MYA Winners
Click here to return to the main Mayoral Youth Award page.
MAYORAL YOUTH AWARD
The Mayoral Young Potential Award program has recently been replaced by the new and improved Mayoral Youth Award. This award is designed to recognise and promote the positive achievements of young people in Wyndham. Each quarter a grant of $500 will be awarded to three young people (aged 12 – 25 years) who have been judged to have made significant achievements in the areas of;
- Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership
- Music, Arts & Culture
- Sport
All applications are assessed by a panel of judges, including the Mayor, the Youth Planner, a representative from the Youth Services team and a member of Wyndham’s Youth Task Force. As previously stated, the winner of each category will receive $500 to put towards their future endeavours.
SEPTEMBER QUARTER 2009
The winners of the Mayoral Youth Award for the September quarter are as follows:
Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership – Storm Robbins
Storm is 19 years old and lives in Wyndham Vale. Storm is a young man with Cerebel Palsy who has challenged himself to strive for independence and community acceptance. Storm is a member of the Toast Masters Werribee and is a very keen public speaker.
Storm’s passion is to advocate within the community, specialising in disability services. In 2008 Storm’s strengths and abilities were recognised as recipient of the Merlyn Myer Youth Leadership Award.
In addition to his voluntary work, Storm is a Geelong football supporter and enjoys health and recreation activities. He currently is employed part time at Fenix Fitness in an administration/reception role.
Storm aims to complete a certificate 4 in Youth Services at Gordon Institute and will use the $500 to assist him with the transition from secondary school to TAFE. His ultimate goal is to work in the youth services sector.
Sport – Niua Puaka
Niua is 15 years old and is a student at The Grange Secondary College. Niua is being recognised for his achievements in the sport of Rugby Union.
Niua is a member of the Wyndham Rugby Union Rhinos team. He has represented Victoria for the past 4 years and has been selected to participate in the Victorian Development Squad. In 2009 Niua received a 3 year scholarship to St Kevin’s College, which will commence at the beginning of next year.
This year Niua has been selected for the Victorian School boys for the European Tour which is to be held late November.
Niua maintains a strict personal training regime, which includes speed and endurance as well as weights and general conditioning. His ultimate goal is to represent Australia in the future.
When Niua is not playing Rugby Union, he enjoys playing drums at his local church.
Niua intends to use the $500 to assist with some of the costs associated with competing in the 2009 European Under 16’s tour.
Music- Remorse
Remorse is a dance group of 9 young people who been dancing together for the last year. Remorse is being recognised for their achievements in music and performance.
In this short time Remorse have demonstrated that they are talented having placed 5th at the Get Krumped hip hop dance competition and 4th at the Groove State Finals. Through their achievements Remorse have been offered a wild card entry to compete at the World Supremacy Battleground where they will be competing against 12 Countries in late November.
Remorse also perform locally having recently appeared at the Moon Vibes Festival and Wyndham City Council’s YouthFest.
The group trains 3 days a week and teach dancing styles to young people in the community. Members are keen for other young people to join their crew and would like to take hip hop to the next level.
Being involved in Remorse has been significant turning point for all of the members. It has allowed them to make positive changes in their lives and given them another avenue through which to express their emotions in a positive and constructive way. Their goal is to see other young people’s lives changed in a positive way by encouraging them to express their feelings through dance.
Summary
Storm, Niua and the Remorse Crew are all outstanding young people, who have made significant contributions to the community. They have worked hard to excel within their chosen fields of endeavour and are deserving winners of the Mayoral Youth Award.
They have been presented with their awards at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Monday 16 November.
JUNE QUARTER 2009
Due to the outstanding nature of the applications, two sporting awards have been awarded in the current round.
The winners of the Mayoral Youth Award for the June quarter are as follows;
Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership – Jarryd Phipps
Jarryd is 18 years old and lives in Hoppers Crossing. Jarryd is a young man with Down Syndrome who has challenged himself to strive for independence and community acceptance. Jarryd regularly volunteers at the Youth Resource Centre and has become a valued member of the Youth Services team. Jarryd especially enjoys assisting with the ‘Just for Guys’ and ‘Breakaway’ programs. He also helps out with a number of administrative tasks, including mail-outs and filing, as required.
