The awards, which consist of three $1000 scholarships, are given to young people with Italian heritage who have distinguished themselves in their field.

The scholarships are designed to encourage young people to strive for excellence and cultivate their passions.

They span across three different categories, which are sponsored by different organisations.

CO.AS.IT. sponsors the School scholarship, which is reserved for a candidate who has shown particular proficiency in school subjects such as English, creative writing, mathematics, science and art.

Club Marconi sponsors the Sport scholarship, which seeks to award a talented individual who has outperformed their peers in football, rugby, cricket, basketball, swimming, gymnastics, ballet or athletics.

Club Italia funds the Social Activities scholarship, which is intended to reward a young person who has acted charitably to help society’s most vulnerable.  

The winner of the CO.AS.IT. scholarship is 18-year-old Dion Michalopoulos, who lives in Concord, New South Wales, and has Italian grandparents.

Michalopoulos, who was a school captain, maintained an excellent academic record while also participating in the first division football team.

He took part in the Da Vinci Decathlon three times, studied Italian, French and Mandarin, and received multiple awards for academic excellence.

During this time, Michalopoulos was also involved in many cultural events organised by the Associazione I Nonni and the Puglia Association.

He has continued to remain active in the Italian community.

Tommaso Puccini, who lives in Yokine, Western Australia, was the recipient of the Club Marconi award.

At just 17 years old, Puccini has already achieved excellent results in triathlons, competitive swimming and athletics.

Puccini won eight medals at the Western Australian state swimming championships – two of which were gold – and won the School Sport Western Australia triathlon championships for four consecutive years, from 2017 to 2020.

He went on to represent Western Australia at School Sport Australia, qualify for the Western Australia State team in both 2020 and 2021, win a national silver medal in the School Sport Australia Triathlon Mixed Relay in 2018 and qualify for the 3000m (8’47”) and 5000m (15’19”) for the Athletics Australia national track championships.

Puccini has also been a member of the Western Australian Development Squad Triathlon since 2017 and was a bronze medallist in the Western Australian 2020 state track athletics championship 5000m.

The winner of the Club Italia award was Alessandro Lembo, from Riverwood, in New South Wales.

Lembo, who is autistic, was awarded the prize for publishing the children’s book Clap Your Hands While Learning the Italian Alphabet.

The prizes will be awarded during a ceremony on a date that has yet to be confirmed.