All-rounders shine at Bens annual Prize Giving
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Best All-Rounder Student 2019 -- Abhiman Fernando
Students with all-round capabilities, who excelled both in their academic and sports endeavours, were presented with the ‘1964 Champion Cricket Team Gold Medals’ at the annual Prize Giving of St. Benedict’s College, which took place last week.
The annual event, however, was held after a lapse of three years, and the highlight of the evening was the awarding of the ‘1964 Champion Cricket Team’ gold medals for the Best All-round Students for the years of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The 2019 winner, Abhiman Fernando, was the athletic captain of the college and presently is a student in the Faculty of Management, University of Peradeniya. The 2020 winner, Kaviru Perera, was captain of the cricket team in the inaugural Bens-Wesley encounter and presently is a student in the Faculty of Management, University of Kelaniya. The winner of the medal in 2021, Shaveen Perera, was the Head Prefect, a First XI cricketer and is presently studying in the Faculty of Dental Surgery, University of Peradeniya.
Best All-Rounder Student 2020 -- Kaviru Tharusha Perera
The final special award, ‘Bro. Director and the Brothers Community Gold Medal’ for the Best Allround Student was given to Kavishka Nilushan Dias, who gained entrance to the University of Colombo, Faculty of Medicine this year. Just a week earlier, he was awarded the prestigious ‘Dr. Cecil Savarimutto Medical Scholarship’, which was inaugurated this year.
Old Benedictine Prof. Prasad Jayaweera, the Dean, Faculty of Computing of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and his wife Jayani, were the chief guests at the annual Prize Giving of St. Benedict’s College, which was held after a lapse of three years due to Covid-19, political and economic crises prevailing in the country.
Awards were presented to prize winners of academic years 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Best All-Rounder Student 2021 -- Shaveen Perera
The chief guests were ceremonially welcomed by the Director of the College Rev. Bro. Dr. Pubudu Rajapaksha, Sub Directors Rev. Bro. Niran Perera and Rev. Bro. Pravin Vaz, Heads of Departments, members of the tutorial staff and the Board of Prefects. Prof. Jayaweera, in his address to the students, staff, parents and old boys, stressed strongly on the importance of adopting 21st century learning models to prepare students who are equipped with pivotal skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication, which employers in an ever-changing world demand.
He said it is the only way forward and the present model will be extinct sooner than expected. He said he was happy that his old school has already started, albeit in small steps, this transformative work and planning to introduce ‘stem education’ to its students from January 2024.
Rev. Bro. Director and Brothers Community Gold Medal was claimed by Kavishka Nilushan Dias
He recalled starting his education in the lower kindergarten of St. Benedict’s College and passed out in 1986 during the tenure of Rev. Bro Alexander. He said how much the senior students looked forward to Brother Alexander’s moral science classes and how they impacted their future lives.
The Prize Giving was conducted with precision Benedictine timing, finesse and discipline as 318 prizes were distributed at the event. Cultural items were interspersed between the awarding of prizes. The smart student MCs, who conducted the event, the video clips of the main prize winners and the cultural items, made the event extremely interesting and entertaining. One of the main features was the revival of the St. Benedict’s College orchestra after many decades and this being their first performance on stage. The Head Prefect of St. Benedict’s, Oshada Dias delivered the vote of thanks.