During National Volunteer Week, Jarryd was featured in a number of local papers and his story has helped to inspire other Wyndham residents to register as council volunteers. According to Wyndham City Council’s Youth Services Leader, Dianne Snowden, Jarryd is an inspiration. “He helps with setting up, cooking, cleaning and playing with the kids. He brings plenty of joy and enthusiasm and is a delight to be around”.
In addition to his voluntary work, Jarryd’s hobbies include listening to music, tenpin bowling, socialising with friends and watching AFL. Jarryd is keen Carlton supporter, although he does has a soft spot for the Bombers.
Jarryd is interested in furthering his studies at TAFE in Footscray and will use the $500 to assist him in this process. Jarryd’s ultimate goal is to find permanent employment.
Sport – Evander Jackson
Evander is 16 years old and is a student at Galvin Park Secondary College. Evander is being recognised for his achievements in the sport of Rugby League.
In 2007 and 2008 Evander was selected to represent Victoria at the National Secondary Schools Rugby League under 15’s tournament. This year Evander was selected to compete in the 18’s tournament. This is to be held in Newcastle during July. Evander has also been selected to participate in the Melbourne Storm under 17’s Development Squad.
Evander maintains a strict personal training regime, which includes speed and endurance as well as weights and general conditioning. His ultimate goal is to play for the Melbourne Storm in the NRL.
When he is not playing Rugby, Evander is a keen musician. He also collects comics and is a member of the Melbourne Niuean Ekelasia Church Group.
Evander intends to use the $500 to assist with some of the costs associated with competing in the 2009 National Under 18’s Rugby Championships.
Sport – Karlene Pircher
Karlene is being recognised for her outstanding achievements in swimming. Karlene is a member of the Werribee Sharks, where she has enjoyed an inordinate level of success.
Karlene was just 10 years old when she was first selected to participate in the Australian Open National Championships, making her the youngest swimmer ever to compete. Indeed Karlene’s hero, Leisel Jones, wasn’t selected to participate in Nationals until she was 13 years of age. Earlier this year, Karlene was once again the youngest swimmer to compete at the Australian Open Championships in Sydney, where she finished 26th out of 42 swimmers in her favourite event, the 200 metre breaststroke.
Last December Karlene was selected to represent Victoria in the Pacific School Games, where she won three medals, including two gold and one bronze. Karlene is currently the reigning record holder in both the 50 metre Breaststroke and Medley Relay.
In April Karlene qualified to compete in four events at the Australian Age Championships in Sydney. Karlene came 2nd in the 200 metre and 4th in the 100 metre breaststroke.
Karlene’s ultimate goal is to swim the 200 metre breaststroke, at the London Olympics in 2012. Karlene will use her $500 to assist with some of her travelling expenses.
When she is not in the pool, Karlene is a Year 7 student at Westbourne Grammar where she is a keen participant in the junior school musical, environmental group, school choir, concert choir, basketball, football, cross country and tchoukball teams.
Jarryd, Evander and Karlene are all outstanding young people, who have made significant contributions to the community. They have worked hard to excel within their chosen fields of endeavour and are deserving winners of the Mayoral Youth Award.
They were presented with their awards at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Monday 17th August.
MARCH QUARTER 2009
The winners of the Mayoral Youth Award for the March quarter are as follows:
Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership – Rosalind McFadyen
Rosalind is 16 years old and lives in Little River. She is an avid animal lover and is being recognised for her achievements in the field of community service, volunteering and leadership.
In 2007 Rosalind designed and produced a calendar, which featured her drawings of dogs. Sales of the calendar raised in excess of $14,000. Rosalind donated $10,000 to the Jurrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary in order to build a new hospital for injured wildlife. The hospital has since been named “Rosalind’s Animal Recovery Centre” or “Rosalind’s A.R.C.” The remaining funds were shared between the RSPCA, Lort Smith Animal Hospital, Geelong Animal Welfare and Assistance Dogs Australia.
