Port Lincoln Clontarf Academy 2020 Awards

On Tuesday November 10^th, the Port Lincoln Clontarf Academy held its second Awards Night to celebrate the success of our Clontarf Foundation members. The event was held in our Academy Room at Port Lincoln High School, and was well attended by the boys, their families, school staff and several special guests, including:

• Mr Matthew Morgan (Chief Executive Officer, City of Port Lincoln)
• Ms Rowena Fox (Education Director, Department for Education)
• Mr Ian Taylor (SA Regional Manager, Clontarf Foundation)
• Mr Eddie Hocking (Employment Officer, Clontarf Foundation)
• representatives from our valued Clontarf Foundation partners, Kmart and Bunnings

The evening commenced with guests enjoying a tasty meal of pork and gravy rolls with coleslaw, provided by Clontarf staff and volunteers. Plenty of people arrived early to enjoy the delicious food and each other’s company before the night formally began. The awards were then presented to several Clontarf students for their outstanding efforts and achievements at our Port Lincoln Academy throughout 2020. Year 9 student Nathaniel Hirschausen-Burk passed the MC baton onto Year 8 Dre Vlassco. Dre should be congratulated on a great job throughout the night; he made his family and his community proud.

A highlight of the night was hearing Danielle Hirschausen (mother of Nathaniel) speak from a parent’s point-of-view on the Clontarf program. She spoke about how it has benefitted Nathaniel, how he enjoys every aspect of his schooling whilst being a key member of our Academy. The speech was very heartfelt, and we greatly appreciated Danielle’s kind words.

We encouraged each award recipient to deliver a quick speech after receiving their award. As we all know, it is a daunting thought to have to speak in front of a packed room; our boys did a incredible  job of thanking their parents and teachers in what has been a difficult year (to say the least).

The awards presented (listed below) recognised the boys’ achievements in the fields of attendance, leadership, well-being, sport, education and employment. Congratulations to all recipients and their families on this wonderful recognition.

~ Mr Matthew Stokes (Director, Port Lincoln Clontarf Academy) & Mr Derick Wanganeen (Operations Officer, Port Lincoln Clontarf Academy)

Port Lincoln Clontarf Academy 2020 Award Winners:

• Junior Attendance Award: Jesse Retallick

• Senior Attendance Award: Kynan Hirschausen

• Employment Award: Cale Pennington

• Junior Encouragement Award: Wesley Bilney Jnr.

• Senior Encouragement Award: Cooper Miller

• Junior Good Bloke Award: Nathaniel Hirschausen-Burk

• Senior Good Bloke Award: N’ky Carbine

• Junior Clontarf Spirit Award: Dre Vlassco

• Senior Clontarf Spirit Award: Craig Miller-Kropinyeri

• Training Award: Orlando Saunders

• Deadly Bloke Award: Borrice Betts

One of the evening’s presenters was Clontarf Employment Officer Eddie Hocking. Eddie was the first Indigenous player to represent the Adelaide Crows, and played in the club’s first AFL game against Hawthorn in 1991. Earlier this year, Eddie designed the striking Adelaide Crows 2020 Indigenous guernsey – he generously awarded one of his jumpers to this year’s “Deadly Bloke”, Borrice Betts.