Youth

Over the past week, two delightful Lions Exchange Students have been making their home in Nhill as part of their month-long visit to Australia ... although it is a privilege to show visitors such as Alia Mostert and Sara Kuntner our country, it is actually a "double blessing" ... It has been a joy to learn about their home countries, but it is especially rewarding to view our homeland through new eyes.  

Students from Boort District School, Charlton College, Donald High School, East Loddon P-12 College, Pyramid Hill College, St. Arnaud Secondary College, Wedderburn College and Wycheproof P-12 College attended the North Central Trade Training Centre (NCTTC) in Charlton to sample the VET subjects available to study in 2024.

An unstoppable student duo from Cunnamulla State School has achieved a resounding victory for their community and culture, securing 1st place at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Programs (ASTIAP) Queensland State Finals ... Charli Pender, 16 and Heidi Jones, 15 ... collaborated on a painting representing the equity and excellence of First Nations’ students. The deadly award-winning artwork will now feature on the competition shirts next year.

Regional townships have a huge advantage over big cities in an ability to authentically inject a sense of connection and inclusion into the community ... when people know their family history, you will hear stories of enterprise, resilience, perseverance and bravery, which help fuel a sense of pride and family identity ... the research is quite clear. Children who know their family history have a sense of belonging, and in turn are more resilient.

The author of a book about a young girl growing up beside the Murray River during The Great Depression is coming to Corryong to talk about her work. Cathy Hope’s book ‘Murray River Girl’ is a true story about Roma, the daughter of a swagman and shearer’s cook, who lived in a makeshift tent beside the river until she was eleven years old.

Independent Member for Murray Mrs Helen Dalton joined staff and students at Yanco Agricultural High School last week to celebrate what has been a long and hard fought battle, the start of works for the girls dorm upgrades at the school. "For two decades the National Party did nothing about this issue allowing boarders to live in a sub-standard, Nauru-like detention centre like conditions": Independent Member for Murray Mrs Helen Dalton.

A record number of young cattle handlers from around Australia and New Zealand converged on Parkes for a packed program of learning new skills, competing and forming lifelong friendships at the Herefords Australia National Youth Expo ... the expo drew a record 143 young handlers aged from five to 25 from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and a team from New Zealand Herefords.

On Saturday 8th July a small group of Nhill Auskick registered kids were invited to play at Marvel Stadium; during the halftime match between St Kilda and Melbourne ... Every child was smiling and playing just like their adult idols and you could see the determination on their faces to mark, collect and control the ball and kick to their teammates.

“When our children come to us, and we’re available, we are there, and we’re listening, and it could just be just 30 seconds, it could be something very important they want to tell us, then stop and listen, send that message that we are available.” These thoughts come to a town that spends a great deal of time talking about a cohort of children, different ones from year to year but always around 50 to 120 of them, out in the streets at night, breaking into homes and businesses, trashing, stealing cars, torching some.

Blake Lee. Almost 120 young people from across Victoria attended the Y’s (formerly YMCA) Victorian Youth Parliament Week, held from June 25-30. Representing regions right across the state, 20 teams of six Youth Parliamentarians aged 16-25, worked together to develop a bill on an issue relevant to their lives. These bills were created with the help of volunteer Taskforce members, and then debated in Victoria’s Parliament House.

A frustrated Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter will write to Queensland Child Safety Minister Craig Crawford, as well as the Parliament’s bipartisan Community Services and Safety Committee, calling for a sweeping inquiry into the State’s broken “resi-care” program ... “Resi-care is a complete disaster, and is failing not only the kids unfortunate enough to be lumped in with the arrangement but also the workers who staff the programs and the broader community": Robbie Katter.

Two buses and a small truck are carrying the 70-member Sydney Youth Orchestra and an ensemble of assistants on a 10 day – 6 town tour, beginning in Dubbo, then Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Mildura, Deniliquin and finally Cowra.

Shane Grover. On Tuesday 20th June 2023 Nhill Golf Club hosted the Golf Australia Nhill Primary School Tournament ... 30 students were selected by travelling Golf Pro Tony Collier from Dimboola Primary, St. Peters Dimboola, Nhill Lutheran, St. Patrick's Nhill and Nhill College.

AgriFutures Australia is proud to announce the release of its latest report: "Listen up: Young people’s perspective on the future of Australian agriculture and rural industries" – a compilation of thought-provoking perspectives and provocations from the future leaders of the agriculture sector ... The report highlights the crucial role that young people play in shaping the future of Australian agriculture and emphasises the need for industry and government to invest in, listen to and collaborate with this vital demographic.

Fin Hansen. Five Yorke Peninsula families have been caught up in a review of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Network (Adelaide) cochlear implant program. The independent review was commissioned by the state government in March after an internal audit found 30 of 117 children in the program had experienced potential implant mapping issues.

“Freeriding is an extreme, high speed, aggressive sport. It's all about big mountains and steep slopes. To me, it's far more interesting than snowboarding down the same run over and over again. Where’s the challenge in that? In freeriding you go to places others don’t go."

Recent research reveals that school attendance in our First Nations communities is declining despite the continuation of the remote schools attendance strategy ... MCERA has reached out to First Nations education experts to invite  solutions towards a responsive education system that strengthens  First Nations culture and student engagement in remote Australia.

Pam Dillon. Two teams from several remote schools in the Barkly travelled to Darwin last week to participate in the NT 12 Years & Under Soccer Championships. The competition in both the boys and girls competitions was strong and all of our students played well.

An elegantly presented Debutante Set featuring ten stylish couples made for a night to remember as the mid-winter Debutante Ball, co-ordinated by the Charlton Neighbourhood House, unfolded from a glittering pavilion stage set at shire hall in Charlton last Friday night.  

The Barkly Regional Council’s Youthlinx School Holiday Program has been extremely busy with a range of activities including basketball and volleyball whilst partnering with Build It Up Skateboarding and Dream Impact to deliver a boxing program.

Kwoorabup Nature School students have discovered and named a new species of parasitoid wasp while taking part in the Insect Investigators Citizen Science project. The Adelaide University run project involved 51 schools across Australia, also including Denmark Primary School.

These school holidays why not see "what’s in your own backyard’ or sign up for a school holiday activity within the Hindmarsh or West Wimmera region. Hindmarsh Shire Council has a number of great inside activities for young and old ... Kaniva Link is offering several craft activities these holidays in preparation for the Kaniva Show entries this year.