Rosalind is a qualified wildlife carer and is currently caring for possums that were injured in the Victorian Bushfire Crisis. She is also undertaking two online TAFE animal courses and was recently awarded an honorary Veterinary Degree from Dr Katrina Warren.
In addition to her interest in animals, Rosalind is passionate about the natural environment. She was recently involved in the design of an Indigenous garden and frog pond, in order to encourage and support endangered amphibians.
Rosalind plans to donate her $500 to an animal welfare organisation. She is currently working towards having Pet Therapy introduced for patients at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Music, Arts and Culture – Azizah Anasril
Azizah is a Year 7 student at Al Taqwa College. She is being acknowledged for her contribution in the area of Indonesian cultural dance.
Azizah has been performing Indonesian cultural dances since the age of six. She has performed at numerous festivals and events including Moomba and Weerama, as well as the recent Australia Day parade. Azizah was also selected to perform at the Indonesian consulates in both Melbourne and Sydney, where she was officially recognised as being able to represent the Indonesian culture to the Australian public through dance. A number of Azizah’s performances have been broadcast on SBS and Channel 31.
Azizah dreams of becoming a professional Indonesian dancer and would like to perform overseas. She plans to open her own Indonesian dance school, which will enable members of the Australian public to learn and participate in Indonesian cultural dance.
In addition to dancing, Azizah also enjoys playing basketball, writing poetry and listening to music.
Azizah intends to use the $500 to purchase a laptop, which will give her the ability to research the latest dance techniques and to communicate with other Indonesian dancers around the world.
Sport – Michael McCarthy
Michael is being recognised for his outstanding achievements in sport. At just 14 years of age, Michael has been selected to represent Victoria in both swimming and water polo.
Michael is extremely committed to his success and maintains a strict training regime. He wakes up every morning at 4:20am in order to be at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre by 5:00am. After training Michael goes to school, but is back in the pool by 4:15pm. Michael completes at least nine swimming sessions, three gym sessions and two water polo sessions every week.
Michael has achieved the following as a result of his hard work in 2008:
· Gold medals in the Under 14 100 & 200 metre breaststroke events at the State Championships;
· Silver medals in the Under 14 400 metre freestyle and 50 metre breaststroke events at the State Championships;
· Silver medal in the Under 14 National Water Polo Championships; and
· Finished 4th in the 200 metre breaststroke event at the National Swimming Championships.
Michael was also selected to participate in the Target 2012 Silver Squad, with the specific goal of swimming at the London Olympics in 2012.
When he is not in the pool, Michael enjoys music. He plays the cello, saxophone, bass guitar and piano. He is also a keen supporter of the North Melbourne Football Club.
Michael is hoping to be selected to the Victorian Institute of Sport. His ultimate goal is to represent Australia in both swimming and water polo at an Olympic level.
Summary
Rosalind, Azizah and Michael are all outstanding young people who have made significant contributions to the community. They have worked hard to excel within their chosen fields of endeavour and are deserving winners of the Mayoral Youth Award.
They were presented with their awards at the Ordinary Council Meeting on Monday 25 May 2009.
Young Achiever of the Year
Nathanael Gilbert
2009 Young Achiever of the Year
Wyndham's Young Achiever of the Year for 2009 is Nathanael Gilbert.
Nathanael is being recognised for his contribution to the Wyndham Community, in particular the establishment of a local Street-Ball Basketball competition.
Nathanael developed this program in order to create a fun, safe and free recreational opportunity for local youth, aged between 12-25 years. Each week up to 15 young people attend the Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre in order to participate in Street-Ball.
Many of the participants are from Culturally & Linguistically Diverse communities. Not only does Nathanael’s program help them to improve their basketball proficiency, but it also encourages them to develop strong and lasting friendships with other local young people.
In addition to the Street-Ball program, Nathanael regularly volunteers at the Edmund Rice Foundation, where he provides homework assistance to a number of newly-arrived young people.
For the past three years, he has also volunteered on several youth programs through the Werribee Church of Christ.
