Scholarships and awards
At Penrith Selective High School, we recognise and celebrate excellence, effort, and service through a range of scholarships and awards that support and inspire our students to achieve their personal best. These opportunities acknowledge outstanding academic achievement, leadership, citizenship, and contribution to school life.
Students may be nominated for annual school awards, external academic prizes, or community-sponsored scholarships. Each award highlights the diverse ways our students excel whether through academic distinction, creative endeavour, or meaningful service to others.
Through these scholarships and awards, we aim to honour student achievement, foster ambition, and encourage every learner to pursue excellence with purpose and pride.
Awards presented annually at the prestigious Presentation Ceremony
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Dux Years 7 to 12
Awarded to the dux of each year group annually
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ADF Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award
Leadership, teamwork, values, problem solving, resourcefulness, communication, cooperation and community involvement.
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Barry Coe Award
To a Year 10 student for dedication, loyalty and leadership
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Member for Lindsay MP – The Lindsay Award
To a student who has shown a determination to succeed
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Junior Speaker of the Year
Junior Speaker of the Year
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Lamrocks Award
Excellence in Legal Studies
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Lauren Broos Visual Arts Award
Year 11 commitment to Visual Arts
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Lions Club Junior Citizen of the Year
Citizenship Award for a student in Years 7-9
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Principal’s Award
Service to the School or Outstanding Achievement
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The Knight Award
Highest ATAR from previous year
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Premier’s ANZAC Memorial Scholarship
ANZAC Scholarship
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Victor Chang Year 11 Science Award
Outstanding Achievement in the Sciences
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Commitment to Learning Award
Commitment to Learning
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Karen McKeown MP All Rounder Award
Excellence in all facets of school life
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The Matthew McCarron Library Award
Interest and commitment in reading
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The Linda Burney MP Award
Fostering a connection to culture.
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Junior Sportsman Award
Junior Sportsman of the Year
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Junior Sportswoman Award
Junior Sportswoman of the Year
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Premier’s Sporting Challenge Medal
Excellence, involvement and overall contribution to school sport
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Sportsman of the Year
Overall Sporting Excellence
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Sportswoman of the Year
Overall Sporting Excellence
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Distance Runner of the Year
Overall Athletic Excellence in Long Distance Running
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Contribution to Swimming
Overall Contribution to Swimming
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Co-curricular Scholarship
Celebrates students who actively participate in the wider life of the school. It recognises the value of sport, creative and performing arts, clubs, leadership, service, and other co-curricular activities as powerful avenues for growth, connection, and contribution.
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Pathway to Excellence Grant
This grant supports and celebrates students who demonstrate commitment to their learning journey. This initiative acknowledges personal growth, consistent effort, and engagement with school life, whether in the classroom or beyond. The award is open to all students who show effort, perseverance, or personal growth in their learning. No disclosure of hardship is required.
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Partners in Learning Grant
This grant supports and celebrates students who demonstrate commitment to their learning journey. This initiative acknowledges personal growth, consistent effort, and engagement with school life, whether in the classroom or beyond. The award recipients are determined by school staff nomination.
Year 12 special awards, presented annually
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Academic Excellence - First in Course
Awarded to the top-ranked student in each course.
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Academic Distinction - Altiora Peto Award
Awarded to students in the top 5% of a course.
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The ADF Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Award
Provided to a student who has demonstrated values including leadership, teamwork, co-operation, problem-solving, communication and community involvement.
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The Alicia Camphuisen Award
Awarded to a student for service to human rights and the environment. Alicia was a former student of the school.
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The Ampol Best All Rounder Award
Awarded to a student for their participation and excellence across a range of activities, including sport, academic attitude, community work and leadership
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The ADFA Education Award
A highly prestigious award presented annually to Year 12 students in recognition of outstanding leadership potential, academic and sporting achievements exhibited in Years 11 and 12
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The Lions Club Citizenship Award
Recognises school service and citizenship
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The John Lincoln Award
A youth community service award whereby 20 candidates across NSW are selected and honoured at a special ceremony at Government House Sydney. This award recognises students with an excellent record of community service.
