As part of National Youth Week, which celebrates the contributions of young Australians between 12–25, Headspace Ballarat’s Youth Reference Group have created the Our Youth Our Community media campaign to celebrate the work of the city’s youths.
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This week The Courier will publish a series of profiles of the city’s youths to celebrate the extraordinary things they are doing in the community.
FREYA DOWLING, 20
How did you achieve your accomplishment? Since February 2015, I have been a Residential Advisor for the Australian Catholic University in Ballarat. I have developed and expanded this role by creating the association; Aquinas Student Resident Society, to optimise and enhance the experience of living away from home for young students living on Residents for the first time. I achieved my accomplishments through my determination and passion to make living away from home for first year University students as enjoyable and unforgettable.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? Various people have helped me achieve great things for this role, and I can’t thank them enough! Anne-Marie and Howard who work in Residential Services at ACU accepted my application for 2015 and again in 2016, without them, I wouldn’t be able to do all that I do for these students. My family always continue to support me in this role, and everything else that I have taken on, even if it does unfortunately meaning not seeing them as often as I would love. Staff at ACU including the Dean Joe Flemming, Claire White, Aaron McGregor and fellow Student Association executives have encouraged me and helped me to achieve my goals to make “Res” a different and more enjoyable place. The staff as well as certain students at FedUni Living having provided me there developed knowledge on being a Residential Advisor, and have supported me in creating the society.
Was it hard to accomplish this?All of what I have accomplished so far has definitely been challenging. The role of Residential Advisor is only in its third year of existence at ACU Ballarat, myself working for now two of these years. This meant I was starting from scratch to develop what I have with the help of other Residential Advisors. It has been hard so far, and will continue to be as it is such a new role at ACU, and I am trying to set up the foundations.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I am currently in my third year of a Bachelor in Nursing and a Bachelor in Paramedicine at ACU, a course in which I am so determined and excited about finishing. My accomplishments through being a Residential Advisor certainly relate to what I want to do in the future as it is all about helping people both physically, mentally and socially. My passion is helping people, and fortunately I get to do that every day in numerous ways.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? My overall goal of all that I am doing is to make a foundation for future Residential Advisors. I have created a society in which we are recognised by the University, and can receive more funding to run a variety of events and gatherings that cater to everyone’s needs and interests. My goal is to change the way both staff and students view “Res”, I want to make it a community where everyone wants to live and get rid of the stigma of Res being only for parties. It is a comfortable and safe place that everyone can develop and grow socially, mentally, and academically.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Without a doubt. The more people that get involved with this, the more awareness we can create about the importance of the health of young people and how we can enhance it. But also, it is so rewarding knowing you help these individuals living away from home for the first time.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? My favourite units at University are the Cardiac and Mental Health units that I am currently doing; they are complex, but very interesting. Both areas I am very interested in for the future.
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? With whatever free time that I actually have, I spend it with my family. As well as all the students that I help and guide, I understand how difficult it is to move away from your family.
Do you have a favourite sport? What is it? My favourite sport to play is Netball, but my favourite sports to watch are AFL and Rugby Union…..go the Crows and Rebels!
What’s your favourite song? Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons. This is just a beautiful song, and well written by an amazing band that I have had the pleasure of seeing live. I believe the song tells a storey about a hardship and the happiness of conquering it.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I am definitely a dog person. I have nothing against cats, I’ve just always had dogs growing up and I love our dog at home.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? This is always a tough question! I would love the superpower of being able to heal people. There is nothing I want to do more in my life than help people, so the ability to be able to heal family and everyone else would be incredible.
SADIKI MUKASA, 19.
How did you achieve your accomplishment? I achieved my accomplishments by working hard, not losing focus of the goal and of course with the help of friend’s family and other organizations.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? I had and still have lots of support from my friends, family and organizations such as CMY and Ballarat Youth.
Was it hard to accomplish this? It is hard sometimes because of other commitments and not having enough time to fit everything in.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? My next goal I want to achieve is joining the Victorian Police force.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? If I could have any super power it would be Teleporting just because I wanna be able to be anywhere i want within seconds.
CAITLIN COSTELLO, 24
How did you achieve your accomplishments? It was purely by coincidence that I became a part of Unwanted Fuzz. I became friends with the founder Carina through a mutual friend of ours and one day I was asked if it was at all possible for me to pick up a ferret from Geelong. (The trip to Geelong) was one that has taken me on an unexpected path.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I honestly do not have plans for my future, I never have. Growing up I did always want to work with animals, going from marine biology, to contemplating veterinary care or even zoology, but there was always reasons that I didn't continue on these paths. I am now part of something that you don't need to get a further education for, and something that I absolutely love doing.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? My next goal is a bit more personal, and that is to find balance with pending parenthood, as well as the work I do with Unwanted Fuzz.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Animal welfare is something I do encourage everyone to take an interest in, and to take part in, as well as educating oneself about your pets. There are many people who do not know enough about their pets of choice. Furthering your education is always a bonus.
