Introduction •The Lions Youth of the Year Program is now in its 6th decade of providing Australian Senior School students a forum togain experience and confidence in presenting themselves to a selection panel and an audience.•The program is managed and supported by Lions Australia and run by Lions Clubs in each of our 19 Districts in closecollaboration with, and supported by, participating Schools.•It looks for students who are contributors to their schools and their communities and, ultimately, selects an outstandingindividual to be an ambassador for the Lions Youth of the Year Program and Lions Clubs International.
Aims of the Program The Lions Youth of the Year Program is designed to foster, encourage and develop leadership qualities of our youth, in conjunction with other citizenship qualities, at the age when they are about to enter the fields of higher education or employment. It provides the youth of Australia with the incentive to pay greater attention to the general qualities that are so vital in their development as first class citizens. The qualities sought, apart from academic attainments, are those of: leadership - personality - sportsmanship - public speaking - good citizenship. The importance of public speaking is recognised at all levels with a specific award to the candidate judged to be the best speaker.
Who can enter? Entry is open to any Australian youth who, on the 1st July in this Lions year (July to June), is attending, or has attended, a high school or other secondary school or equivalent in the Lions year in which the National Final is to be conducted (years 10,11 and 12). This includes first year tertiary study students who were engaged in secondary education for part of the relevant Lions year
Our Club Final Each year the Club receives applications from Lake Kawana College, Meridan State College and Pacific Lutheran College to particiapte in our Club final usually held on the 4th Tuesday of February each Year. The overall winner then goes onto the next stage for a chanch to go as far as the National final held at the Lions Australia National Convention in May each year. Two awards are made each year, an overall winner and a public speaking winner. It is possible for one student to win both awards.
In 2025 there were six students participating from years 10,11 and 12. There were three from Pacific Lutheran College, two from Meridan State College and one from Kawana Waters State College. The overall winner and winner of the public speaking award was Franklin Stamm (third from the left) from Pacific Lutheran College. This meant that the College also won the winners shield to keep at their College for the next 12 months. We are sure that the other two colleges will be back next year to see if they can wrest the shield from Pacific Lutheran College. Franklin will now compete in the Region final to be held in Bribie Island in March. Watch this space to see if he was able to make it to the next stage.
The Winners trophy and the shield will be presented during an assembly at the College to enable the participation of the students and the winner in this important Lions Youth Program to be acknowledged in front of their peers.
Further information on this great Lions youth project can by found from this link.
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CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA DAY
Some club members participate in Clean Up Australia Day each year either at our own site or as part of another group depending on what activities we have on that weekend in March. Watch this space for the latest update.
The Club has recently agreed to participate in this important Lions community project and will be in touch with schools in our area to establish if they are interested in obtaining access to this free screening project. Club members were recenly involved in a successful screening at the Caloundra State. Further details of the project and how it works is available from this website https://lehp.org.au/childrens-vision-screening-program/ .
If you would like further information on how your child or your school might be able to participate in this Lions initiative contact Norm Jensen via his contact details on the website.
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The Lions Children of Courage Awards originated in Western Australia in 1983 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. There are four categories that children can be nominated for:
- special needs,
- courageous acts or deeds,
- inspiring sporting achievement, and
- sibling recognition.
This project is ongoing and supported by many Clubs around Australia and in our District. Our Club is looking forward to continuing to support and celebrate the children in the community this year. Our plan is to conduct this activity in consultation with the Currimundi Special School as we have done in past years. Details of the date for this event are still being finalised. Watch this space.
For more information on how to nominate a child for these awards please contact club President Norm Jensen or Lorraine Hendy via their contact details on the website.
Usable Glasses Give New Life. Refractive errors can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, yet millions living in low and middle income countries lack access to basic eye care services. Lions International has recognized the urgent need for corrective lenses and collect usable glasses in their communities to support the Lions Recycle For Sight Program.
The glasses collected from within our area and sent to a recycling centre in Caboolture for processing and despatch overseas.
Glasses can be left at OPSM and SPECSAVERS at Kawana Shopping Town and SPECSAVERS in Currimundi Village. The White Lady Funerals in Caloundra and the office of the State MP for Kawana, Jarrod Bleijie, also collect glassses for the club.
LIONS MEDICAL RESEARCH FOOUNDATION
Club members support this project by regular donations and collecting ring pulls from aluminium cans which are then sold for cash which is used as a fund raiser for the fellowship. If you would like start a collection at home or at work or maybe the untis where you live if you have one of those containers for change bins, we will be happy to collect them and pass them on.
THE READ BEARS PROGRAM
Clu
b members are also supporting this program initiated by the Harvey Bay Neighbood Centre and managed by the Blackall Range Lions Club in District 201Q3. Based on a pilot run in 2019 on a similar project in Europe and Canada, the Progrsm is aimed at Year 1 Students (6-7 year olds). Each student is given a hand-made Read Bear with an attached tag so they can personalise their bear with a name.
The child takes their bear home and reads to it each school night for a term. This provides the children with more motivation to read books by having a "friend" to read and chat to. It is also hoped that the Program will encourage parents and siblings to have fun reading at home together.
The picture shows a group of bears ready to go to the Buddina State Promary School. If you are a keen knitter and would like to help out as we expnad our involvement, please give us a call or send us a message and we will sign you up.
