On Friday 10 April, Lam Nguyen, who completed Year 12 at Christian Brothers College Adelaide in 2014, was awarded the Kathleen McPhee Music Scholarship.
The one thousand dollar Scholarship is awarded to a Year 12 student in a Catholic School who is studying Music at Year 12 level and is accepted into a Bachelor of Music/Music Education course at the University of Adelaide or an approved tertiary institution in Australia.
Lam has commenced a Bachelor of Music Education Degree in Classical Voice. He wishes to inspire young people to take up music and singing in the same way that he was encouraged to do at his secondary school.
The award ceremony was attended by Lam’s friend Lewis Bettison, the Principal at CBC Mr Noel Mifsud and Head of Music at CBC Mr Michael Griffin as well as Ms Glenni Kempe, one of Lam’s Year 12 music teachers, and a representative of the selection panel, Mr Ben Chambers.
CBC staff members recognise Lam’s contribution to school life including his involvement in school liturgies. Michael Griffin said that Lam has a great sense of service. This service is continuing as Lam is working with the junior school orchestra as an assistant conductor in 2015. Glenni Kempe recognised Lam’s striving to better his achievements and to ‘be the best he can be’.
Lam is appreciating the opportunity to network with many other musicians at University. “I am appreciating hearing others play and being with like-minded people”, he said. When asked about the challenges of his course, Lam said: “I am challenged to stay organised and also to sing in Italian”.
CEO representation included Mr Bill Pecker & Mrs Samantha Taylor from the Catholic Schools Music Festival. Mrs Monica Conway, Assistant Director of Catholic Education South Australia, presented the cheque and certificate.
Four Catholic schools across South Australia have been awarded $6.34 million in grants for capital works to improve learning spaces, increase opportunities for disadvantaged students and cater for more diverse learning needs.
The State Government grants — $6.34 million for Catholic schools and $6.38 million for independent schools — are for building projects to commence over the next year.
Introduced in 2018 to ensure all students have access to a first-class education, the latest funding under the scheme has been approved for four projects at Catholic schools and 103 smaller projects at independent schools.
