On 23 August, Year 9 students Sienna Conway and Mirabelle Thomson proudly represented St Catherine’s School at the State Finals of the Chinese Reading Award for Years 7 to 9. 

The Competition was held at the prestigious Copland Theatre, University of Melbourne, with 126 competitors. Despite the inclement weather, the atmosphere inside the Theatre was vibrant, filled with eager students, supportive parents, and teachers anxiously awaiting their students’ performances.  

The Competition in the Year 9 category was particularly fierce, with 40 participants striving for precision in both tone and pronunciation. Sienna and Mirabelle rose to the challenge, displaying remarkable confidence and mastery of the Chinese language before an audience of over 400.  

The girls’ dedication and preparation were evident, and we are confident this experience marks only the beginning of their continued success in representing St Catherine’s in future Chinese language competitions.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both students for their commendable performances. Their achievements were celebrated at a recent Year Level Assembly, where they were awarded certificates and prizes in recognition of their contributions. 

A special note of thanks is also due to our dedicated Chinese Language teachers, Miss Xie and Ms Cui, whose guidance and support have been instrumental in nurturing the students’ linguistic abilities. Their commitment to fostering a love of learning and cultural understanding is deeply appreciated by the Languages Faculty and the entire School community.