Community & Business
7 August, 2024
Medal celebrates service to college
STRONG faith and longstanding service to a local school was recognised recently when former principal Ida Pinese was awarded the St Stephen’s Medal for 2024.
The St Stephen’s Medal is an honourable award given to those who demonstrate commitment and long-standing service to the college, as well as a person that embodies what it means to follow Christ and demonstrates good faith, service and courage.
Introduced in 2021, with previous recipients being Gerry Simon (2021), Sam Bozzo (2022) and David Anthony (2023), the St Stephen’s Medal is awarded during Catholic Education Week and provides opportunity for Catholic schools to celebrate their unique mission and ethos.
Mrs Pinese served at St Stephen’s for 12 years, firstly as deputy principal and then as principal from 2013-2019.
She was presented with the medal during a whole-school liturgy on 26 July at the Catholic College’s Holy Spirit Centre.
“As a leader in education, Mrs Pinese has demonstrated exceptional dedication, vision and resilience, inspiring all those around her,” business manager Hadyn Flynn said when announcing the award.
“Ida serves as a guiding light in education.”
In receiving the award, Mrs Pinese said she was “honoured and humbled”.
“It was a gift to be here as principal and I was very grateful to have had the support of the staff, students and their parents,” she said.
Reflecting on aspects that made her time at St Stephen’s special, she highlighted her favourites as being the annual St Stephen’s day, the remarkable student achievements and the college song “Trust in the Lord” which “captures the essence of what St Stephen’s Catholic College is all about”.
