John Van Eyk wins Gazette's annual award

Photo: Year 9’s John Van Eyk talks with the Gazette editor, Mike Kerr, about winning the newspaper’s award for achievement in English.

There were multiple memorable moments at this year’s New Norfolk High School prize presentation evening, each treasured by the students receiving awards, and by the staff and parents there to witness the occasion.

Each was a moment of pride, an acknowledgement for a year’s academic work, and an affirmation to recipients by the school, by their peers and by the broader Valley community.

Among the awardees this year was John Van Eyk, a Year 9 student  who took home the Derwent Valley Gazette’s own award for achievement in English.

We hope to publish some of his work – and there’s a lot of choose from – in the Gazette.

In front of a hall filled out with dozens of parents and friends, and a large cross-section of presenters, the High School’s Presentation Evening this week was a compliment to the entire school body, staff and students.   

Among award recipients were prefects from 2024: Koen Bowerman, Mia Browning, Brilee Chaplin, Samantha Downie, Maxwell Doyle, Angel Green, Tegan Morgan, Addysen Nossiter, Josephine Reay and Payton Salter.

A number of them acted as organisers and hosts for the two hour assembly in the high school hall.

Some 80 students from Year 7 to 12 were honoured during the ceremony, prizes named for a multiplicity of local business and clubs, as well as political figures. 

Categories also included subject awards assigned to particular subjects and classes, as well as bursaries. 

The school furnished special thanks to its administration staff, for floral displays and to the supper-makers for the evening.