I was honoured to accompany Year 12 student Milly Dunbar with her parents down to Government House in Sydney recently, where Milly received the Order of Australia Youth Community Service Award from State Governor her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley.
Milly received this award after four years of unwavering service to the community and local charities that has included making over 200 fabric bags for the poor, creating a period poverty campaign which saw her make 200 washable period pads, organising educational packs to underprivileged children in our local area, serving at St Thomas’ Soup Kitchen, sending fishing packs to remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, volunteering her time at local charity and sporting events and raising in excess of $20,000 through food drives at Lake Innes and Light House Coles stores throughout the past two years.
The State Governor noted that the students receiving these community awards were “the best 26 students in the state.” Milly was inspired by the illustrious group of students that she met and will now have access to a leadership mentoring program run by the Order of Australia panel members. The main convenor of the ceremony also made a specific note that Milly was the most impeccably dressed, who wore her uniform with the greatest pride.
This was a very special moment that I shall treasure in my teaching career forever. It has been a blessing to work with Milly over the past four years and see her develop into an inspiring philanthropist who has made real change in our local community and beyond. I am so proud of her and all that she has done to bring positive impacts to those less fortunate.
Congratulations Milly.
Ms Peta Watters
Coordinator of Student Leadership
