St Columba’s student balances work and play for HSC
Luke Brame, a recent graduate of St Columba’s Catholic College, Springwood, spent the last two years of his schooling balancing his HSC studies with his much loved hobby of mountain biking.
Luke spent 16 weeks travelling around Australia (to Perth, Victoria and Brisbane) and around the world (Germany, Czech Republic, Andorra, Switzerland and France) while studying to complete his HSC.
Luke said the HSC exams started just seven weeks after the world championships where he placed 61st in the men’s juniors.
‘It took a lot of organising with the teachers and a lot of out of hours communications via email and Edmodo,’ Luke said. ‘I would also have morning classes and lunchtime classes to make up the time I missed.’
‘The teachers at St Columba’s are so helpful and I have now completed the HSC and I feel like I did a good job,’ he said.
Luke hopes to pursue a career in mountain biking but has also applied to study Business at the University of Technology Sydney in 2016.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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28 Jul 2026
From Facebook
It was wonderful to welcome Liliana Arango from University of Tasmania and Seona Findlay from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to St Columba's this morning. Seona spoke with Year 12 Agriculture and Year 11 Primary Industries students about the many opportunities available to them studying Ag at UTAS. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese #agriculture #careersinagriculture #agronomy #Sustainability
25 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Massive news out of Glasgow with St Columba's alum, Jenna Jones winning the 100m freestyle S13 at the Commonwealth Games and taking gold for Australia! Congratulations from all at St Columba's Jenna - such an awesome result! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games #WeAreUnstoppable
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28 Jul 2026
From Facebook
It was wonderful to welcome Liliana Arango from University of Tasmania and Seona Findlay from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to St Columba's this morning. Seona spoke with Year 12 Agriculture and Year 11 Primary Industries students about the many opportunities available to them studying Ag at UTAS. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese #agriculture #careersinagriculture #agronomy #Sustainability
25 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Massive news out of Glasgow with St Columba's alum, Jenna Jones winning the 100m freestyle S13 at the Commonwealth Games and taking gold for Australia! Congratulations from all at St Columba's Jenna - such an awesome result! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games #WeAreUnstoppable
24 Jul 2026
From Facebook
⭐ Cross Country Success for St Columba's ⭐ In late June, 17 students from St Columba's Catholic College competed at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships. We were thrilled to send such a large team to the event, with the College having the highest number of representatives of any PDSSSC Secondary School. At these championships, the following eight students qualified for the NSW All-Schools Cross Country Championships: Alexis Galloway-Smith Tasman Harrison Darcy Waring Odin Brennan Alton Freeman Keeden Harrison Benjamin Merrick Joshua Simone NSWCCC Cross Country Results 12 Years Girls Elizabeth White (46th/58) 13 Years Girls Alexis Galloway-Smith (9th/70) Ruby Ross (38th/70) Eva Hetherington (39th/70) 16 Years Girls Lulu Green (13th/53) Ava Lorking (22nd/53) 17 Years Girls Madeline Southers (19th/44) 18 Years Girls Annalise Blattman (15th/45) Annika Vasilev (29th/45) 14 Years Boys Tasman Harrison (6th/53) 15 Years Boys Darcy Waring (6th/54) 16 Years Boys Odin Brennan (3rd/50) 17 Years Boys Alton Freeman (1st/44) Keeden Harrison (3rd/44) River Rodemark (14th/44) 18 Years Boys Benjamin Merrick (4th/40) Joshua Simone (7th/40)
23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Over the recent holiday break, Year 12 student Nik represented New Zealand at the U18 Water Polo World Championships in Portugal. Nik made his mark on the world stage, scoring four goals throughout the tournament. The New Zealand team achieved a ninth-place finish – the highest ever placing by a New Zealand men's team at a Water Polo World Championships. What an incredible achievement! Congratulations, Nik, on your outstanding performance.
23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to Year 11 students Ava, Hailey, Trinity, Annabella and Isobel who completed their first university subject during the recent school holidays. These five students are getting a head-start on their university study through the Step Up Into Teaching (SUIT) program at Australian Catholic University (ACU). Coming to a classroom near you in 2032! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
23 Jul 2026
From Facebook
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT 2026 Late last term our St Columba's Community was once again treated to the wonderful event that is 'Under the Spotlight'. It is hard to believe that so much talent exists in just one school! Congratulations to the talented and dedicated cast of performers and crew. It was an excellent showcase of the Performing Arts at SCCC. Special thanks to all of the staff who worked so hard to bring this annual spectacular together. #performingarts #music #drama Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
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15 Jul 2026
From Facebook
From SHAPE nominee to award-winning apprentice! Congratulations to St Columba's Class of 2024 graduate Thomas Daw, whose passion and talent for Industrial Timber—recognised with an HSC SHAPE nomination in 2024—continues to shine. We're so proud to see Thomas recognised with this prestigious apprentice award. Well done, Thomas! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Blue Mountains Gazette
13 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Alumni Spotlight | Olivia King - Class of 2009 When Olivia King (Class of 2009) graduated from St Columba’s, she was beginning a creative journey that has since taken her to the forefront of international type design. Today, her work is helping shape the visual identity of globally recognised organisations while making reading more accessible for millions of people around the world. This year, Olivia received one of the design industry’s highest honours, a D&AD Yellow Pencil, awarded for her work on Penguin Inclusive Sans, the new global brand typeface for Penguin Books. Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious creative awards in the world, the D&AD Yellow Pencil recognises work that demonstrates outstanding creative excellence, exceptional craftsmanship and innovation. Winning a Yellow Pencil places Olivia among the very best designers working internationally. Her work in accessible typography extends beyond Penguin. Olivia is also the creator of Inclusive Sans, an open-source typeface developed through extensive research into legibility and readability. She has since created customised versions for both Penguin Books and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, demonstrating how thoughtful design can meet the needs of globally recognised cultural institutions while remaining accessible to diverse audiences. Olivia’s success is a wonderful example of where creativity, innovation and a commitment to inclusion can lead. The St Columba’s community warmly congratulates her on receiving a D&AD Yellow Pencil and looks forward to following the next chapter of her remarkable career. Learn more about the D&AD Awards here: https://www.dandad.org/awards/d-ad-awards Read Liv's responses to some of our questions in the comments. #alumni #design #yellowpencil #penguins #sfmoma #classof2009 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
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.
06 Jul 2026
From Facebook
What a fantastic way to wrap up this year’s St Columba’s Art Prize! This morning, students from St Columba’s and visiting schools were inspired by hands-on workshops led by our talented Art Prize finalists: Freedom Wilson (Printmaking), Jane Taverner (Textile Narrative) and Katie Leavey (Abstract Landscape). A huge thank you to our wonderful artists for sharing their skills and creativity, and to every student who embraced the experience with such enthusiasm. The question we heard most often? “How do we sign up again next year?” We think that’s the best feedback of all! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese St Columba's Art Prize
02 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Yesterday, 31 students from Years 7-10 represented the College at The National Science and Engineering Challenge held at the Kingswood Campus of Western Sydney University. The students worked in groups of 4 to solve various Engineering problems in competition with other schools from Western Sydney. Our team had a great day and were successful in placing 3rd out of all competing schools. They represented the College with pride and demonstrated great academic comraderie with the competing schools. Special thanks to Mr Born, Mr Kobus and Nicky Alsemgeest for accompanying the students. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese