Celebrating Creativity, Craft and Collaboration
St Patrick’s College recently honored the creativity, skill and dedication of its VCE Arts and Technology students. The school’s OCA Pavilion transformed into a lively gallery on Wednesday, 8 October, inviting families, friends and staff to celebrate the culmination of a year’s hard work. Students across Units 3 & 4 in Art Making and Exhibiting, Product Design and Technologies, Media, Systems Engineering and Visual Communication Design showcased the finished School Assessed Tasks (SATs) alongside detailed folios that documented design processes from investigation to evaluation.
A Night to Recognize Excellence
With around 100 attendees, the showcase provided a platform for students to demonstrate their mastery in a real-world context. The SATs serve as a capstone for each course, combining a major production piece (or multiple pieces) with a comprehensive folio that charts the student’s journey—planning, experimentation, and reflective analysis. The evening highlighted not only technical expertise but also the ability to articulate creative decisions and demonstrate problem-solving skills under examination conditions.
Leadership and Gratitude
Head of Technology and event coordinator, Mr Roger Knight, addressed the room, praising students for their creativity, persistence and craftsmanship. He also extended thanks to teaching staff, families and industry professionals who provide ongoing support and encouragement, noting that such encouragement is essential for students pursuing ambitious artistic and technological projects.
Awards That Honor Achievement
A key moment of the night was the awards presentation, recognizing excellence across the subject areas. Each award was adjudicated by industry professionals who assessed works for aesthetic appeal, practicality, cultural significance and the quality of accompanying folios. Winners received a $100 prize, a certificate, and their names engraved on a perpetual trophy—an enduring reminder of their achievement. Deputy Principal – Academic Culture, Ms Carol Roberts, presided over the award ceremony and congratulated all recipients.
Award Winners
- Art Making and Exhibiting: Zac Procaccino
- Media: Riley Irvin
- Product Design and Technologies: Riley Irvin
- Systems Engineering: Ned Cummins
- Visual Communication Design: Blake Scott
- People’s Choice Award: Albie Eskdale
Thanking the Adjudicators for Their Insight
The college extended sincere thanks to this year’s adjudicators for generously sharing their time and expertise: Ms Hisu Lee (Art/Visual Communication Design), Mr Damon Minotti and Mr Aaron Coulter (Systems Engineering), Mr Brian Cush (Product Design and Technologies) and Ms Jeanean Pritchard (Media). Their professional feedback helped shape the students’ ongoing learning journeys and provided a real-world perspective on what it takes to excel in arts and technology disciplines.
Looking Ahead
The celebration underscored St Patrick’s College’s commitment to nurturing student creativity and innovation. By pairing rigorous assessment with industry-aligned feedback, the college helps students develop not only technical skills but also the communication and reflective practices essential for success in higher education and the workforce. The SATs, measured through both practical and written folios, prepare students to articulate design thinking, document progress with clarity and demonstrate how creative processes translate into tangible outcomes.
Closing Thoughts
As the event drew to a close, the sense of achievement was palpable among students, families and staff. The evening served as a reminder that creativity thrives where students are supported, challenged and encouraged to explore new ideas. St Patrick’s College looks forward to continuing its tradition of recognizing and fostering the talents of its VCE Arts and Technology learners in the years ahead.
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