Getting to know your 2025 Prefects

Matthew Brown

When did you start at Blackfriars? I joined the Blackfriars community in Year 7, which, for me and this cohort, was in 2020, right as covid hit.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love being a Blackfriars student because of the understanding that all the teachers have. They are flexible and generally want the best for you in every subject. This helps when building relationships and getting the best results out of you that you can.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? I think my favourite memory from Blackfriars is probably Intercol basketball in 2024 or the 2024 Secondary Swimming Carnival, just because of the atmosphere and culture we had as a school.

What does leadership mean to you? To me, leadership is important, especially in a school environment as we can be role models for younger students, organise special occasions and help each other be the best students we can.

Favourite subject? This changes each week, but currently probably Cert III in Fitness or Psychology. I enjoy most of my subjects, honestly.

Favourite song? Umm, this changes a lot, too. Probably too difficult to name one.

What are your post-school plans? Post-school plans are a bit difficult to decide. My big dream is to get a scholarship to a college in America to continue swimming at a fairly high level and study something in sports, such as sports psychology.

Port or Crows? Or neither? I don’t follow the AFL. I’m more into watching basketball, like NBL and the NBA.

What’s your go-to canteen order? It has to be tater tots and choccy milk.

Andrew Bui

When did you start at Blackfriars? I’ve been a proud member of the Blackfriars community since Year 3, starting my journey in 2016. Mrs Petruzzella was my guiding star during those early years and I’ll always cherish her encouragement and support.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? The welcoming atmosphere at Blackfriars is what makes it feel like a second home. It’s a place where I can be myself, celebrate my successes and find support during tough times. The sense of community has truly shaped my school experience.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? The Year 8 camp at Robe was definitely a highlight of my time at Blackfriars. Kayaking was a particular favourite and I loved exploring the river with my friends. The camaraderie and shared adventures made it a truly special trip.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is about taking action to create a brighter future for yourself and your community. It’s more than a title or position; in my eyes, anyone who is willing to step up and make a positive change, no matter how small, is a leader.

Favourite subject? I love learning about the natural world and how biological processes facilitate life, so Biology was a natural fit for me. It’s a subject that’s both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

Favourite song? If I had to pick one favourite song right now, it would be Overcompensate from Twenty One Pilots’ new album, Clancy.

What are your post-school plans? While physiotherapy is a potential path for me, I’m keeping my options open. I believe that life is full of surprises and I’m excited to see what opportunities come my way. I’m eager to explore different fields and find a career that aligns with my passions and interests.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Since the day I won the Crows guernsey on St Dominic’s Day, I’ve firmly been indoctrinated into the Crows bandwagon.

What’s your go-to canteen order? I’m a loyal fan of the Almighty Chicken Burger. It’s worth every cent.

Hugh Caton

When did you start at Blackfriars?  I started Blackfriars in 2016 as a Year 3 student in Mrs Petruzella’s class. I remember being extremely nervous on my first day, but I was welcomed to the community with open arms and I have not looked back.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? The community and culture that has been created at Blackfriars is second to none. Blackfriars has an exceptionally diverse community, but the culture of being a ‘Blacks boy’ means we can all unite together; one community with a thousand stories. 

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? When I was in Year 5, I was in Mr Vo’s class. My best memories from this time were the lessons Mr Vo taught me. He instilled values in me of what it takes to be a good man, a good person, that I carry to this day. Another highlight has been breaking my older brother’s records at the school swimming carnivals.

What does leadership mean to you? Personally, I believe leadership is shown by how someone responds to adversity. When a challenge comes, a leader will not shy away nor complain; they will stand up. Leadership is doing the right thing, unconditionally, no matter how hard it can get.

Favourite subject? My  favourite subject is Maths. I enjoy problem solving and like the definitive nature of the subject.

Favourite song? Self Control – Frank Ocean.

What are your post-school plans? I am probably looking to get into a STEM field, namely engineering, because of my math background. But I have also always been interested in space, so astrophysics is also an area I would like to pursue.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Port all the way. I would be taken out the family will if I chose a different team.

What’s your go-to canteen order? The Everest Salted Caramel ice cream slaps. Goes unreasonably hard.

Ayush Kharel

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started at Blackfriars in 2021. I was in Year 8.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? What I love most about being a Blackfriars student is the camaraderie all the boys share. We all get around each other and have great friendships with each other. 

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? My best memory at Blackfriars is captaining the Year 10 volleyball team to a gold medal at the Volleyball School Cups Division 1 in 2023

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership means to be able to glue your team together and steer them in the right direction. A great leader can make any team into something special.

Favourite subject? My favourite subject is Biology. 