What’s your favourite subject at school? I always enjoyed biology and psychology at school, I had two very wonderful teachers for both of these subjects who made both of these classes very enjoyable, as well as making it easy to make the most of these subjects.
What do you do with your free time? At this stage of my life I do not have very much free time at all, time outside of my occupation is spent with my animals (both rescue and personal), partner, and my other job.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? There are a few which have crossed my mind, from the ability to read minds, through to invisibility. But having Adamantium injected into the body could also come in handy (like Wolverine), but in the end, they all have negatives which have huge potential to outweigh the positives.
HAYDEN GOODWIN, 17
What are your accomplishments? Boccia (precision ball sport) ambassador and player.
Was it hard to accomplish this? Yes, a lot of training and a lot of time away from home.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Yes, this is something I would like other kids with disabilities to get involved in.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? To finish school.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? Dog
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Have bionic legs and to walk.
LACIE RYAN, 22
How did you achieve your accomplishments? Through persistence being a Relay for Life participant and learning all there is to know about the Cancer Council, I was invited to join the organising committee
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? The Cancer Council coordinator at the time provided me with lots of advice along the way and my family were always a huge support
Was it hard to accomplish this? Time management and delegation were two of the hardest parts of my role. It took me a couple of years to master those skills in the big role that I’ve got and once I did, I was even able to take on another role as well.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? Yes, in the future I would like to be an employee of the Cancer Council Victoria. I would like to be a Relay for Life Coordinator in charge of relays all around Victoria to help educate people about what Relay for Life is and how it plays such an important role in finding a cure for cancer.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? I would like to become the chairperson of the Ballarat Relay for Life committee one day and have the opportunity to lead our committee in raising over $100,000 in a 12-month period.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Yes, yes, yes. I cannot stress this enough how important it is to be educated about cancer and raising money to find a cure. Relay for Life has changed my life, being involved has opened my eye to a whole new perspective in life and now I live every day of my life to the fullest. I want to be involved in it forever
What’s your favourite subject? I enjoyed psychology and counselling subjects
What do you for with your free time? I love AFL football. I follow the Geelong Cats and in my spare time I enjoy hanging out with friends and dedicate most of my time to organising and attending fundraising events.
What’s your favourite song? ‘Don’t worry child’ – Swedish House Mafia. It’s a happy and upbeat song and motivates me to always push myself to my limits and never give up.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Healing power – to be able to heal people of illness and disease.
ETHAN CAVANAGH, 17
How did you achieve your accomplishment? The Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s national Class Clowns competition got me started on this journey, and since then it has been with the help of the comedy festival along with my own determination that I have been able to achieve the position I am in today. I’m able to look upon my life and find the ridiculousness within it, my comedy is simply sharing these observations with strangers and they seem to like it.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My mum, obviously, has been so incredibly supportive. Two years ago I’m sure she could not have imagined passing her weekends hanging out in comedy clubs but here we are. She goes above and beyond not only to get me to, but also attend my gigs. Janet McLeod, a comedy producer, has been a great help in getting me on my feet outside of Class Clowns providing me with some of my first professional opportunities, including a couple of gigs at her weekly comedy room in St Kilda ‘Local Laughs’. Wes Snelling, development programs producer at the Melbourne Comedy festival has been an incredible help to me and my career, providing me with many opportunities including having me do a speech and introduce the Lord Mayor at MICF’s media launch. Wes also produces the LOL Squad, and our live MICF show.
Was it hard to accomplish this? As a young comedian, it’s very difficult to find work and spaces to perform and perfect our comedy. This isn’t helped by venues occasionally not permitting under 18s in.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I’d love to be able to be a comedian full-time, but unfortunately it’s not a profession you can just do. I’ll keep working on my comedy but I may end up studying teaching, which is a career I can balance well with comedy work, at least until I can live off comedy.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? Just to keep doing comedy. I want to be involved in next year’s comedy festival again. I want to take a gap year next year and work really hard at my comedy career. In the future, my long term goal is to perform in the comedy festival’s prestigious ‘Oxfam Gala’.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? There are lots of young comedians and comedians-to-be but not enough avenues for people to have a go in a casual and relaxed environment. Class Clowns is great for this but it would be ideal if there were more platforms for young comics that aren’t competitive.
