Youth Committee Report 2022-2023

The Youth Committee for 2022–23 was made up of Stephen McMillan and Russell Dew.

The Committee had two main activities during the year: the Club’s ongoing partnership with Majura Primary School and sponsorship of a National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) participant.

Majura Primary School partnership

The Club’s partnership with Majura Primary School started in 2020 and aims to promote school values in the student body. Covid disrupted implementation of a planned program. In late 2022, the school awarded a book prize to the student in each class that had best demonstrated the values. It plans to award books twice each term this year. The School has a Peace Pole, sponsored by our Club. During the year, students made paper cranes that were hung from the Canberra Rotary Peace Bell and Year 6 students had a tour of the bell. The Club was also represented at an International Day of Peace ceremony hosted by the school and read the United Nations Secretary General’s message at the event.

We also sponsored the ‘Rotary Citizenship Award’ to the Year 6 student(s) who have best demonstrated the values during the year and presented it at their final assembly. (For the past two years teachers have not been able to separate the top two students, resulting in two recipients.) The prize is a certificate and a $50 Dymocks Books gift card. During the year we purchased a perpetual trophy, which has the winners’ names engraved on it and is displayed in the school’s trophy cabinet. 

National Youth Science Forum (NYSF)

Our Club sponsored Arya Nagar, a student at Canberra Girls Grammar School, for the 2023 NYSF Program, held in January. The program comprised an initial online session of several days involving all participants; a hands-on session in Canberra — and in seven other locations around Australia — and an online session to conclude the program. 

Arya introduced herself to the Club in November last year and reported to the Club on her experience in April this year, thanking the Club for sponsoring her for this most helpful program. 

Stephen MacMillan PP

CAPTION TOP LEFT:

The 2022 recipients of the Rotary Citizenship Prize, with the perpetual trophy.

CAPTION: 

Member Elizabeth presenting a certificate of appreciation to NYSF participant Arya following her Speech.