Photo: Joint Secondary Video Winner, Joseph Chahine from Parramatta Marist High
Over 125 students from 10 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools have been recognised for their empathy and powerful storytelling as part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia Refugee Week Creative Competition.
Held as part of Refugee Week under the 2026 theme, ‘A Million Stories’, the competition invited students to respond creatively through artwork, writing or video, sharing messages of hope and belonging for refugees and people seeking asylum.
JRS Schools and Community Engagement Officer, Kristen Lazarus, said this year’s entries were inspiring.
“We were incredibly inspired by the nearly 150 entries we received from students across Australia, each one reflecting thoughtful messages of belonging, hope, and the richness of a multicultural Australia,” said Kristen.
Photo: Primary Artwork Winner, Maria Gerges from St Patrick’s Primary Guildford
CSPD students made an outstanding contribution to the competition, their moving submissions reflecting the compassion and social justice values nurtured through Catholic education.
“We were delighted to welcome so many CSPD students and their families to our Refugee Week exhibition…a wonderful celebration of art, storytelling and community. Their creativity demonstrates how young people can help build a more welcoming and inclusive community through the stories they choose to tell,” JRS’s Kristen Lazarus said.
An impressive 14 of the 19 shortlisted works were created by CSPD students.
Among the award recipients were:
Primary School Artwork
Maria Gerges (St Patrick's Primary Guildford) - First Place
Tala Haddad (St Patrick's Primary Guildford) - Second Place
Arianna (St Mary's Primary Rydalmere) - Third Place
Ethan (St Mary's Primary Rydalmere) - Highly Commended
Rose (St Mary's Primary Rydalmere) - Highly Commended
Elina (St Mary's Primary Rydalmere) - Highly Commended
Secondary School Artwork
Bianca Mekdess (Cerdon College Merrylands) - Second Place
Kashish Bafna (Catherine McAuley Westmead) - Highly Commended
Secondary School Video
Benjamin Kalouche and Joseph Chahine (Parramatta Marist High) - First Place
Secondary School Written Work
Evanshka Jeyasotharan (Catherine McAuley Westmead) - First Place
Maryam Yamayan (Caroline Chisholm College Glenmore Park) - Second Place
Alexander Tran (Parramatta Marist High) - Third Place
Alphen Albert (Parramatta Marist High) - Highly Commended
Jared Caucan (St Patrick's Primary Parramatta) - Second Place
Photo: Third Place Primary Artwork by Arianna from St Mary's Primary Rydalmere
Photo: Second Place Primary Artwork by Tala Haddad from St Patrick's Primary Guildford
The shortlisted students and their families were invited to attend a Refugee Leadership Exhibition hosted by JRS Australia in Surry Hills on Friday 26 June, where their work was showcased alongside moving stories and creative pieces highlighting the experiences and resilience of refugees and people seeking asylum.
Many of the student artists, writers and filmmakers also shared personal reflections about their work, with some drawing on their own family migration and refugee experiences to create deeply meaningful entries.
The competition provided students with a valuable opportunity to engage with the stories of others, reflect on the importance of welcome and inclusion and use their creativity to advocate for compassion and justice.
Photo: JRS’s Kristen Lazarus (centre) with award recipients Kashish (L) and Evanshka (R)
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
-
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
💛💙❤️ Mufti Day for Venezuela! ❤️💙💛 Today, our school community came together for a fantastic cause! Everyone looked absolutely brilliant trading in their usual uniforms for the bright yellow, blue, and red of the Venezuelan flag. We held this mufti day to show our support for the families in Venezuela who have been affected by the recent earthquake. Through our partnership with Caritas Australia, all funds raised will go directly to Caritas Venezuela to provide emergency relief, food, and essential supplies to those who need it most. A massive thank you to all of our incredible staff, parents, and friends for your wonderful generosity. So far, we have raised $4,858! What a fantastic way to end the term! Thank you all for showing such inspiring community spirit. We wish everyone a safe, happy, and restful break. See you next term! 👋✨
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to Toby and Austin (Year 6), who represented St Angela's as part of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Golf Team at the MacKillop Golf Championships in Blackheath this week. Well done to both of them.
Latest News More news
08 Jul 2026
CSPD students recognised in Refugee Week Creative Competition
Over 125 students from 10 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) schools have been recognised for their empathy and powerful storytelling as part of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Australia Refugee Week Creative Competition.
