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

Facebook

05 Nov 2026
From Facebook
We warmly invite all of our parents and carers to join us for our Term 4 Joey's Café on Wednesday 18 November at 5:00pm (please arrive at 4:45pm). This will be a wonderful opportunity to come together, enjoy a coffee and hear more about teaching and learning at St Joseph's Kingswood. We will be sharing our new approach to literacy, exploring our Student Code of Conduct and importantly, inviting your thoughts and ideas as we discuss homework at SJK. Your voice matters and we value the opportunity to work in partnership with our families to continue strengthening learning and wellbeing across our school community. We look forward to a relaxed, welcoming and engaging evening with you! Please encourage your SJK parent peers to come along! We look forward to seeing you there. ☕✨

04 Nov 2026
From Facebook
Year 4 are currently on their way back to school from their amazing excursion. Depending on traffic they should arrive by 3:10pm. 😀🚌