Favourite song? My favourite song is 8teen by Khalid

What are your post-school plans? I don’t have any post-school plans yet, but I want to travel to Europe after uni.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Crows, all the way.

What’s your go-to canteen order? Go-to canteen order is a chicken burger with a choccy milk.

Alan Manoj

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started Blackfriars in 2020, Year 7 in Mrs Osborne’s key class. Coming to Blackfriars was a big change, considering my primary school was much smaller.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love the learning environment and opportunities that the school offers, enabling me to learn and grow.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? My best memory from my time at Blackfriars has to be the Year 8 Camp in Robe, where I learned how to ride a bike.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership, to me, is setting a good example for everyone and being able to create a positive impact in the school community. This is what I’ll be striving for and hopefully achieving next year.

Favourite subject? My favourite subject is Certificate III in Fitness because of how the course is different to the SACE subjects offered at school. The energy Ernie brings to the classroom is unmatched.

Favourite song? My favourite song is Lose by KSI (feat. Lil Wayne).

What are your post-school plans? After school I plan to go to university to study for a job in the medical field.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Neither. I don’t follow the AFL.

What’s your go-to canteen order? I don’t usually go to the canteen but when I do, I usually get a Lemon Everest ice cream.

Aaron Nguyen

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started my journey at Blackfriars back in 2013, in Reception. Having grown up in this growing school community, I’ve had the privilege of being able to witness the development of the school and the evolution of our school community over the years.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love the relationships that are built between other students and teachers. It creates numerous opportunities for students to perceive schooling in entirely different manners. It adds to enjoyment of school in later years, being able to feel welcomed into the community while being able to spend the time with your best mates.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? Earlier in the 2024 school year, the school offered me the opportunity to travel to Japan alongside other participating Japanese students. It was a real eye-opener in terms of expanding my knowledge of Japanese culture and tradition. It was a fantastic opportunity to embrace an entirely different day-to-day lifestyle.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is all about inspiring and guiding others towards a common goal. However, I’ve always found it important to take the time to listen to the community and to involve them as much as possible in all possible initiatives.

Favourite subject? At the moment, my favourite subject is Maths Methods.

Favourite song? It changes all the time; at the moment it’s 25 by Rod Wave.

What are your post-school plans? Go to uni to study to become a software engineer. My dream has always been to become a software or robotic engineer, but, over the years, I’ve grown an interest for digital design and art, so I hope to be able to interlink these two careers. I also just want able to maintain my relationships with friends and family and catch up with them a lot more.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Port, just because they’re interesting to watch exceed all expectations each week, good and bad.

What’s your go-to canteen order? It’s usually fried rice and grilled chicken.

Hashir Sarwary

When did you start at Blackfriars? I joined the Blackfriars community in 2013 as a Reception student.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love the sense of community that the school brings to me as an individual. I feel free to communicate with other students and build relationships.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? 2022 St Dominic’s Day.

What does leadership mean to you? To me, leadership means setting an example through actions and fostering an environment where others feel supported and valued. Transparency is essential, as it builds trust, strengthens connections and encourages open communication within the team or community.

Favourite subject? My favourite subject in general is Math; it allows me to interpret the world through numerical viewpoint

Favourite song? Currently Dramamine by Flawed Mangoes. It is a very peaceful song with a guitar base.

What are your post-school plans? My post-school plans are still in the air right now, but I am looking into being a construction/civil engineer, as it combines my passion for math and building.

Port or Crows? Or neither? To be honest, I have never really understood footy my whole life and I don’t know much about it, but some colleagues at work taught me some of the rules.

What’s your go-to canteen order? Chicken burger with any drink.

Eli Scharfbillig

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started at Blackfriars in 2019 in Mr Nej’s Year 6 class.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? The great supportive network of both staff and students, being there to offer guidance and help whenever they can. 

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? Winning the Intercol basketball game in 2024, making it just the third Open win we’ve had in the past 20 years. It felt great to finally get over the line and then also win the whole Intercol as a result.

What does leadership mean to you? To me, leadership means to inspire, guide and support our great community to become even better. It’s also about making everyone know that they are valued and all play a crucial role here at Blackfriars.

Favourite subject? Biology – it is interesting to figure out how the bodily systems work.

Favourite song? Little Green Bag by George Baker Selection.

What are your post-school plans? I think I’d like to go to university and study something medical, potentially dentistry. I’d also like to travel after school, going to America and Germany to visit my relatives.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Neither, the mighty Hawks.

What’s your go-to canteen order? The Mongolian beef as the sauce has an unparalleled taste and the beef strip texture is exquisite.