Nathanael’s ultimate goal is to become a positive male role model for young people in Wyndham. He is a qualified Personal Trainer and has completed a Bachelor of Exercise Science.
Nathanael would like to use this knowledge to work with young people in the Wyndham community on a full-time basis.
Wyndham City Council and the staff of the Youth Resource Centre congratulate Nathanael on his extraordinary achievements.
DECEMBER QUARTER 2008
The winners of the Mayoral Youth Award for the December quarter are as follows;
Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership
Nathanael Gilbert
Nathanael is being acknowledged for his contributions to the Wyndham community, in particular the establishment of a local Street-Ball Basketball program.
In developing this program, Nathanael was able to create a fun and safe activity for local young people between the ages of 12 - 25. Each week up to 15 young people attend the Werribee Sports and Fitness Centre in order to participate in Street-Ball. Not only does the program help participants to improve their basketball proficiency, but it also encourages them to develop strong and lasting friendships with other local youth.
In order to make the program free for participants, Nathanael was successful in securing a small grant from the YMCA. He does, however, pay for some of the program cost out of his own pocket. Nathanael will therefore use the $500 to cover some of the court-hire fees and other associated expenses.
In addition to the Street-Ball program, Nathanael regularly volunteers at the Edmund Rice Foundation, where he provides homework assistance to a number of newly-arrived young people. For the past three years, he has also volunteered on several youth programs through the Werribee Church of Christ.
Nathanael’s ultimate goal is to be a positive male role model for young people in Wyndham. He would like to work with young people in the Wyndham community on a full-time basis.
Music, Arts and Culture
Emylee Ephraums
Emylee is a Year 10 student at Heathdale Christian College. She is being acknowledged for her achievements in music.
Emylee is a gifted singer who has successfully competed in many local singing competitions. Some of Emylee’s recent accomplishments include;
- Wyndham Cultural Awards Winner 2008
- Teen Idol Australia Grand Finalist 2008
- Melton Idol Winner 2008
- Weerama Young Idol – 3rd Place Recipient 2007, 2008
- Highpoint Star Search Semi-Finalist 2008
In addition to her singing, Emylee also dances, writes music, plays the piano and is now teaching herself how to play the guitar. Emylee dreams of becoming an accomplished and versatile performer and she looks forward to being able to share her talents with the wider community.
Emylee plans to use for the $500 for professional guitar lessons.
Sport
Brooke Olsen
Brooke has recently completed her Victorian Certificate of Education at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College. Brooke has been nominated for her outstanding achievements in the sport of Karate.
Over the past several years, Brooke has competed in many state, national and international tournaments. In 2008 she was selected to represent Australia in the Oceania games. She also competed in Japan, where she received one gold and two silver medals in the Shukokai Goodwill International Championships.
Brooke maintains a strict fitness regime, waking up every morning at 6:00am to run five kilometres. She also trains six days per week, including two sessions in Brunswick with the Australian squad.
Brooke’s ultimate goal is to represent Australia in the upcoming World Championships. She will use the $500 grant to pay for some of her travel and equipment costs.
Nathanael, Emylee and Brooke are all outstanding young people, who have made significant contributions to the Wyndham community. They have worked hard to excel within their chosen fields of endeavour and are deserving winners of the Mayoral Youth Award. Each of their applications will automatically be entered into contention for Wyndham’s Young Achiever of the Year.
SEPTEMBER QUARTER 2008
The inaugural winners of the Mayoral Youth Award are as follows;
Community Service, Volunteering and Leadership
Matthew Biles
Matthew is a Year 11 student at The Grange and was nominated for his outstanding work with St John Ambulance.
As a Sergeant with St John, Matthew’s duties are many and varied. Since the age of 11, he has completed over 500 volunteer hours for the organisation at events such as polo, equestrian, motor cross, AFL football, concerts, craft markets and school events. Recently he was involved in the resuscitation of a heart attack patient at Telstra Dome.
In 2007 Matthew was named as the St John Cadet of the Year. He has also achieved success in both local and state competitions. Next February, Matthew will travel to Canberra to represent Victoria in the national trials. He intends to spend his $500 grant on accommodation and travel expenses so that his parents can also attend. If possible, Matthew would also like to purchase his own first aid kit.
