CAS Hawker Scholarship Presentation
Two New Hawker Scholars at St Mark’s
Callum Deakin and Georgina Spanos were each awarded a CAS Hawker Scholarship and came into residence at St Mark’s this year. The award was presented at a function in the Members’ Dining Room of Old Parliament House in Canberra by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Member for Wannon and Hawker family member, the Hon David Hawker MP on 29th April 2009. Georgina and Callum are pictured below with Hon David Hawker and the Master at Old Parliament House.
Callum Deakin has lived a good part of his life in other states of Australia, and more recently, in the Fiji Islands, where his parents reside. He lived with his grandfather in Adelaide during his secondary education. He won a position in the selective IGNITE Programme for gifted students at Glenunga International High School and graduated in 2008 with five perfect scores and a TER of 99.95.
The school community elected Callum to the position of Head Prefect in term 3 of 2007 until term 2 in 2008. Callum represented Glenunga International High School in debating for three years. He also participated in activities such as the Tournament of Minds on two occasions, as well as representing the school at the State Secondary Schools Constitutional Convention in 2005. He also participated in orienteering, fencing and basic training as a netball umpire.
Callum is passionate about his community service. He joined the Friends of the Dry Creek Trail, a group rehabilitating the Dry Creek in the Valley View area. He is interested in world events and keeps up to date on current happenings from around the world. Two issues he is particularly passionate about are education and human rights.
He was also involved in many service groups, including acting as a member of the executive committee of the school International Club and as President of the Leo Club, an offshoot of the Lions International for secondary school students.
Georgina Spanos attended Renmark High School until Year 10, representing her school in a wide range of sports, excelling in athletics and cross-country. She was actively involved in local volleyball, coaching and umpiring as well as representing her school at the National Schools Cup in Melbourne in 2003, 2004 and 2005. In her final year at Renmark High School she was awarded the Caltex Best All Rounder Medal for her academic success, conduct and behaviour, and commitment to the school through sports and service.
In 2005 she was awarded a scholarship to complete her final two years of secondary education as a boarder at Pembroke School in Adelaide. At the end of her first year, she was elected by her peers to be Head Girl of Turner House for 2007. Georgina was awarded the Patricia Loy Citizenship Award for the Head Girl of Turner House and the Kaye M. Mitchell Award for Outstanding Leadership in, and Service to the School, by a Year 12 girl.
In 2008, Georgina participated in a GAP exchange in 2008 to Trinity College School in Ontario, Canada.
Georgina is particularly interested in human rights and national and international affairs. She has been a member of Amnesty International since Year 10 and supported her local branch of Save the Children in fundraising to deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide.
Charles Hawker’s sister the late Lilias Needham, established the Scholarship trust in memory of her brother. Since 1991, the Trustees have awarded more than five million dollars to eighty-three young Australians, including a significant number from regional areas. The seven successful candidates for 2009 were awarded a Charles Hawker Scholarship from a strong field of 260 applicants.
Charles Hawker had a lasting impact on Australian politics and all members of the federal house had an enormous respect for him during his time as Australia’s first Minister for Commerce in the Lyons government in the 1930s. Charles Hawker was a founder of St Mark’s College and a member of the first Council. Hawker House commemorates his name at St Mark’s today.