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The Macquarie University "Global Leadership Entry Program Prize”
Recognises the outstanding contribution of a student to their community, leadership qualities and academic merit.
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The Pierre de Coubertin Award
Recognises positive values and excellence in sport and is presented by the Australian Olympic Committee.
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The Stephen Duclos Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social Sciences
Awarded to the student who through perseverance and their awareness of current events and social issues have built a breadth of knowledge and as such have excelled within the Social Sciences. Stephen Duclos was the Head Teacher Social Science from 1997-2014 and Deputy Principal from 2014-2016 before retiring.
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The University of Sydney Leadership Award
An award that recognises a student ranked academically within the top 10 of student cohort internally, shows demonstrated commitment to developing and displaying leadership skills within a school context and shows demonstrated high levels of involvement in extracurricular, community and social justice programs.
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The Wendy De Paoli Excellence in Research Award Awarded to the outstanding HSC research project. Wendy was the Principal of the school from 2000-2010.
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The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC FAILA Award for the most proficient female student in HSC English.
Recognises the annual success of Penrith students in HSC English.
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The Sami Azmol Award
Top student in HSC Economics or Business Studies.
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The Lamrocks Award
Recognises student excellence in Legal Studies.
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The Reuben F Scarf Award
Recognises a student’s consistent effort and desire to improve
Recent additions
The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC FAILA Award for the most proficient female student in HSC English.
An honour board in the school hall celebrates Ms Wensley's achievements and recognises the annual success of Penrith students in HSC English.
A former Penrith High School Captain (Class of 1963), Ms Wensley went on to a remarkable career in diplomacy and public service. She became Australia’s first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (1997–2001), later serving as High Commissioner to India and Australia’s first Ambassador to Bhutan, before holding ambassadorial roles in France, Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco.
In 2008, Ms Wensley was appointed Governor of Queensland, serving until 2014. She continues to lead national environmental initiatives as Chair of the Australian Institute of Marine Science Council and the Reef 2050 Advisory Committee.
Her achievements have been recognised through numerous honours, including Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), the French National Order of Merit, and the Order of St John. In 2016, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade named a meeting room in her honour, celebrating her legacy as a pioneering Australian diplomat.
The Linda Burney MP Award for a student who is recognised as having been widely and positively involved in fostering a connection to culture.
An honour board in the school hall celebrates Ms Burney’s achievements and recognises the commitment of Penrith students in celebrating and recognising culture.
This prize is awarded annually to a student who is recognised as having been widely and positively involved in fostering a connection to culture. Hon Linda Burney MP. A graduate of Penrith High School, Ms Burney began her career as a school teacher before becoming the first Aboriginal person in NSW Parliament, holding the seat of Canterbury for 14 years. In 2016, Burney was elected federal member for Barton and became the first Indigenous woman to sit in the House of Representatives. Burney was appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians in the Albanese ministry in 2022, and is the first woman who identifies as Aboriginal to serve in that position.
The Sami Azmol Award for the top student in HSC Economics or Business Studies.
Mr. Sami Azmol (Class of 2001) passed away suddenly in December 2020 from a severe heart attack after being at the gym. Sami was a highly valued member of the class of 2001. A Chartered Accountant and graduate from Macquarie University, he was working as the Finance Performance Reporting Manager at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (A particularly complex role during COVID and the financial pressures that it presented for the health system). Prior to this role, Sami worked in senior financial positions in London for four years in large corporations. This award is sponsored for 10 years (2021-2030) by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Presented annually, the recipient will receive a certificate and $300 prize. A plaque in the school library celebrates Sami's life and contribution to the school and wider community.
The Matthew McCarron Library Award
To recognise and pay homage to 1998 School Captain, Matthew McCarron, following a generous donation from his peers, the school has established The Matthew McCarron Library Award. Matthew sadly passed away after bravely battling cancer.
The Library Award is awarded to students in Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 who shows an interest and commitment towards reading.
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