CAMDEN Haven High School’s Inspire Choir has received the Mic Drop Award for Most Powerful Storytelling and Emotional Impact at the NSW Department of Education’s Public Education Awards at Sydney Town Hall on Monday 3 August.
The award recognised the school’s Inspire Choir video, selected from 263 entries statewide in the Department’s Inspiring Excellence Content Creator Competition.
You may have seen the moving video via the school’s social media.
If you haven’t, it is well worth hearing the story from the students involved.
Originally known as the OASIS Choir, the choir has been running for about 10 years.
In 2026, it became the Inspire Choir, aligning with the Department’s focus on developing student potential and talent, including within the creative domain.
Relieving Principal Deb Gilbert said the award was wonderful recognition, but the students remained the real winners.
“For us, the real story isn’t simply winning an award.
“It is what happens for our students through being part of the choir.
“They find a place to belong, an opportunity to express themselves and the confidence to let others see and hear them.
“Cristian Campano had the vision to capture that story, and we are incredibly proud that it connected so powerfully with others.”
CHHS Community Liaison and School Learning Support Officer Cristian Campano conducts the choir.
“It has been brilliant to see a bunch of kids, some of whom were too shy to sing, some with social anxiety, and some struggling with confidence go full circle and stand proudly and sing loudly next to their choir team-mates in front of hundreds of people,” said Mr Campano.
“Inspire Choir is less about being the pitch-perfect singer and more about teamwork, communication, resilience building and learning to support each other.
“Above all singing is an amazing way to trigger and release all the natural feel-good chemicals in our brains like Oxytocin, Endorphins and Dopamine.
“ Every rehearsal and every show is uplifting, promoting positive mental health and is super-beneficial for us all. We are left positively buzzing after every choir session.”
The school also acknowledged Head Teacher Wellbeing Rob Schouten for his long-standing support of the choir; guitar accompanist, Jimmy Hincliffe, for his continued musical support; and Kim Gilbert, for contributing video footage to the award-winning production.
By Pauline CAIN
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