Matthew intends to continue volunteering for St John Ambulance and hopes to become an officer at state level. After Year 12, Matthew would like to pursue a career as a medical practitioner or paramedic.
Music, Arts and Culture
Alex Rosso
Alex is a Year 11 student at MacKillop College and is being acknowledged for his contribution to the arts, particularly in the field of music, and his volunteerism in the musical/entertainment field.
Much of Alex’s time is spent performing with his band, ‘Boyracer’ (formerly Boyz). For the past five years he has also been actively involved in MacKillop’s school musicals, taking on a number of leading roles. Alex regularly volunteers his time and has performed at many public events and fundraisers for groups such as the St Andrews Youth Choir, Relay for Life, Werribee Mercy Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital and Weerama.
Alex’s talents extend well beyond singing. Not only does he write his own music, but Alex also plays the drums and is a keen guitarist. He displays strong leadership qualities, having been elected Class Captain and to the Student Representative Council at MacKillop College.
Alex plans to put his $500 grant towards vocal training and purchasing a PA system.
Alex hopes to go to the Victorian College of the Arts to obtain a Bachelor of Music. He will also continue to perform and record music with ‘Boyracer’ and hopes to one day set up a recording studio in the Werribee area.
Sport
Tayla Brown
Tayla is 17 years old and also attends MacKillop College. Tayla is being acknowledged for her achievements in the sport of Taekwondo.
As a member of the Taekwondo Academy in Point Cook, Tayla has competed in numerous state, national and international tournaments. Indeed earlier this year, she was selected to represent Australia at the Junior World Championships in Turkey. Tayla’s ultimate goal is to compete in the 2012 London Olympics and the next Taekwondo Senior World Championships in 2010.
Tayla is extremely dedicated to her sport and maintains a strict training regime. She will use the $500 grant to travel to Canberra to participate in a selection tournament that will allow her to fight in the Commonwealth Championships in Canada.
Matthew, Alex and Tayla are outstanding young people, who have worked hard to excel within their chosen fields of endeavour. They are all deserving winners of the Mayoral Youth Award and as a result their applications will automatically go into contention for Young Achiever of the Year.
These young people were presented with their cheques/certificates at the ordinary council meeting on Monday 10th November 2008.
June 2008
Cassie Staudinger
Cassie Staudinger has been recognised for her achievements and potential in the field of tenpin bowling and is the successful applicant for the month of June 2008. She has received a $500 grant to put towards her endeavours.
Having bowled for eight years, Cassie has become a regular at Werribee SuperBowl. She was a founding member of the Werribee SuperBowl Development Squad program and currently participates in the Twilight League.
At the age of 21, Cassie has represented her region, state and nation in tenpin bowling competitions around the country and the world.
She has represented Australia on a number of occasions in both the World Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships and the Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships where she has won a string of medals including gold in doubles and team events and bronze in singles.
Cassie has recently returned from the USA where she competed in the 2008 World Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships and placed in the top 50 tenpin bowlers in the world.
Currently studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in Nutrition Food and Health Science Cassie intends to work in this field in the future, as well as to bowl professionally and compete in Europe and the USA.
Cassie’s numerous achievements demonstrate her talent in this field and potential to continue achieving into the future.
May 2008
Ty Priest
Ty Priest was the successful applicant for the month of May 2008 and has received the $500 to put towards his endeavours.
Ty has been recognised for his achievements in the field of Softball. Ty has played for the Werribee Softball Association for over 9 years. From this local team, he has gained the skills that have allowed him to go on to play this sport at a national and international level.
Ty captained one of the two Australian teams that competed in the International 2007 Youth Men’s Friendship Series. The team secured the title and Ty won the ‘Most Valuable Player’ award. He has also played in international test series against New Zealand in which he has won a Batting and Most Valuable Player award.
