Galston High School students Chloe Anjoul (Year 11) and Victoria Cullen (Year 12) were recently selected to participate in the Australian Olympic Change-Maker program. The program celebrates students who demonstrate the Olympic Spirit through leadership and driving positive change in their communities, and provides the opportunity to come together with other like-minded young people from around Australia who are making a difference in their school or community.
Hosted by the Australian Olympic Committee and held at Sydney University, Chloe and Victoria took part in a diverse program of events on Tuesday 10th September that included inspirational stories delivered by past and current Olympic athletes, trying new sports and learning about those who support athletes behind the scenes at the Australian Institute of Sport.
The day commenced with meeting students from as far afield as Ulladulla in the south, Dubbo in the west and Tweed Heads in the north.
“It is amazing how our love for sport, something we all have in common, can bring so many diverse people together,” said Victoria.
“After the formalities and introductions, we sat down and listened to the inspirational and funny stories told by the past and current Olympic athletes who were there. These included Brooke Hanson, competitor in Australian 100m breaststroke at the 2004 Athens Olympics; Katherine Bates, Australian track and road cyclist at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics; Hayden Smith, Australian bobsledder at the 2018 PyeongChang winter Olympics; Anneliese Rubie, Australian 400m sprinter at the 2016 Rio Olympics; and Josh Katz, Australian Judo competitor at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“From their stories, we learned many life lessons and received helpful tips that we can apply to our everyday lives, both within the school and the wider community. One of the key messages we took away is ‘it’s never too late to start.’”
AUSTRALIAN SCOUT MEDALLION FOR TEGAN
Galston High School student, Tegan Edwards (Tear 9) received the prestigious Australian Scout Medallion on 22nd September 2019 in a presentation attended by Scouts, family and friends from across New South Wales.
Tegan is a member of the 1st Dural Scout Group and is the first awardee for the group in well over a decade. The Australian Scout Medallion is the highest award earned by Scouts, achieved by only the top 5% of Scouts in Australia, and is given for displaying leadership, organisation, drive, determination, resilience and highlevel practical Scouting knowledge such as campcraft and hiking.
In her citation for the award, Tegan was acknowledged as follows:
“Tegan has been a vibrant and enthusiastic member of 1st Dural since she was a Joey Scout in 2010. From Joeys she progressed onto Cubs and attended Cuboree in 2014. During her Scouting journey, she has grown both in skills and leadership. She completed her Leadership Activity through planning, running and reviewing a three element, fun-filled base at the 2019 Cuborette.
“Tegan has methodically worked her way through every challenge she faced, and in her time as a Scout, Tegan attended the 2019 Australian Jamboree and has been an active participant in every camp and activity opportunity available. She led her Green Cord Patrol Hike to the Snowy Mountains in March 2019 and, despite facing an unexpected cold snap with snow and subzero temperatures, she supported them through the challenging conditions. Tegan’s bushcraft, camping and hiking skills are a testament to her passion for Scouting.
“Tegan has been an active supporter of other youth sections across the 1st Dural Group, assisting with many camps, community events and other activities as her leadership skills developed. She has worked hard to demonstrate Scouting values and live by the Scout Law. She is an inspiration to a new wave of young leaders across the 1st Dural Group.”
