"Make Your Mark Shape Our Future"

12 November 2024

These are the words of our International President, Fabricio Oliveira, to all Lions and Leos. However, one would think that he wrote these words to our entrants in Lions Youth of the Year Program.

Three schools accepted our Club’s invitation for students to participate in Youth of the Year. – an annual program to encourage leadership, citizenship and community participation in young people nearing the end of their secondary schooling.

Entrants in this year’s Program were Jeramy Skeels and George Yeo from St Mary’s College, Eloise McLoughlin and Inayat Pandher from The Glennie School, and Jackson Moriarty who is a student at Toowoomba Grammar School.

Lion Pat Eagle and Lions Lady Judy Eagle

present Eloise McLaughlin

the Leanne Sleba Memorial Award

for Public Speaking

President Chris Dalgleish congratulates the students:

Jeramy Skeels from St Mary’s College

Eloise McLoughlin from The Glennie School

Jackson Moriarty from Toowoomba Grammar School

Inayat Pandher from The Glennie School

Our judges - Leon Versace, Cr Carol Taylor, and Kira Schwerin, along with (reserve judge) Ivor Prasad made each of the entrants feel very relaxed for their informal (private) interviews which were conducted on Sunday 10th November. These interviews account for 70% of the total points of the Program with a further 30% of the points being judged in the public speaking section of the Program.

Although some of the comments to the two Impromptu Questions had a similar thread, it was interesting to hear each entrant speak so eloquently and confidently. The subject title of each of their prepared speeches was very different to each other; and again the entrants equipped themselves admirably. Subject titles included Gratitude; The Microplastic Epidemic; In Sound Mind – A Journey Within; and Empathy in the Current Era.

The teachers are to be congratulated on providing their students with Leadership, Experience and Opportunity, and I trust we can look forward to a close association with each of the schools again in the future.

The judges’ considerations and summing up to determine the winners was a difficult task, but the decisions were made, and the Public Speaking Winner and the Overall Winner were announced by the Chair of Judges – Leon Versace.

The Public Speaking Winner, receiving our club’s award of the Leanne Sleba Memorial Award was Eloise McLoughlin from the Glennie School; Mrs Lucy Knight accepted the Leanne Sleba Memorial Trophy on behalf of The Glennie School, which is where the trophy will be housed for the next 12 months.

A comment to our Lions Club, from Eloise’s Mum reads: “I know it was a very enjoyable experience for Eloise. It has given her new confidence in her public speaking ability and the interview process is a valuable way to learn new skills. Thank you for enabling Eloise to participate.”

The (Overall) Winner was Inayat Pandher from The Glennie School.

Lions are again walking alongside young people today to make a difference and build a better future for tomorrow.

The entrants in our Lions Youth of the Year Program are “Making Their Mark” with their own lives, in their schools, and through their involvement in community groups - and they are “Shaping Our Future”.

I’ll leave you with a message of HOPE.

I’m sure you will recognize the message of HOPE in the lyrics of this song : …

“I see trees of green, red roses too …

(Verse 3) I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, They’ll learn much more, Than I’ll ever know…

President m: 0402 299 627

lionsclubofwilsontoninc@gmail.com

PO Box 128
Drayton North Qld 4350

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