As a result of his great achievements, Ty has been selected to participate in the International Softball Federation’s Junior Men’s World Championship – an even that is held every four years. He is one of only two Victorians to have been selected to represent Australia in the under 19 men’s team. The Championship is currently underway in Canada and as a result Ty is unable to attend the meeting to be presented with his certificate and cheque.
The grant money will be used to help cover the expenses associated with playing softball at this high level.
April 2008
Jamie Cooke
Jamie Cooke is the successful applicant for the month of April 2008 and has received the $500 grant to put towards his endeavours.
Jamie is an active member of the Wyndham community and has a keen interest and flare for event management. He has been a member of Council’s FReeZA Committee – Infinite Entertainment – for three years. As one of the more senior members of this committee Jamie plays a leading role in the group and helps organise local music events.
Involvement in the local FReeZA Committee has allowed Jamie to participate in state-wide training through the Office for Youth, including a year long mentoring program.
He is also an active member of a non-profit, state-wide youth entertainment organisation – ‘the Push’. As a member of the Push, Jamie has been involved in the organisation of larger events including the Big Day Out, New Years Eve at Federation Square in the city and Pushover.
Jamie himself is musician and has played the drums for over eight years. He has also been a presenter on the local radio station – Wyn FM – for the last six months.
In the future, Jamie hopes to start his own event management company and be involved in organising large music events as well as youth and charity concerts.
Jamie plans to put the money from the grant towards the purchase of a laptop which will assist him with the organisation of events.
At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 19 May 2008 the Mayor made the presentation of the cheque and certificate.
March 2008
James Duvcevski
James Duvcevski was the successful applicant for the month of March 2008 and has received the $500 grant to put towards his endeavours.
James has been playing soccer since he was 9 years old. Now 17, he has developed into a talented player and currently plays with a Premier League Club, which is the highest level of competition in the state.
In recent years James has demonstrated his ability to play at a consistently high level playing at state and international levels and captaining state teams in consecutive years.
Soccer has taken James to New Zealand, Germany, Macedonia and most recently, to the United Kingdom where he represented the country in the Australian School Boys soccer team.
In his off season, James coaches younger players and has qualified for his junior coaching licence. He also enjoys swimming, running and skiing.
James aspires to represent Australia one day in the World Cup and will use the money from this grant to have professional coaching to help him reach his goal.
At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 19 May 2008 the Mayor made the presentation of the cheque and certificate.
February 2008
Michael Cameron
Michael Cameron was the successful applicant for the month of February 2008 and has received the $500 grant to put towards his endeavours.
Michael has been recognised for his accomplishments in motorcycle racing. He has achieved a string of successes in this area and has competed at club, regional, state and national levels. In 2007 Michael competed with the best juniors from Australia and New Zealand in the Oceania Motocross Championship.
Michael has been racing for four years and is a member of both Barrabool and Bacchus Marsh clubs. In 2007 Michael was active in advocating to save the Barrabool motocross track which was faced with being taken over by developers, appearing in local media and on Channel 31 for the cause. He is also a volunteer with the Truganina CFA.
In the future Michael hopes to become an accredited coach with Motorcycling Australia, in the meantime he will use the grant money to pay for professional coaching for himself as he moves from the juniors to the senior competition.
At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on Monday 21 April 2008 the Mayor has made the presentation of the cheque and certificate.
January 2008
Andrew Erzen
Andrew Erzen was the successful applicant for the month of January 2008 and has received the $500 grant to put towards his endeavours.
Andrew has been recognised for his outstanding achievements in the field of ice hockey. His sporting achievements demonstrate an ability to play at a consistently high level. In 2004 Andrew was part of an Australia in-line hockey team that competed in Canada and this year he traveled to Serbia to represent Australia at the 2008 International Junior Ice Hockey World Championships.
After competing at an international level this year Andrew traveled to Slovenia to visit family and was given the opportunity to play ice hockey there. His performance has resulted in an offer to play for the Slovenia National Team which Andrew has accepted and will begin playing when the season kicks off in a couple of months.
As a result, he was unable to attend the Council Meeting to be represented with his cheque and certificate by the Mayor. These have been forwarded to his family to pass on to Andrew.