My name is Caitlin Cawdry Skead and I am currently in Year 12 at John XXIII College. Last year I was extremely honoured and humbled to be selected as the recipient of the Loreto Past Pupils' Scholarship for 2019. My family and I are very appreciative of this award and what it means.

I moved to Australia from my home country South Africa in 2010. We lived on a farm and I attended the small local country school of 108 students. It was an enormous adjustment integrating into city life, as well the Australian culture and not knowing a soul. Through sport and my love of music, I was able to meet like -minded friends and eventually settle into a new way of life.

I feel privileged to have been part of the John XXIII College community over the last six years. The opportunities have been numerous, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been involved in so many co-curricular activities throughout my high school career. These have included playing netball for the JTC club from Year 7 till now, through which I was fortunate to go to Singapore on the netball tour in Year 10. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in inter school cross country events and learnt a great deal about resilience, perseverance and good sportsmanship when attending many icy early-morning training sessions and competing. I have been able to develop my love of music by being a member of Wind, Concert and Swing bands, playing the trumpet and the piano, as well as being a member of the Chamber and Barbershop choirs. I have taken part in the school musical for the last three years (an absolute highlight of my school career) and loved spending so many hours with such a dedicated, talented cast each year and have developed many lasting friendships through it.     

Having come from a country of so much poverty and hardship, I have always had an incredibly strong pull towards those who are less fortunate than myself and yearn to make the world a better and fairer place. I was extremely blessed to be able to go on the College's pilgrimage to India last year with a group of nine other students. We were fortunate enough to visit the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity and attend Mass with the Sisters, where we experienced a taste of Mother Teresa's life. We were also privileged to visit Mary Ward International and visit some of their incredible programs, such as their teaching programs in the slums in tiny make-shift schools consisting of only one room. Their dedication and commitment to making the lives of others better were so inspiring and meeting the beautiful children who had so much love to give, despite having so little themselves, really was humbling and helped us to realise the importance of perspective in life. 

 I am particularly passionate about art and its ability to communicate powerful messages in a creative and unique manner. In Year 9 I was selected as a Black Swan Youth Portraiture finalist and had my charcoal self-portrait on exhibition in the city. Visual Arts is one of my ATAR subjects and this year my focus is on the human threat to the freedom of wild animals and our need to take action against their endangerment.     

Although I am not in any official leadership position this year, I always strive to lead by example and continually aspire to be a good role model for the younger students in our College through participation, sportsmanship, teamwork and having a strong set of values by which to live my life.     

The academic aspect of College life is important to me and I always strive to put my best effort into everything I do, including my studies. I feel honoured to have been invited to the High Achiever's breakfast each year where I have listened to some inspirational past-student speakers. Although I am unsure of which path my life may take, I hope to use my skills, passions and talents to improve the lives of others and better the world around me.