Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My electorate office staff have been fortunate enough to present the Mayo Community Service Awards at local schools in my terrific electorate in the last two weeks while I have been in this place. The award is conferred upon year 12 students who have shown exceptional commitment to both their schools and local communities. They are students who have demonstrated a keen interest in social justice and shown great leadership potential. The students to whom the awards have already been presented include: Amy, from the Eastern Fleurieu School in Strathalbyn; Scott, from St Francis de Sales College in Mount Barker; Shayla, from Willunga High School; April, from Birdwood High School; and Lily, from Heathfield High School. Under the same criteria Stacey, from Victor Harbor High School, was awarded the Year 8/9 Leadership Award. Several other schools will soon present the Mayo Community Service Award. While I cannot yet disclosed the winners, the schools are: Cornerstone College in Mount Barker; Investigator School in Goolwa and Victor Harbor; Kangaroo Island Community Education; Mount Barker Waldorf School; and Yankalilla Area School.

My congratulations go out to all of the young community leaders in Mayo. Year 12 is an incredibly stressful time for students and their families, and I am glad that this time is over for them. To all of the year 12 students graduating across my electorate, I have a Neil Gaiman quote for you:

Now go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here.

Thank you. Again, congratulations to all of my schools. You have done a terrific job and I look forward to seeing you in the coming months and years.