The prestigious title of AWARD School 2024 National Top Student has been awarded to Sarah Cassell, marking a significant milestone in her creative journey. The announcement was made at The Gold Pencil Award Party, hosted at This Way Up at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. This annual event celebrates the year’s most outstanding creative work and the brightest new talent in the industry.
Sarah was selected from a competitive pool of over 200 students from across the Asia Pacific region. Her exceptional creativity earned her the coveted AWARD School Black Pencil, along with recognition as the national winner of the Outdoor/Poster brief. Her winning work stood out for its simplicity and visually striking execution.
The event also highlighted state finalists who had made their mark in the program. These included Brooke Wiggins from New South Wales, Jess Gough from Victoria, Harrison Coates from Queensland, Albert Hopkins from South Australia, and Dominique Powe, who led the AWARD School’s online program. Their creative submissions can be viewed on the AWARD School website.
In addition to Sarah’s accolades, other 2024 national brief winners were recognized for their outstanding work. Montana Hein claimed the top spot for Film/TVC, Spencer O’Connor won for Audio, and Anna Kikuno O’Leary was honored for her innovative response to the Social Media brief.
Mandie van der Merwe, AWARD Chair and Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, lauded all the state and brief winners, with special praise for Sarah’s exceptional portfolio.
“Congratulations to each of you. The judges were particularly impressed with Sarah’s creative thinking across every brief. Her work was not only strategic but also consistently unexpected and surprising—qualities that truly set her apart.
“Sarah’s portfolio was filled with flashes of brilliance and lateral thinking, making her the clear and deserving choice for the 2024 National Top Student award,” van der Merwe noted.
AWARD and Advertising Council Australia extend their gratitude to this year’s school heads, tutors, and speakers for their unwavering support in making the AWARD School program a success. A special thanks go to this year’s sponsors—Meta, AWARD School’s principal partner for the seventh consecutive year, as well as Nine, OMA, and CRA for their invaluable support of this year’s creative briefs and the next generation of creative talent.