Celebrating 40 years of Voice of Youth and the power of student voice

Year 6 students from 58 Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) Primary schools came together at St John XXIII Catholic College Stanhope Gardens on 22 September for the Voice of Youth Grand Final, showcasing their public speaking skills through a series of thoughtful and engaging speeches.

Now in its 40th year, Voice of Youth continues to encourage students to think critically, speak confidently and share their perspectives on issues that matter to them, while developing skills that will support them well beyond the classroom.

Selected from approximately 2,600 students who competed across CSPD’s diocesan clusters, the six Grand Final finalists were:

Archer N. from Sacred Heart Primary Westmead, “The Unknown Terrain of High School”
Priya I. from St Matthew’s Primary Windsor, “The World's Greatest Superpower is Empathy”
Saraya W. from St Angela's Primary Castle Hill, “The Unknown Soldier: The Voice We Carry Forward”
William O. from St Bernadette’s Primary Castle Hill, “Be Your Best Friend, Not Your Worst Enemy”
Dominic B. from Trinity Catholic Primary Kemps Creek, “Look Up - The Negative Impacts that Technology Has on Our Social Life”
Sienna L. from St Luke's Catholic College Marsden Park, “The Effects of Social Media on our Health”

Voice of Youth 2026

Voice of Youth organiser and MC Attila Lendvai, Principal of Holy Cross Primary Glenwood, has been involved with the competition for many years and continues to see the value it provides students.

“Voice of Youth is about much more than just public speaking, it's about nurturing the skills that sit beneath effective communication,” Attila said. “And in a world that increasingly demands clear, courageous and compassionate communication, the ability to express ideas effectively has never been more important.”

Students are judged across a range of criteria, including the quality of their thesis statement, speech delivery, gestures, tone of voice and overall effect.

Voice of Youth 2026

Archer from Sacred Heart Primary Westmead was named the 2026 Voice of Youth winner for his speech, “The Unknown Terrain of High School”, which compared the transition to high school to starting a new video game:

“Every great game starts with an unexplored map. The challenge seems difficult at first, but with every step we gain experience and skills. High school may be unknown terrain today, but one day we will look back and realise it was never about knowing the whole map. It was about being brave enough to press start.”

For Archer, the topic also reflected his own experience of change this year, following the merger of his former school, Mother Teresa Primary, into a new Sacred Heart Primary Westmead.

“The original school I was at was Mother Teresa Primary, and at the beginning of this term there's a new building on site and we've actually merged the schools to become Sacred Heart Primary,” Archer said. “It's a bit like the experience of going to high school and finding new friends as well.”

Voice of Youth 2026

The overall runner-up was Priya from St Matthew’s Primary Windsor, recognised for her speech, “The World's Greatest Superpower is Empathy”:

“The best superheroes don't just save cities, they save confidence, friendships and sometimes they save someone from feeling completely invisible. And here's the best news: you don't need a cape, you don't need muscles, you don't need to be popular. Every person here already has the superpower, you just have to choose it.”

Special guest Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv applauded the finalists for their talent, creativity and ability to engage with important issues.

“I was in awe of the depths of their talent, their creativity, and their ability to think critically,” said Bishop Vincent. “I think that's something that I am so encouraged by. They are able to reflect on the many issues that they care about.”

Voice of Youth 2026

For 40 years, Voice of Youth has provided generations of young people across CSPD with an opportunity to find their voice, build confidence and engage with issues affecting their communities and the wider world.

“This has been a long-standing tradition that inspires, challenges and empowers young people across our diocese,” Attila said. “For four decades, this competition has proved a unique opportunity for students to develop and demonstrate their voice.”

Written By

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au

02 Nov 2026
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🐥 Look who came to visit Kindergarten! 🐥 Our classrooms have been filled with extra chirps and lots of excitement as our students observed the life cycle of animals up close with these sweet little baby chicks! 💛

30 Oct 2026
From Facebook
World Teachers' Day celebrations today at Our Lady Queen of Peace! 🏫📒📚✏️☕️🍎🍏 A busy and fulfilling day for all as we enjoyed: - a morning gathering for staff - small gifts for each staff member - morning tea organised by the P&F - afternoon assembly and prayer led by Kindy. Perhaps the most surprising and entertaining part of the day though, included staff participation in the 'Have you got an apple?' game. We are sure the children can update you on the game rules as they watched their teachers play. Some tactical, creative and fierce competition was on show to secure the winning prizes! Congratulations to the following staff members who won the game (with or without bribery!) 🍎 Miss Stevens 🍏 Miss Cleur 🍎 Miss Raffoul 🍏 Mr Aboufarah 🍎 Mrs Elias 🍏 Mrs Buhagiar 🍎 Miss Chahin 🍏 Mr McElhone (unable to claim his prize so this was handed over to the most enthusiastic participant of the day, Mr Vicic). Thank you again to our P&F for generously organising the morning tea for staff and acknowledging the great work our staff do each day. It is a privilege to work in partnership with you, guiding, leading and teaching the children of OLQP. And to our teachers- Keep shining bright ☀️ ✨️ 🌟