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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-02-07 Daily Xml
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Morialta Citizenship Awards

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:30): Every year, it is my pleasure as the member for Morialta to honour and recognise the significant work of a range of students in the Morialta electorate who have won Morialta Citizenship Awards. The award consists, as it has for nearly 14 years, of a prize worth $150 per campus, either to one student or split amongst several. It is a book voucher and a certificate, and I am sure that the certificates are the highlight of many a pinboard around the Morialta electorate to this very day.

For 2023, we were able to recognise the role modelling behaviour and achievements of 20 students from schools across the Morialta electorate. Their involvement in school and community service has been varied but distinguished. All are to be congratulated on their tremendous achievements.

That service to school and community has taken many forms. Some had leadership roles within their schools as house captains or SRC representatives, and some mentored, tutored, coached and supported younger students. I particularly noted, when making these presentations during the course of graduations towards the end of last year, a trend of significant numbers of these awardees providing mentoring and support to younger students, and that being seen and noticed by their schools and given this recognition.

Other students were involved in SAPSASA athletics, swimming, football, basketball, futsal, soccer and netball, and I recall cricket as well. Many volunteered time in their libraries, sports sheds, canteens, classrooms and, in some cases, all of the above. A commitment to music programs, bands and choirs was also seen by multiple award winners.

The students' extensive involvement in school life has supported many, and demonstrates a strong sense of passion for social justice as well. Some of these award winners raised money and volunteered their time to a variety of causes, including mental health, aged care, church groups, St Vincent de Paul, Caritas and, in one case, the Sikh community. All students demonstrated a commitment to their school, to their community, to their state and, very importantly, to other young people.

I know that while we have made these 20 awards—and I was very privileged to be able to present these 20 awards we are particularly recognising today—these students highlight a trend amongst so many young people towards service and community that encourages me and reassures me whenever I visit our schools. I have very high hopes for the future, as demonstrated by the wonderful young people who I meet every day, and I am sure other members do as well. Today, I am delighted to commend the following students to the house:

from Athelstone School, Celestine Moeliana and Liam Pederson;

from Charles Campbell College, Jaeda Tizio and Gabrielle Centofanti;

from Highbury Primary School, Isaac Anderson;

from Modbury High School, Ewan Enthoven;

from Morialta Secondary College, Luca Paronis—the inaugural winner from Morialta Secondary College, of course as a new school;

from Norwood International High School, Isabelle King;

from Rostrevor College, Jack Haddad;

from St Agnes School, Matthew Whittle and Mackenzie Handke—Mackenzie's grandfather, Wayne Atkins, was also one of my Morialta Community Award winners last year after 50 years of service to the Athelstone CFS and the broader CFS community—a proud family indeed;

from St Francis of Assisi School at Newton, Christian Post;

from St Ignatius College, Hiral Kalra;

from Stradbroke School, Sasa Zhu, Iliana Edginton, Kara Lee, Sreenanda Retheesh and Rose Boettcher—and Stradbroke School is a very, very large primary school in my electorate;

from Thorndon Park Primary School, Mikayla Iasiello; and

from Torrens Valley Christian School, Chelsea Schar-Grant.

These outstanding young South Australians are deserving winners of the Morialta Citizenship Award for 2023. I congratulate each and every one of them. I cannot wait to see the things that they achieve for their community, for our state and our nation and for the broader world in the years ahead. I commend them to the house.

I thank all of the schools for participating. Nearly all of the schools in Morialta have participated in this award over the years. Nearly all of them participated in 2023 and all will do so in 2024. I look forward to hearing their suggestions, their nominations, towards the end of this year. I can't wait to meet this year's group of students, and I wish them all well.

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