Introducing the Veritas Awards; meet the first recipients

Blackfriars is pleased to launch an initiative celebrating the incredible breadth of talent and dedication within our student body: the Veritas Awards.

At Blackfriars, we pride ourselves on providing a holistic education – one that nurtures not just the mind, but the spirit, the heart and the hands.

This education is deeply rooted in the Four Pillars of Dominican Life: Study, Prayer, Community and Service. These pillars are more than just words – they are the foundation of who we are and what we aspire to be.

Beyond the classroom: Recognising every student’s potential

Our Blackfriars Learner Profile excels at acknowledging the unique contributions of each student outside of academics – from co-curricular involvement and engagement in school life to leadership and other notable activities.

The Veritas Awards build upon this by shining a light on strengths and capabilities that, while incredibly valuable, are not always evident in grades or traditional schoolwork. These are factors where every single student has the potential to excel and succeed.

The Veritas Awards are designed to recognise boys’ actions and commitments in these vital areas, acknowledging the immense contributions they make to our school community and beyond.

They are a testament to the idea that success isn’t just about what you know, but about how you live, how you interact with others and how you contribute to the world around you.

The Veritas Awards will be presented at Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels, reflecting different degrees of commitment and excellence within each of the Four Pillars. They will be awarded at the end of Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Prayer

This pillar highlights connection to the spiritual life of our school. We will recognise students for nominating as a reader at Mass, demonstrating high engagement in RE classes, actively participating in Home Group prayer and consistently getting to meditation on time and participating reverently.

Study

This isn’t about grades. Instead, Veritas Awards recognise engagement in class, communication skills, organisation and responsibility, initiative in learning and appropriate use of technology as a learning tool.

Community

This pillar acknowledges the student’s role as an active and engaged member of our school family. We’ll consider punctuality in arriving to school and class, participation in events such as swimming and athletics carnivals, involvement in Home Group and House activities and co-curricular involvement. Gold level in Secondary requires engagement in three activities and Primary requires one.

Service

This pillar celebrates contributions to others and commitment to being a responsible citizen. This includes taking on a leadership role or acting as a co-curricular captain or simply showing leadership as a team member in sport. Service also considers general behaviour, including no phone breaches or uniform detentions, as well as involvement in service initiatives such as Walk for Love and Blackfriars Greatest Shave.

The Veritas Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate the many ways students embody the values of Blackfriars.

As we acknowledge and present our first recipients today, we encourage all students to strive for excellence in these areas, knowing that every effort contributes to making our school a stronger, more vibrant community.

As we move into Semester 2, we look forward to seeing the incredible impact you will all make and to celebrating your achievements through the Veritas Awards.