At our Carmel Day Mass each year, we take the opportunity to acknowledge members of the Carmel community who have contributed to building on the tradition of our lived Core Mercy values that are based on Gospel teachings. We make 3 awards: community, staff and students. The award winners this year are as follows;

Community Award – Shaun Reade

Shaun has been involved with Carmel Sport since his daughter Tayla arrived in Year 7 back in October, 2014, nearly 7 years ago. He has managed Netball and Volleyball teams, often both in the same year. He consistently shows the dedication and commitment that ensures everyone is taken care of in those teams.

Shaun has quickly become one of our ‘go to’ parents who is always willing to help. He has demonstrated positivity and support to all the teams he has been involved with and is a kind and good humoured guy who provides an inclusive environment for all the students he has managed. He is also well known for bringing the lollies.

We will miss Shaun’s contribution and smiling face as he leaves with his daughter at the end of the year and we sincerely appreciate the time and effort Shaun has given so willingly to Carmel Sport.

Staff Award: Annie Sadlier and Claire Magness

In the three and a half years that Annie and Claire have worked together, they have dramatically changed the face and focus of sport here at Carmel.

Not only have they put sport on a more professional footing with an inspirational strategic plan, they have always had students and their sporting needs at the heart of everything they do. Nothing has demonstrated this more clearly than their guiding hand with the Student Sports Council during lockdown and the set up of the intra-school sport programme. This meant that students were able to be involved in sporting activities from the moment we started back at school without needing to wait for College Sport to resume.

Our dynamic sports duo have innovated, instigated and inspired sport here at Carmel and we thank them sincerely for their care and continued willingness to keep our students active and healthy.

Student Award: Student Leadership Team (27 girls) 

This student Carmel Day Mercy Award very deservedly went to the whole 2020 Student Leadership Team.

These students have worked tirelessly as a team to provide a range of resources and activities for all of their peers. Their motivation was always to care and support others.

This was especially evident during the Covid 19 lockdown. The student leadership team, while they themselves were in physical isolation, created the Carmel Connected i-site to keep students engaged and up to date with what was happening. They also planned and delivered a wide range of student led activities and clubs to get girls out of bed in the morning and help them experience new activities,  such as sports challenges, house assemblies,  care videos, book clubs, cooking demonstrations, daily fitness, knitting groups, how to juggle demos and so much more.

We want to thank the student leadership team for the Compassion they showed for our student community and the Care they put into the planning so that all students could engage in the activities. These girls have gone well above and beyond the leadership roles that they applied for.

Truly these leaders are Mercy women who see the need and continue to make such a positive difference.

Some of the Student Leadership Team are pictured at top receiving their award from co-Head Girl Veronique Simmonds

(Photography courtesy of Emma Spence)