It was a celebration of academic excellence, and the community effort behind it.
The Greek Centre was filled with pride and applause on Thursday night as more than 100 students, families, educators and civic leaders gathered for the Greek Community of Melbourne’s (GCM) VCE High Achievers Awards.
The evening recognised students who attained high results across VCE subjects, including Modern Greek and Classical Greek, as well as exceptional performances in Unit 3 and 4 studies.
But from the outset, the message was clear: this was about more than marks. It was about culture, continuity and collective investment.
GCM Vice President Marinis Pirpiris opened proceedings with a moment of silence for the victims of the Bondi Beach tragedy, before reflecting on the role of education.
“For the first Greek migrants who came to Australia, education represented dignity, belonging and hope,” he said. “In our houses, education was not optional. It was decided at the kitchen or dining table.”
Students at the centre
That legacy came sharply into focus when the night’s highest honour was announced. Pirpiris acknowledged he was “honoured and humbled” that the person receiving the award was his son Georgios Pirpiris.
Addressing the room in both English and Greek, Georgios struck a tone of gratitude.
“Beyond the marks that we have achieved, each of us has a community, family, school, and much greater, which pushed us, supported us, and most of all believed in us,” he said.
Looking out at his parents and siblings, he added: “Your love and support gave me the strength to choose my own path, one which has definitely paid off.”
He thanked his teachers before offering advice to younger students.
“Yes, academics are important, but to really enjoy school, you have to do so much more,” he said. “You will never again find such an opportunity — sports, music, everything else.”
Language and legacy
That multigenerational pride echoed throughout the night. Stephanie Leon, a student of Castellorizian heritage who will go on to study commerce and law, attended with her parents and grandparents.
Darebin Mayor Emily Dimitriadis encouraged her to keep going.
“In 1999, I got this award right here,” she said. “I got the scholarship and continued with my Greek. It’s a lot of hard work, but you can do it.”
“It’s so important to study languages,” Dimitriadis added. “That’s how we bring communities together.”
Brimbank Mayor Virginia Tachos said it was a proud moment to support high-achieving students from her municipality, while Manningham Mayor Jim Grivas joined her and Dimitriadis in receiving plaques recognising their support for youth and education.
Nina Taylor MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Education, said language learning and academic recognition go hand in hand.
“It’s about continuing that deep connection and expanding students’ horizons,” she said. “Learning another language, particularly Greek, opens opportunities in life, work and travel.”
She said the evening reflected a shared effort. “It takes a whole community to help shape great citizens of the future.”
For Aphrodite, daughter of GCM Schools Principal Maria Bakalidou, encouragement mattered.
“I always felt very supported by mum, especially for Greek,” she said. “She just wanted me to keep in touch with the culture.”
Not all recipients studied Greek, but many spoke of the significance of community recognition. Lucas Constantinou, who achieved outstanding all-round results including a perfect score in Business Management, said: “It meant a lot to be recognised by the Greek community. This award is important.”
His parents agreed. “Yiayia in Cyprus is waiting to read about this in the paper,” his father Constantinos said, while his Italian-Australian mother Fulvia wished the Italian community offered something similar. “These awards keep the culture and connection going,” she said.
A village effort
GCM President Bill Papastergiadis summed up the spirit of the night.
“The awards are always a family event,” he said. “When you’re awarded as a Greek student, it’s another level, another stratosphere.”
“Greek families value education. Parents, grandparents, siblings, everyone is involved,” he added. “It’s a close-knit environment, with respect for teachers and learning.”
Recalling a moment from his own family history, Papastergiadis quoted his mother Eleni’s response to praise for his brother from Cambridge University leaders: “My son flies with my wings.”
“It’s a village that has raised all of us,” he said.
Halving the whole
Closing the evening, Pirpiris quoted Aristotle. “‘The beginning is half the whole’,” he said. “This is not an end, it’s a beginning.”
With group photos taken, food shared and GCM committee members — many of whom personally sponsored student prizes — staying back to congratulate families, the night ended as it began: a celebration not just of excellence, but of a community determined to carry its values forward.
*The GCM acknowledged the support to the awards by the following sponsors; the Pipiris family, Bill Papasteriadis OAM, Martha Stamatopoulos in name of her late husband Panayiotis Stamatopoulos, the Kokoouvtakis family, Spiridoula Demetriou and Helene Hiotis.
*All photos copyright The Greek Herald / Mary Sinanidis
