction, NSW.
Highly commended: Alfie Osmond, 'No title', Gabriel Farrow, 'Take 3 For The Sea' and William Hainsworth, 'The electric side of the world', all Yr 6, St Joseph’s Merewether, The Junction, NSW. Imogen Armstrong, 'Dancing! A sport? YES!', Yr 6, Our Lady Help of Christians, Earlville, Qld. Thomas, 'Hope can Create Change' and Gabrielle Farah, 'Be Green', both Yr 6, St Ingatius’ College, Norwood SA. Evelynne Go, 'I wish...', Yr 5, St Clare's Primary School, Truganina, Vic. Scarlet Garofolo, 'Religious Inspiration', Yr 6, Our Lady of the Southern Cross, Wyndham Vale, Vic.
Article: Violette X, ‘Breaking Bread’, Year 6, St Joseph’s Merewether, The Junction, NSW.
Highly Commended: Lamees Abu-Assi, 'Green Adelaide Leading the Way!' Yr 6, St Ingatius’ College, Norwood SA. Isabella, 'Wheels of Help!', Yr 6, SA. Emelie Balandin, 'Homeless People In Newcastle', Lily Graham, 'Everybody deserves a home' and Archie Doyle, 'Ned Brockman', all Yr 6, St Joseph’s Merewether, The Junction, NSW. Zoe Dempsey, 'Kindness Calendar App' and Laura Phillips, ‘Volunteers Needed!’, both Yr 5, St James Primary School, Kotara South NSW. Michael Franke, 'Sport Acrostic Poem', Yr 6, Saint Columba's Memorial School, Yorketown, SA. Zoe Ikeoha, 'No More Shadows: Bringing Light to Violence Against Women', Yr 5, Resurrection Catholic Primary School, Kings Park, Vic. Alice Meyer, 'Easter At St Josephs', Yr 5, St Joseph's, Glen Innes, NSW. Zoe Park, 'Our Precious Earth', Yr 6, Our Lady of Lourdes Prahran East Vic. Grace, 'Pack Pack Pack!', Yr 5 and Sophia Youssef, ‘Sharing smiles, one memory at a time!’, Yr 6, both St John the Apostle, Florey ACT. Terry Teinakore, 'God's Light by our side', Yr 5, St Clare's Primary School, Truganina, Vic.
JUNIOR WINNING ENTRIES
INTERMEDIATE WINNING ENTRIES
SENIOR WINNING ENTRIES