“It gives me great pleasure to announce to the College and present the recipient of the ‘Lewis Derrico Young OP Achievement award’ for 2025 to Old Paradian, James Gilliland.

The award was founded by the OPA in 2023 to commemorate the memory of Lewis Derrico, College Captain 1974, former teacher at the College and driving force in the reestablishment of the OPA serving as President from 2009-2021. Lewis was an outstanding and very proud Old Paradian, inducted as a Tenete Award winner, the highest esteem the Association can bestow upon an Old Collegian. Lewis passed away in December 2022.

Special welcome today to Lewis’s wife Ana and their children Louisa, Rachel and Daniel.

An important part of what the OPA does is to look towards opportunities to recognise achievement through our awards program.

The OPA Awards Committee unanimously recommended James Gilliland to be the recipient of the Lewis OPA Young Achiever Award for 2025.

Special welcome to James’s wife Jane, mother Linda and her partner Jerome and James’s Aunt Sue and Uncle, former staff member John Ramsdale.

It is also great to see last year’s and first recipient of the Award, Michael Donato here today with his family.

The criteria for the award includes: That the recipient displays an outstanding contribution to professional, personal and working life; Further the recipient has achieved outstanding academic results and /or innovation, invention or initiative in a community-based project or employment.

James, you meet this criterion in spades.

James completed his VCE at the College in 2007. He is the great grandson of a proud Yorta Yorta man. He would be the first to admit that his school experience was challenging, particularly through the Years 7-10 where he found it difficult to focus. James always an interest in design but perhaps unsure how it might be used or where it might take him. But through the support and encouragement of his family and as I understand, a significant other, here at the College, and an encouraging architect, it was through this connection that he created a potential career path which gave him some real focus and goals during his VCE years.

He accepted a place at RMIT to study a Batchelor of Architecture and quickly found his passion. James worked as a Part-time junior carpenter throughout his degree that gave him some additional insights into building design and I’m sure some important income!

He has made his way in the industry starting in a small firm specialising in high rise construction.

James really hit his professional straps with a move to Clarke Hopkins Clarke Architecture where he is now a highly respected senior architect and project leader in its multi residential team. His experience and expertise have grown in indigenous social housing and community facilities and diverse residential and hospitality projects. He has really found his niche. James is working collaboratively to reimagine environmentally sustainable design sensitive to first nations principles. His passion and abilities have led to him being recognised as an award winner in quality and innovation across the urban development industry and the Property Council of Australia innovation and excellence award.

James completed a master’s degree in architecture and combines his professional responsibilities to work with RMIT Design students and Deakin University. He is an also an active member of his local CFA.

James, we at Parade and the OPA are proud of your achievements. You have shown great resilience and determination to carve out an excellent career and you are making a difference in a vitally important space in Australia.

You are a most worth recipient of the Lewis Derrico OPA Young Achiever Award.

I would like to invite you to come forward to accept your award and speak to the assembly and ask Mrs Ana Derrico to present you with your award. Congratulations James!”

"I’d like to extend my gratitude to the Old Paradians’ Association committee for this award and to the Derrico family. It is a great honour to stand before you today as the recipient of the Lewis Derrico Young Old Paradian Achievement Award.

I know that no achievement is ever made alone. This award is not just a recognition of my journey—it is a reflection of the collective effort of those who have supported me along the way. To my family, friends, and staff in this very room, I am forever grateful for your patience and belief in my potential.

I must admit, early schooling was never easy for me due to some of my behavioural issues. I attended multiple primary schools, constantly adapting to new environments, new teachers, and new classmates.

During high school I became familiar with being called to the principal’s office, Friday and Saturday morning detentions, and even the odd suspension. Parade College gave me many chances, and for that, I’m truly grateful.

At the time, I didn’t think it would be possible to achieve my dream. In fact, I wasn’t even sure what my dream was. The thought of a purely academic environment like university was off-putting, so we started looking at other options like completing a trade or joining the police force.

It felt like everyone around me had a plan, but I was just trying to get by. There wasn’t a long history in my family of higher education or professional careers. At times I felt inadequate, not good enough, and my self-confidence during my teenage years was average at best.

At Parade, I ended up in a program for ‘naughty boys.’ But deep down, my biggest fear wasn’t punishment—it was failure. That fear drove me.

Feeling like I wasn’t enough, that I didn’t belong, became my biggest motivator.

I always had an interest in sketching, in design, in the way things were put together. My teachers saw my potential, and their feedback was always the same: “If only you applied yourself more.” But instead, I invested my energy into doing dumb things. If you left your textbook open, you could guarantee that when you returned, someone had drawn something inappropriate in it.

Sport was my escape at Parade. I loved it—the competition, the camaraderie, the people I played with. It was the best standard of sport I had ever played. And looking back, Parade gave me something even bigger than that—a sense of community.

To this day, I still bump into old teachers and classmates, whether it’s across a boardroom table or just walking down Brunswick Street, and there’s an instant connection. Parade also opened my eyes to different cultures, different backgrounds, and different ways of seeing the world. It made me realise that I didn’t have to fit into a box.

Now, in my role as an associate architect at Clarke Hopkins Clarke, I work with some of the wealthiest people in Australia. And I can tell you—money doesn’t guarantee happiness. I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve watched people who have everything and still feel empty.

Meanwhile, I sacrificed five years at university, then another two and a half before I could sit for my architectural registration, starting on a base wage of $43,000. And yet, I wouldn’t trade my path for anything.

The world of architecture has its stereotypes. People expect you to fit a certain mould, but I’ve learned that you can make it your own. My career has taken me across many different project types—from highrise towers and large mixed-use precincts to Indigenous social housing and community facilities.

Some of the most rewarding work I do now involves collaborating with First Nations Communities and Aboriginal Land Councils, as well as engaging with students who are just starting out on their own paths.

For any students in the crowd, know that architects have a privileged position, and it could be a career path for you. Architects shape the lives and health of people, and habitats. And with that privilege comes a responsibility—to ensure we are changing things for the better.

Another significant part of my life has been volunteering as a firefighter with the Country Fire Authority over the last four years.

Being part of something bigger than myself has been an incredibly humbling experience.

The teamwork, the resilience, and the dedication required in firefighting have provided me with immense personal growth. It has reinforced the importance of service, of looking out for one another, and of working towards a common goal.

There is nothing more grounding than standing shoulder to shoulder with a team, facing challenges head-on, and knowing that what you do makes a real difference in people’s lives.

More than anything, I’ve realised that you can design your perfect life—you just have to find something worth working towards.

Whenever I don’t have something to strive for, my well-being suffers. That drive, that constant push forward, is what has kept me going. So, my parting message is this: No matter who you are, you are capable of great things. There is always another pathway to your goal if you stay resilient and ride the bumps of life.

I understand how valuable it is to have a mentor, and if any of you ever want to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your teachers can pass on my details, and I’d be happy to chat and offer any guidance or support.

Thank you all, and I wish you the very best in your studies and beyond."