Burgmann residents and staff gathered at the National Arboretum in Canberra on October 11 for the 2023 Valete Awards Dinner; a special event to send off our graduating residents and commemorate their time at Burgmann College.
The following residents were recognised and presented awards:
Principal's Award – Aiden Blecher
Sportspersons of the Year – Emma Powell and Nicholas Bull
The Callum Fryer College Spirit Award – Joshua Borland
Peter Garrett Award – Nikki Ballinger
John Dauth Award – Xavier Russell
Glen Downey Award – Anaina Langrana
Brett Ringland Award – Cate Watson
Charity Award – Safi Wheeldon
First Year Contribution to the Arts – Zara Farouque
First Year Sportspersons of the Year – Millie Matthews and Leo Burgess
Academic Leadership Awards – Davina Pinto, Safi Wheeldon, Phoebe Grosser, Chen Li, Aiden Blecher, Grace Webster, Benjamin Chery, Erin Blond, Callum Duncan-Keen and Rosamunde Hood
Village Community Awards – Ruonan Chen, Marcus Bedford and Benjamin Chery
Our outgoing Principal Sally Renouf was also honoured at the event with a surprise flash mob by dancers disguised as waitstaff. Then our Burgmann staff joined the choreography, dancing to The Black Eyed Peas’ “The Time (Dirty Bit)” —a nod to Renouf’s favourite movie, Dirty Dancing—while Renouf and residents laughed and cheered them on.
Renouf received her Burgmann alumna certificate, and was thanked for her incredible contributions to the college over her impressive eight-year career as its principal.
A warm farewell to our residents and Principal Renouf as they begin the next exciting chapters of their lives as part of our alumni community.
See some photos from the event in the gallery below.
See more photos from the 2023 Valete Dinner and Awards ceremony on our Facebook album, "2023 Valete Awards and Dinner."
