Young students were recognised for excellence in Modern and Classical Greek at the annual Dionysios Solomos Awards on Sunday, February 27 at Marrickville Town Hall.

The awards are organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (GOCNSW) as part of the Greek Festival of Sydney.

They celebrate the achievements of Year 12 students who received the highest grades in Greek in the Higher School Certificate (HSC), as well as younger students from the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Afternoon and Saturday Schools.

On the day, roughly 150 people were in attendance including the NSW Shadow Minister for Small Business, Property and Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper; the Consul General of Greece in Sydney, Christos Karras; Associate Professor of Modern Greek at the University of Sydney, Dr Anthony Dracopoulos; the Sir Nicholas Laurantus Chair in Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies at the University of Sydney, Professor Vrasidas Karalis; the Treasurer of the GOCNSW, Chris Belerhas; and the Festival Chair of the Greek Festival of Sydney, Nia Karteris.

Master of Ceremonies, Vicki Tomaras, kicked off the official proceedings with a small welcome, followed by an introduction to student, Anja Ribbeck, who approached the stage to perform the National Anthems of Greece and Australia.

A number of speeches were then given by the Secretary of the GOCNSW, Michael Tsilimos, the Consul General, Steve Kamper MP, Professor Karalis and student, Dean Theodoroloulos, who received the Minister’s Award of Excellence 2021.

In their speeches, Mr Tsilimos stressed his belief that Greek students will continue to excel in the HSC in Modern and Classical Greek, while the Consul General spoke about the continued relevance of Greek to the English language.

“Congratulations to all the educators on their outstanding contributions to the Greek language, as well as the Greek language students on their efforts and achievements,” Mr Karras said.

For his part, Steve Kamper MP said he was “so proud” of the young students and parents in the room for persevering and continuing to learn the Greek language.

After these speeches, students were presented with awards in the following categories: Higher School Certificate Awards for Modern Greek Beginners, Modern Greek Continuers, Modern Greek Extension, Classical Greek Continuers and Classical Greek Extension, as well as the Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Modern Greek and the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Greek Afternoon Schools’ Outstanding Achievement Awards.

One student, Suelen Grillas from Danebank Anglican School, won an Outstanding Achievement Award and told The Greek Herald after the event she felt proud to be recognised because “I like all things Greek.”

All Award Winners:

HSC Modern Greek – Beginners:

1st – Cleopatra Calfas (NSW School of Languages), 5th – Nicolette Tsiknis (NSW School of Languages), 6th – George Alexander Papamanuel (Newington College), 9th – Elly Vazouras (Bethany College Hurstville).

HSC Modern Greek – Continuers:

1st – Styliani Koliris (St Euphemia College), 2nd – Konstantinos Zisopoulos (St Euphemia College), 3rd – Chris Reppas (NSW School of Languages), 4th – Sophia Angelopoulos (NSW School of Languages), 6th – Ria Karakasis (NSW School of Languages), 7th – Elena Kaldis.

HSC Modern Greek – Extension:

1st – Konstantinos Zisopoulos (St Euphemia College), 2nd – Styliani Koliris (St Euphemia College), 4th – Stephen Koutoulogenis (St Spyridon College), 6th – Elena Kaldis, 10th – Konstantina Meimeti.

HSC Classical Greek – Continuers:

1st – Isander Mesimeris (Sydney Grammar School), 4th – Justin Huynh (Sydney Grammar School).

HSC Classical Greek – Extension:

1st – Isander Mesimeris (Sydney Grammar School), Justin Huynh (Sydney Grammar School), 7th – Nathaniel Mycroft Jones.

Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Modern Greek:

• Dean Theodoropoulos – 2021 Ministers Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.
• Nikoletta Veneti – 2021 Highly Commended Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.
• Eleanna Gatsi – 2021 Commended Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.
• Victoria Damianakis – 2021 Merit Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.
• Andrew Belogiannis – 2021 Merit Award for Excellence in Student Achievement.

Outstanding Achievement Awards:

• Connells Point PS: Anastasia Gesouras, James Kourt.
• Clemton Park PS: Nicholas Rontziokos, John Zervas, Anastasia Mouzos, Victoria Vasiliou, Evan Nicolacopoulos, Dimitris Apostolidis, Aleksander Miralis.
• Summer Hill PS: Anastasia Lambropoulos, George Markatos, Alma Eliopoulos.
• Danebank Anglican School: Antonia Baliva, Suelen Grillas.
• Panania PS: Ekaterina Bozatzis, Georgia Belogiannis.
• Beverley Hills North PS: Lia Pappas.

* All photos copyright: The Greek Herald / Andriana Simos.