What’s your favourite subject? Probably philosophy, it offers me new ways to think about things which makes it really easy to write material about common experiences viewed from an alternate perspective.
What do you with your free time? I love to do new things that offer me new experiences to write comedy about. I also like the occasional rock-climb and enjoy running most days.
What’s your favourite song? You probably haven’t heard of it.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I’m a people person, they make better audience members.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to make people sneeze. Think about it. So much potential.
KATIE SWAN, 22
How did you achieve your accomplishment? I guess it was taking the initial leap of faith and moving from Brisbane to Ballarat to study Music Theatre at the Arts Academy, which was terrifying because I knew no one in Ballarat. It was at the academy that I learnt a lot about acting, singing and my art. I also learnt a lot about myself by spending three years’ in such a full-on environment; I grew in so many ways. I also met Tim Forrester, my writing partner. Since then, we've showcased our music around Australia and had one of our songs published by Hal Leonard in the new AMEB syllabus for Music Theatre.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My beautiful Arts Academy class. Spending up to 50+ hours a week with them saw us grow very close over the course of three years. I am constantly challenged and inspired by them and their work, and I find I write a lot about them and their ideas - individually and as a collective. I also go to an amazing church, they have helped me to grow spiritually and support me in all my creative endeavours.
Was it hard to accomplish this? Being an artist has its challenges. It's hard to make a living simply off art. I have many beautiful friends to look up to who are living by their art, and I can tell you, it has nothing to do with luck. It takes a lot of hard work, very little sleep and much determination. People are often asking me, "when are you going to get a real job?", I guess the hardest part has been staying connected with my beliefs through the writing process, and not letting the fear of being judged get in the way of the message I want to deliver. Also not letting anyone bully me into thinking I'm not successful if I'm not rich. I can be rich in other ways.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? Totally. I want to keep writing and performing, and all my accomplishments have pretty much been related to this. I'm very passionate about mental health, and I guess, bringing it out of the shadows. It needs to become something society talks more about, and so a lot of what I write about has themes to do with that. In the future, I want to work as a mental health therapist and particularly, creative art therapy. So it all ties up, I think.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? The last few years have been crazy, and though I'm so grateful for all I've experienced, I'm taking some time out to practice some self-love. I'm visiting home at the moment, and planning some travel for later this year. However, next on the agenda is to finish writing my musical 'Waves' and also re-workshop another show 'Join the Dots' and tour those around Australia. I'm returning to university to study a Ba/Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2017, so I plan to do all of this at the same time as studying.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? I'd love to take this chance to encourage any young artists or just anyone with a story to tell to find a way to tell it. Don't wait for a rainy day. Young people have the ability to seriously shape the future, and art plays a big part in that. Art and life go hand in hand, so you don't have to give up your dream to be a nurse, nor do you have to dedicate every waking second to your craft. Life itself shapes art, so don't be afraid to explore the world, and to creatively share your message with others. You will make a difference.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? My favourite subject was definitely acting. It challenged me to my core. There's also something so intrinsically beautiful and enlightening as watching another person on the floor and learning about themselves and their art.
What do you with your free time? My free time is spent writing. Which could be considered working. Most of the time it doesn't feel like work, though. I also enjoy live music and dogs.
Do you have a favourite sport? Tennis.
What’s your favourite song? Tough question. It can change with my mood, but I think my all-time favourite is ‘A Case of You’ by Joni Mitchell. The lyrics get me every time, and James' voice is so soulful and chilling. It haunts me.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? Dogs.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? To turn into any animal at any time. I just love animals. I want to run with wolves and play with orangutans.
EDDY PRICE, 25
How did you achieve your accomplishment? With passion and drive. My mentor always taught me nothing good comes easy and if it does it isn’t worth doing. I never gave up always keep pushing myself.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My girlfriend Ell has been my biggest backbone in my journey of tattooing she is the one that has kept my spirits high when I have wanted to give up, My mother in law, mumma Jo, helped me set up my drawing station, getting me a lightbox and good comfy chair for my back. My mentor Earn and the Now or Never team have not just helped me to excel as an artist, but as a person as well. I can always lean and count on these people
Was it hard to accomplish this? Yes, it was a lot of sleepless nights, long hours starting from the bottom cleaning toilets and work stations.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? Yes it does, my tattooing is a massive part of my life and I really want to make a career out of it.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? My next goal I want to complete is to improve on my realism art/tattooing
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? The drawing art side of it would be awesome for youths to get involved in, but the tattooing side is not for everyone
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? My favourite subject was Physical Education
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? I love walking exploring new places, Camping with my girlfriend and the dogs
Do you have a favourite sport? What is it? Golf
What’s your favourite song? One of my favourite songs atm is 360’s ‘I’m sorry’, it really shows how even when you hit rock bottom you can come back strong
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? Massive dog person, I was brought up with labradors but I have two beautiful miniature sausage dogs with my girlfriend.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? To be able to fly so I could travel the world for cheaper.
