Echuca-Moama’s Beacon Foundation has come a long way in its 20-year history and inducted its leadership class of 2022 at Bendigo TAFE’s Echuca campus last week.
Project manager Jane Reid and board chair Sue Turner were on hand to welcome the students from the five participating schools: St Joseph’s College, Echuca College, Moama Anglican Grammar, River City Christian College and Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School.
The leadership day involved 20 students from years 9 and 10 and the program launch will be followed by a series of events, including the Beacon breakfast on April 7 and its careers expo on May 31.
Mia Oberin and Amy Lyon are among the graduates of the Beacon leadership program to have progressed into community leadership roles, Amy having even served on the Beacon board.
The leadership program is designed to provide students with a grounding in what it means to be a Beacon leader.
“We run a series of events and the leaders are responsible for organising and co-ordinating those,” Ms Reid said.
“Today is a chance for them to get to know each other.”
She and Ms Turner, along with treasurer Mark Thomson, were among the leading figures in the leadership event last week, hosted by one of the Beacon Foundation’s major parters in Bendigo TAFE.
Ms Reid said the program began with students from Echuca College and St Joseph’s, before Moama Anglican Grammar came on board and then River City five years ago.
“Twin Rivers is our newest member, having joined three years ago,” she said.
Ms Turner got involved as a volunteer with the group and has been in the chair role since 2013.
“I actually have a Bachelor of Education, but have moved into nursing,” she said.
St Joseph’s College Year 10 student Alyssa Morphett spoke to The Riv about her involvement in the program.
“I get to grow my confidence and public speaking skills, along with building my connection to the community. I sing, dance and play a lot of sport, but I most enjoy public speaking and high school,” Alyssa said.
“I won the Lions public speaking award in Grade 6 and enjoy organising things at school and helped with the talent show.”
Echuca College’s Zac Dolan, a Year 9 student, said, “the school gave an amazing opportunity through Beacon, allowing me to get out in the community.
“My family moved here in 2017, so we are quite new to the area. I am a bit of a maths and science person, and I am learning German right now.
“It’s been good to get to know the other leaders and identify my own weaknesses and strengths. I am looking to get more involved with the school community,” he said.
Echuca Moama Beacon Foundation started in 2001 and became an incorporated association in 2003, starting with the highly successful “No Dole” program in Tasmania in 1995.
Echuca-Moama was the first mainland Beacon site, the foundation basing its activities on the firm belief that a whole community must be embraced to assist young people and to help build a bright future for them.
Real Futures is a careers program it operates to ensure that each student makes a positive and informed decision regarding education, training and employment beyond Year 10.
Beacon harnesses the expertise and commitment of local business people and engages them and community members in events which bolster and complement classroom learning.
Echuca Moama Beacon Foundation has exposed about 6800 students to the program, with positive student outcomes in regard to making positive life choices.