吃瓜不打烊

17 May 2016

It’s not every day a real-life King visits your school and, better still, invites you to come and visit his Palace!

That dream-like sequence played out for Year 12 student Gwen Lawrence and she has not stopped smiling since.

, Sydenham, played host to His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and as part of the visit hospitality students prepared a right royal lunch at the Quatrefoils restaurant located at the school.

King Carl is also Honorary Chairman of the World Scout Foundation and was in 吃瓜不打烊 for four days on the invitation of Scouts Victoria. CRC Sydenham established a scout unit three years ago when the scout program became accredited by the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority.

CRC Sydenham 2015 graduate and Queen’s Scout Award recipient Nathan Galea detailed his experiences before His Majesty and 200 guests including Father John O’Reilly and Catholic Education Executive Director, Stephen Elder.

Nathan explained that La Trobe University and many other universities accredit the Queen’s Scout Award and provide ATAR entry benefits to courses as high as 30 ATAR points. He said the award changed his life and helped secure a place in the Bachelor of Science which he is now thoroughly enjoying.

King Carl also attended a private function for 300 guests where the CRC Sydenham bakery students catered for dessert and made an enormous, themed, celebratory cake to feed the entire party.

‘Young people are being afforded the opportunity, and being supported, in developing leadership skills that can be the foundation for the future of any country,’ he said.

Gwen was one of five young people selected to accompany His Majesty as a Royal Youth Host. She spent four days with the King and was asked to visit Sweden with her family and visit the Royal Palace. She also received life membership to the World Scout Foundation, meaning she will receive a personal invitation to join His Majesty at future events hosted in different cities around the world in coming years.

It was a remarkable event and a truly monumental experience which has left a significant impact on me, one which I will treasure forever’.