ZACHARY MERRITT, 21
How did you achieve your accomplishment? Completing Certificate III in Business Administration and working within the administration field for 3-4 years.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? All the staff members at the Highlands LLEN have really helped me improve my skills.
Was it hard to accomplish this? Even though I didn’t know I was going to compete in the WorldSkills I had a few years’ experience prior.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? Well it looks good on the resume.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? At the moment my goal is to get further and further on my bike rides.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? I would encourage that the young people follow their passions and get into the field they want.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? Information Technology.
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? Bike riding, watching TV and gaming.
Do you have a favourite sport? I do not have a favourite sport, however I do have a few favourite TV Shows.
What’s your favourite song? I don’t have a favourite song as such, but “Shawn Mendes – Stitches” because it’s catchy.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I’m a cat person.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Running fast (like The Flash) – so I would never be late (and what’s a quick trip overseas for the night going to hurt).
SAM GRIFFIN, 24
How did you achieve your accomplishment? The biggest contributors to achieving my accomplishments have been planning and support. When my wife Tess and I started our hiphop and breakdancing school 'Soul Studio' in 2012 we had a huge amount of support from my parents who helped us out with the business side of things. Last year my dad Peter, brothers Ryan and Dillon and myself started a burger restaurant named 'Griffin Burger'. After already running the dance school for three years the business side of starting the restaurant wasn't too stressful. Both Soul Studio and Griffin Burger were being planned for nearly a year before we were ready to start trading.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? The biggest help that I have had along the way would definitely be from my family and my wife Tess. If I didn't have them supporting all of my crazy ideas I'm really not sure where I would be or what I would be doing.
Was it hard to accomplish this? I really enjoy planning big project and businesses so I find the little challenges on the way fun, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and knowing that the harder I work the better the outcome makes it all worthwhile. So I would't call it 'hard', I would say more than anything it is rewarding.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I definitely want to stay on this path in the future. At one job I get to go to work and spend the day with my wife and then at my other job I get to work all day with my family - I would be crazy to say I didn't want to do this in the future.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? The next goal is to expand both businesses further. I would love to see Soul Studio running Australia wide rather than just Victoria. The next goal for Griffin Burger would be along the same line of franchising Australia wide, or even opening more restaurants here in Ballarat. We have plenty of plans in place, its just finding the time to take the next step which is the struggle at the moment. Once everything settles down a bit I'm sure everything will start moving along.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? 100 per cent. Dancing in my teen years are some of my fondest memories. You make so many new friends and gain skills and fitness along the way. Everyone can benefit from dancing in so many ways.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? My favourite subject at school was PE. I was pretty terrible at ball sports but our teacher Josh Ebbels taught all of us much more than just health and physical education. A lot of the things I learnt from Josh I have passed onto my students at Soul and will continue to pass on.
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? The only real hobby I have is dancing, whenever I get a free moment I lock myself in the studio and train for hours. I try to put my friends and family first, so if they are all busy then I will dance. But if they are free I prioritise my spare time around them.
Do you have a favourite sport? I don't have a favourite sport, I enjoy all sports. Like I said earlier, I'm pretty terrible at a lot of sports other than dancing - but I'm always keen to give it a crack.
What’s your favourite song? I don't have the one favourite song, but my favourite music to listen to is old school R’n’B, listening to it always puts me in a good mood.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? Dog person. Cats scare me, they are so unpredictable. One minute they are cuddling up against you and then they are attacking you, they freak me out.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I think everyone would like to fly. It would be so easy to get around. The feeling of doing flips and breakdancing is how I imagine flying to feel, without all of the effort and injuries.
