Three Central Coast students have received Youth Community Service Awards from NSW Governor Margaret Beazley AC QC, as Patron of The Order of Australia Association NSW Branch.
The awards, for exceptional service or engagement with their local community, or to Australia in general, were recently presented to Brayden Cook from Northlakes High School at San Remo, Kale Puarta from St Edwards College in East Gosford and Amelia Stevens from Henry Kendall High School in Gosford.
They were three of 26 students honoured by the Governor at Government House on Friday, October 25, also receiving a trophy and certificate of commendation from the Governor.
Students across the state were nominated by their school principals as being exemplary community role models before a selection panel determined the final award recipients.
Year 12 student Brayden’s citation said he was a high achiever, dedicated to taking initiatives as a volunteer.
He is a founding member, president and treasurer of the LEO Club, raises funds to support a multitude of causes at local and state level.
Locally he leads fundraising efforts for more than 20 different causes including Rural Fire Service brigades, Gosford Hospital neonatal intensive care unit, youth refuges, palliative care providers, wheelchair accessible transport for the disabled, medical costs for cancer patients, hampers and rugs for nursing homes, toiletry packs, clothing, sleeping bags and doonas for the homeless, Christmas gifts and school stationery packs for needy children, and The Iris Foundation which conducts suicide prevention courses for vulnerable school children.
He also fundraises for state, national and even international causes.
Kale recently earned the prestigious Edmund Rice Award, recognising the range and scope of his many service activities.
He has been an active and valued surf lifesaver since 2020 and achieved his silver medallion as a patrol captain.
Kale has participated in multiple Edmund Rice Sleepouts for the homeless, and also volunteers at Coast Shelter as well as participating in the Clean4Shore program of coastline clean-ups.
He is a member of the NSW Youth Advisory Council and has been an active fundraiser for both World Vision through the 40-Hour Famine, and youth mental health through the Push-Up Challenge.
Kale has completed 100 hours of community service each year while studying at St Edwards College.
Amelia had early experiences with poor hearing, receiving a cochlear implant in early childhood.
She actively participates in all community-based initiatives at the school, especially the Max Potential program, a community-based proposal to increase wheelchair accessibility in public spaces around Gosford.
Amelia is committed to empowering women and female-identifying individuals and is a founding member of a school-based empowerment group called FIERCE (freedom, inclusivity, equality, respect, confidence, empowerment).
Through Safer Cities, Amelia and FIERCE collaborated with Central Coast Council to improve perceptions of safety for women and gender diverse citizens in Gosford CBD.
She is also a long-term volunteer with St John’s Ambulance as a cadet corporal.
The Award was initiated by the late Dr John Lincoln AM, in 1992 and was convened by him until his death in 2011, aged 95.
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