The Rotary Club of Seymour recently celebrated its Junior Community Awards at the Royal Hotel.
Three students from Puckapunyal Primary School, Hannah Hinks, Charlotte Loraine and Evie Holland, and one from St Mary’s College, Grace Ellis, were presented with awards at the event on November 18.
A club spokesperson said it was a wonderful celebration of the hard work and commitment of three students from Puckapunyal Primary and one student from St Mary’s College Seymour.
“The award originally evolved when teachers and parents in Bairnsdale saw a need for resilience in young people, to involve them in a direct and positive way, to use their skills and abilities to benefit both themselves and the local community,” the spokesperson said.
“A pilot program called the community relations education program was set up in the Bairnsdale area.
“The results were so positive that the Rotary Club of Mitchell River developed the Award as a Rotary Project in 1997, targeted to Grade 6 students.”
The Rotary Club of Seymour initiated the award in 2019 with two participants from St Mary’s College recognised.
“COVID-19 put a halt to any opportunity for the award to be undertaken in 2020-21,” the spokesperson said.
“This year students from local schools were given the opportunity to take part.
“It is a huge commitment requiring lots of time management, dedication, perseverance and initiative, not to underestimate the wonderful support from parents.”
Requirements of the award for students to be successful are to:
- Participate in one hour, per week, of community service for 10 weeks.
- Participate in one hour, per week, of learning a new skill for 10 weeks.
- Participate in two hours, per week, of physical activity for 10 weeks
- Maintain their diaries, with mentors overseeing and signing off.
- Attend a community meeting and write a report.
- Experience a different culture and write a report.
- Undertake a religious/spiritual experience and write a report.
- Investigate an arts event and create a poster about it
- Take part in an environmental project and write a report.
- Attend a community commemoration and write a report.
The Rotary Club of Seymour is the only club in District 9790, to offer this opportunity to Grade 6 students.
This District stretches from Deniliquin to Strathmore, in Melbourne, and as such highlights the fact that the Rotary Club of Seymour is providing wonderful opportunities for students in the local community.