Dan Shyjo

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started at Blackfriars in 2020 as a Year 7 student. Initially, the transition to a new school frightened me, but I felt welcomed on the first day and had an unforgettable year in Mr Meus’s key class, where I met some of my now closest friends.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love the range of opportunities we are given as students, allowing us to be actively involved in the school community and have memorable experiences with friends. I especially love St Dominic’s Day, alongside co-curriculars that allow us to pursue our passions.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? I have had many memorable moments here at Blackfriars, but my highlight so far is representing the school at the FTC Australian National Championship in Sydney alongside the robotics team.

What does leadership mean to you? I believe leadership is about positively impacting the school community by setting an example, especially for our younger students. It also involves fostering a positive environment where everyone feels valued, supported and motivated to excel.

Favourite subject? Currently, my favourite subject is Chemistry, as I’m always learning something new about the world around me.

Favourite song? Tough choice. Sunshine by One Republic.

What are your post-school plans? While my post-school plans are always changing, I am considering a career in one of the engineering fields, as it will allow me to pursue my interests in electronics, software and mechanics.

Port or Crows? Or neither? While I don’t watch the footy often, the Crows are on top for me!

What’s your go-to canteen order? Ice cream and chocolate.

Anton Slobodian

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started at Blackfriars in 2020 as a Year 7 student in Mr Leditschke’s class.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I love the strong sense of community at Blackfriars and how supportive the teachers are.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? One of my best memories at Blackfriars is the Year 8 camp to Robe. We went kayaking and mountain biking and I got to celebrate my birthday with my friends while on camp.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is about taking action and supporting the community. It’s about helping others and inspiring them to do their best.

Favourite subject? My favourite subject is Media Arts because I get to be creative with projects such as photography and visual design. I also enjoy English Lit.

Favourite song? Too many to choose from!

What are your post-school plans? After school, I’m planning on studying Law and Arts at Adelaide Uni.

Port or Crows? Or neither? FC Shakhtar 🇺🇦

What’s your go-to canteen order? Whatever I feel like on the day.

Luke Tsavdaridis

When did you start at Blackfriars? I joined the Blackfriars community as part of Ms LaForgia and Ms West’s Year 5 class in 2018.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? I’ve found it’s not so much what is in Blackfriars (though the facilities are great!), rather who is in Blackfriars that I love most about being a student here. Namely, the amazing teachers and, of course, the students here, including those who have graduated in recent years.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? My best memory from my time here was the Japan trip earlier this year.

What does leadership mean to you? Counterintuitively, I believe the best leaders are the best servants, a trait the 2023 Prefects exemplified. Their ability to empower others through their hard work and dedication – from school-wide Prefect initiatives to friendly chats in Homegroup – was the most striking aspect of their leadership.

Favourite subject? After three terms, I’m leaning towards Chemistry, however, Music would be a close second. In general, I enjoy all my subjects!

Favourite song? Oh that’s a tough one! I haven’t really had any song on that’s stuck with me in the past few years. That being said, I do have favourite songs, which fluctuate a little too quickly. I’d say right now, Bruno Mars’s and Lady Gaga’s Die With A Smile comes to mind.

What are your post-school plans? I found that if you mix the scientific rigour of Physics and Chemistry with the fine-motor skills and interpersonal skills from Music, you get dentistry – the course I want to pursue after high school!

Port or Crows? Or neither? Easy. I’ll stick with the Alberton Crowd, all day, every day.

What’s your go-to canteen order? Now, this is a much more challenging question! There’s heaps good stuff there, but I reckon the Viet rolls and the original chicken burger are definitely some stellar choices.

Benjamin Ward

When did you start at Blackfriars? I started at Blackfriars in 2020 as a Year 7 student. It was a wonderful experience and I have enjoyed every moment of it since.

What do you love about being a student at Blackfriars? The part I love most about being a student at Blackfriars is the community. I love being able to hang out with my mates while learning.

What’s your best memory from your time at Blackfriars? My best memory from my time at Blackfriars was Year 8 camp, where we went to Robe. My favourite part of the camp was the bike riding.

What does leadership mean to you? Leadership is the ability to serve others. I believe that through serving people and leading by example, I can demonstrate to my peers integrity and honesty.

Favourite subject? My favourite subject is either Maths Methods or Physics.

Favourite song? I don’t really have a favourite song.

What are your post-school plans? My post-school plans are to do mechanical engineering and then to specialise in an area like aerospace or automotive engineering.

Port or Crows? Or neither? Port.

What’s your go-to canteen order? This is a difficult question because the canteen has such a wonderful selection of foods, but it has to be a choccy milk with a hotdog.