Year 9 student Bruce Ru is the first recipient of the Gold Certificate of Global Competency (CoGC) – Knox Grammar’s innovative credentialing program pioneered in 2021, which offers students the opportunity to challenge themselves and gain the courage and confidence to contribute to their school and community.
Students are able to log their participation and successes in a multitude of nominated events and activities. Different levels of involvement correspond to different levels of points. Each commitment is worth 10, 30 or 50 points, depending on the time commitment and activity.
Ms Margie Raymond, CoGC Co-ordinator, said Bruce had engaged in the program since its inception.
“Bruce’s commitment to many of the diverse domains and credentials needed to complete 800 points across the units of Agency and Entrepreneurship, Altruism and Advocacy, Responsible and Active Citizenship, Deep Learning and Agility is a testament to his character and skillset,” Ms Raymond says.
Bruce said he was attracted to participating in the CoGC as a way to explore his interests, contribute to the community and open up future career paths.
His completed tasks range from academic-related to music to sport to leadership and meet all four domains of the certificate.
Academically Bruce took part in Future Problem Solving, Debating, Model United Nations and da Vinci Decathlon. He is also a member of several student boards and as a violinist, Bruce is involved in numerous musical groups, through which he is able to perform at hospitals and aged care homes. Outside of school, he also uses physical activity as a means to perform charitable works.
“Aligning with the Knox value of Compassion, the CoGC places emphasis on using a student’s own skills to give back to society. By performing music at hospitals or aged-care homes and participating in charitable fun runs, I found my value as an individual who can have a positive impact,” he says.
Leaning into his love of music, Bruce takes courses at the Open Academy of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and engages in a variety of music competitions
“Through completing these activities and persistent logging throughout two years, I was able to achieve the Gold Certificate.”
The CoGC has been designed to equip students for life outside the gates of Knox, which Bruce recognises as a benefit of participation.
“The leadership, compassion, perseverance and global awareness gained from the certificate would allow me to be a responsible global citizen in the ever-changing world. The future workplace needs multidisciplinary people who can adapt to technology and have the willingness to tackle the world’s big issues such as Climate Change and Human Rights, the exact skills the certificate trains,” he says.
Click here to read more about the program.
26 November 2025
Knox students embarked on an unforgettable journey through the stunning landscapes of Central Australia, staying on traditional homelands and learning from Aboriginal peoples.
24 November 2025
It is with great sadness that we share the news of Mr Marsden Carr Hordern’s OAM, VRD, DLitt (Hon) (OKG39) passing. Aged 103, Marsden passed away in Sydney on 17 October 2025. Marsden – student 329 – was Knox Grammar School’s oldest known living Old Boy.
20 November 2025
Our Prep and Senior School students achieved outstanding results at the NSW VEX IQ State Championships on Sunday 9 November.
