Morialta Citizenship Awards

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (15:14): Every year, it is my privilege as the member for Morialta to honour and recognise the significant work of students in the Morialta electorate who have been awarded Morialta Citizenship Awards, a prize worth $150 per campus either to one student or split amongst several and in the form of a book voucher. I trust the certificate that accompanies it is a highlight of many pinboards and pool rooms and, indeed, fridges around the Morialta electorate.

Citizenship award winners for 2024 include 19 students from 14 schools. Their involvement in school and community services has been varied and all are to be congratulated on their endeavours. That service to school and community can, of course, take many forms. Some of them had leadership roles within their schools, maybe house captains or involvement with SRCs. Some of them mentored, tutored, coached and supported younger students. Many had involvement in SAPSASA sports. Some volunteered their time with school tours, Book Week, Harmony Day, debating, the Premier's Reading Challenge and school camps. A commitment to music programs, bands, choirs and dance was also prevalent amongst these talented young people.

The students' extensive involvement in school life has supported many and demonstrates a strong sense and passion for community and justice. Some of these award winners raised money and volunteered their time to a variety of special causes, such as mental health and wellbeing, aged care, church groups, Second Chances, Rotary, the Cancer Council, Vinnies Sleep Out and other events such as National Reconciliation Week.

The words that were consistently applied as I would go to the graduations and make these presentations were words such as kindness, compassion, dedication, selflessness, excellence and a genuine desire to make a positive impact. They have demonstrated a commitment to their school, to our community, to our state, and very importantly to other young people, so today I am once again very delighted to commend these students to the house. They are:

Amna Qasem from Athelstone School;

Arad Haghighatnejad and Mollie Jones from Charles Campbell College;

Aiden Liebelt from Highbury Primary School;

Alyssa Naseby and Varunee Choudary from Kildare College;

Owen Wythe from Modbury High School;

Lilah Grubb from Morialta Secondary College;

Aima Kashif from Norwood International High School;

Aryan Sareen from Rostrevor College;

a student whose situation unfortunately does not allow me to name them publicly but whose endeavours are most worthy of being honoured and I am so pleased that they could be honoured publicly at the graduation last year at St Agnes School;

Alessia De Nito from St Francis of Assisi School;

Aojin Chen from St Ignatius College;

Lucas Chrisopoulos, Ben Craig, Justin Devkota and Felicity Li from Stradbroke School;

Chiara Iasiello from Thorndon Park Primary School; and

Erin Horskins from Torrens Valley Christian School. Erin is notable as a two-time Morialta Citizenship Award winner, having also been the school's identified recipient as a year 10 student three years ago.

These outstanding young South Australians are worthy winners of the 2024 Morialta Citizenship Awards. I congratulate every one of them. I was really privileged to be able to present most of these awards personally. I was gutted that for several of the schools, because of some health issues, I could not get to the ceremonies. Indeed, for Stradbroke, for example, I think it was the first time in 15 years that I had not been able to get to the graduation, but I do express my thanks to my colleagues, including Vincent Tarzia, local councillors and school principals that at those four schools were able to make those presentations on my behalf over that three-day period.

I really cannot wait to see the things that these young people are able to create for our community in the years ahead. In the last 15 years since I have been making these presentations, it has been a privilege to see primary school students achieve great things in high school and beyond and high school students now being leaders in our communities. These awards are a sign of the things that these young people will contribute in the years ahead and I think there are many reasons to be optimistic about what they will do for us all.