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
💛💙❤️ Mufti Day for Venezuela! ❤️💙💛 Today, our school community came together for a fantastic cause! Everyone looked absolutely brilliant trading in their usual uniforms for the bright yellow, blue, and red of the Venezuelan flag. We held this mufti day to show our support for the families in Venezuela who have been affected by the recent earthquake. Through our partnership with Caritas Australia, all funds raised will go directly to Caritas Venezuela to provide emergency relief, food, and essential supplies to those who need it most. A massive thank you to all of our incredible staff, parents, and friends for your wonderful generosity. So far, we have raised $4,858! What a fantastic way to end the term! Thank you all for showing such inspiring community spirit. We wish everyone a safe, happy, and restful break. See you next term! 👋✨
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to Toby and Austin (Year 6), who represented St Angela's as part of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Golf Team at the MacKillop Golf Championships in Blackheath this week. Well done to both of them.
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Chess Champions♟️ This term the SRC has run a chess tournament during lunchtimes for Year 5 and 6 students. Today we presented the champion for Year 5 - Ayaan and Year 6 - Flynn. At lunch time the boys played their final match and we are delighted to announce that Flynn is our St Angela’s champion for Term 2. 👏
03 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Athletics Carnival results 🏆 Congratulations to our Age Champions and Runners Up who were today presented with their trophies for the most points in their age group. And three cheers for Garda House, for winning both the Spirit Cup and the Athletics Overall Shield for 2026 🔵 🔵 🔵
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🚀 What a Showcase! Year 3’s "Paddock to Plate" Success! 🚜🍫 Today, our classrooms transformed into a bustling hub of food science and innovation! Our brilliant Year 3 students proudly put their finished projects on display, showcasing detailed Canva flowcharts, sustainable packaging designs, and incredible 3D shoe-box dioramas. ❤️ Thank You, Parents! A massive thank you to all the families who packed the room today. Your presence made the event so special! Thank you for being such an engaged and supportive audience—our young scientists were absolutely thrilled to share their hard work with you. 👏 Congratulations, Year 3! We are so proud of your teamwork, creativity, and dedication. You did a fantastic job bringing the journey of our food to life! 📸Here are some highlights from today’s amazing showcase!
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to our talented Cross Country runners who competed at the NSWCPS Cross Country Carnival last week. They performed exceptionally well on a tough track, with many of them finishing in the top 20 in their age group. Well done everyone on your achievements at such a high level.
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
On Monday our Junior Band had a fabulous time at the Band Excursion to Nagle College, where they participated in the Captivate Workshops. 🎷 🪈 🎸
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Our Athletics Carnival was a huge success yesterday. The children loved participating in their running and field events, as well as the novelty games and house chants. Congratulations to all students on their efforts in their events. Our day can only be a success with the help and support of our amazing parent volunteers, our teachers, and some fabulous Marian Catholic College Kenthurst students. Thank you, everyone, for a great day.
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
🏅 Olympics Unleashed! 🏅 Our Stage 3 students had an incredible time taking part in the Olympics Unleashed program with Australian skeleton athlete Nick Timmings! Nick shared his inspiring journey to elite sport, highlighting the importance of resilience, determination and never giving up on your goals. Students loved hearing about the exciting world of skeleton racing and were inspired to dream big, work hard and embrace challenges. Thank you, Nick, for an unforgettable experience and for motivating our students to strive for their personal best! 🇦🇺💚💛
01 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Friday 3rd July - Yellow, Blue and Red Mufti Day in support of Venezuelan families impacted by recent earthquakes. Dear Parents, A call out to all St Angela's Families to support Venezuelan families Students are invited to wear Yellow, Blue and Red Mufti in exchange for a donation to the Caritas Venezuela Earthquake Fundraiser🇻🇪. https://fundraise.caritas.org.au/fundraisers/stangelascastlehill/venezuela-earthquake-fundraiser Our school is raising funds to support communities in Venezuela who have been devastated by the recent earthquakes. Right now, families across Venezuela are facing uncertainty, fear and loss, with thousands of lives lost following the two major earthquakes on 24 June. This disaster comes at a time when millions of people in Venezuela were already struggling to survive – now, the situation has become far more urgent. Caritas Australia’s partner, Caritas Venezuela, is on the ground providing vital assistance, including water, food, shelter, and sanitation. But they can’t do it alone. Please support our fundraiser today. Every donation will help provide critical emergency support to those who need it most, ensuring that communities across Venezuela have what they need not only to survive today, but to rebuild in the future. Thank you for your generosity.