Dominic honours two more old scholars

Dominic College held the annual Years 6-10 Awards Ceremony on Thursday 26 November 2020 in the Savio Centre.

Students receive awards and trophies for a range of subjects and nominations. Each subject studied has a student awarded, and all the winners are published in the College Yearbook. There are also special awards, for academic excellence in each year group and for Year 10 students in ongoing awards for Mission, Creative Arts, Sport and Academic Excellence, as well as Bursaries and Awards such as the GYC Bursary, the Caltex All-rounder, Rector's and Principal's Awards and the most prestigious Br Peter Dezani Award for Best All-round Student.

It has now become an annual tradition for two old scholars to be inducted into the Dominic College Hall of Achievement and in 2020 the College celebrated the contributions of Dr Louise Hodgson (nee Westcott 1978) to Academia and Mr Tony Webb (Savio 1963) to Community Service.

Dr Louise Hodgson now works as Lead Instructional Coach for the Department of Education, Tasmania, which involves supporting and building the capacity of school-based literacy coaches, providing leadership to support pedagogical change, facilitating professional learning and providing support for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum. In 2019 Louise completed her doctorate which focussed on 18 primary teachers in four school contexts experiencing a scaffolded professional learning sequence: observing modelling in their classrooms, analysing different parts of those practices, and enacting them. Louise’s research for her doctoral study has important implications for other researchers within the mathematics education field, the field of teacher professional learning and inquiry, the field of coaching in education, school leaders and policy makers as well as for researchers within the broader arena.

Mr Tony Webb, for over 50 years, has been an active driver of community events and has worked tirelessly to bring people together in the spirit of fellowship. He has combined his profession of educator, his strong spiritual beliefs and his passion for the arts with administrative and social skills, to be a peerless community builder. In his over 60-years connection with Dominic College (and its forebears) as student, old scholar, Primary School Principal, parent, friend of and advocate for the school, his service has been exemplary. Notable recognitions and achievements include in 1988 receiving the Gold Medal for Leadership and Service from the International Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, and leading the celebrations at Dominic College as Master of Ceremonies for numerous public celebrations, especially at Laetare Gardens. Tony lives the ethos and motto of the College, inspires and is a friend to youth, has been a leader and been widely recognised by the many communities he has served.

Both Tony and Louise spoke beautifully to our students and guests about hard work, persistence and gratitude - and staying true to your values. There stories will be included in next year's Veritas old scholars magazine.

Congratulations Mr Webb and Dr Hodgson!