WILLIAM GALLAGHER, 21
How did you achieve your accomplishment? Several months ago I contacted Midnight Basketball Australia, a national harm prevention charity, seeking placement as part of a university course I'm doing. This then led to the suggestion that I look into establishing a Midnight Basketball program for Ballarat. Since then, the initiative has gained support from council, we've formed a committee and are now on track to delivering our program to the community this upcoming semester.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? A lecturer of mine, Julian Owens, has always encouraged students to take initiative when looking for placement opportunities, which led me to first contact Midnight Basketball and seeking placement in an industry which appeals to me. Midnight CEO Tess White has been supportive in my efforts, making suggestions based on the success of the organisation’s 200+ programs already established across the country since 2007. My former high school, St Patrick's College, with the efforts of Jamie Bobrowski allowing us to utilise campus venues for the program, including the use of basketball courts, kitchen, and dining room, as well as providing nutritious meals and catering staff each week. My course coordinator, Sue Brown, Ballarat Basketball CEO Peter Eddy and administration and events manager Mark Valentine, who have also been heavily involved throughout the process. Mr Valentine even elected to take on the position of committee chair. Headspace Ballarat manager Jacqui White, along with youth engagement officer Larelle Kuczer have each taken on committee roles and contributed a significant amount to the initiative, utilising connections within the industry. Brendan O'Connell from Highlands LLEN has also provided support in a similar way. In addition to those listed above, a wide range of stakeholder and community groups have engaged in our program, including Barry Petrovski (CMY), Brendan Everard (Victoria police), and of course Ballarat council.
Was it hard to accomplish this? While initially it was difficult to gauge interest and gain support for the initiative, with the support I had from Midnight Basketball, university staff, Ballarat Basketball, and other community groups and organisations, it was soon made easier, as having connections and a knowledge of the youth sector, as well as the local sport landscape is crucial to implementing an initiative such as this.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I have always had a desire to work in the sport industry, which is why I'm completing the course I am at the moment. This program, offering the chance to manage a basketball tournament, and at the same time working with children and volunteers presents a unique opportunity for me to gain experience in an area which appeals to me.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? Right now my focus is on delivering this program successfully, and hopefully allowing it to have a legacy within the community in the years to follow.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I have always had a desire to work in the sport industry, which is why I'm studying the course that I am. At the same time, being involved in this program is giving me a great deal of experience which I'm finding very enjoyable.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? This is most definitely something youth are encouraged to take part in. This program is aimed at youth between 12 and 18 at risk of developing anti social, even criminal behaviour. By removing these adolescent from negative, unstable environments, and educating each of the 60 participants on essential life skills, such as nutrition, health and wellbeing, for example, there's the potential for a positive change in their lives to be made. As well as this, there exists volunteer opportunities for members of the community to engage in, providing you have a current working with children check.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? Human resource management
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? Painting and photography, as I'm pretty creative and doing so is a nice change of pace from studies
Do you have a favourite sport? The only sport that's ever really appealed to me is Basketball.
TALIA MARTIN, 15
How did you achieve your accomplishment? I trained very intensely for around 15 hours per week leading into the Stawell Gift. I knew that I had to be really persistent and determined and that hopefully all my training would pay off.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My coach, Peter O'Dwyer, helped me enormously by pushing my mind and body to the limit whilst training and believing in me and my ability. My friends and family also helped me by providing me with an endless amount of support and love.
Was it hard to accomplish this? There were various moments during all of my training where I wanted to give up because I believed that I couldn't do it, so it was really hard mentally. It was also extremely hard physically, sometimes, I couldn't even walk after a really tough session.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? To be perfectly honest, I'm not 100 per cent sure what I'd like to do in the future, but I think that I'd like to do something involving athletics or exercise, so my win does relate to my future career in some ways.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? I'd really like to continue to reach state level in athletics and continue to improve.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? For sure, athletics is a really fun sport and I think it would really benefit a lot of young people.
What’s your favourite subject at school? At school, I really enjoy Sports Science and maths.
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, bike riding, shopping and spending time with my friends.
Do you have a favourite sport? During the summer, my favourite sport is athletics, but in the winter, my favourite sport is footy.
What’s your favourite song? My favourite song is 'I wish I was a punk rocker' by Sandi Thom. I'm not really sure why it's my favourite song, I just really like the tune.
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? Defiantly a dog person.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? My super power would be flying so that I could go anywhere I want in the world at any time during the day.
CONNOR FISHER, 18
How did you achieve your accomplishment? I worked really hard, plus my interest, love and dedication towards dance helped me to get where I am today.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My family and friends helped me along the way, my dance teachers also helped me improve and to keep me on track.
Was it hard to accomplish this? Yes, dance is hard, but that’s what makes it fun. My teachers also kept it fun and intriguing.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? My accomplishment relates to what I want to do in the future as I want to become a professional dancer when I’m older.
What’s the next goal you want to complete? After I finish full-time dancing, I want to do finishing year before joining a company.
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Yes, dancing is a great way to take your mind off things, meet new friends, learn something new and a great way to get physical activity in a fun way.
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? History is my favourite submit at school
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? I don’t have free time, I pretty much dance all the time, do school work or work at McDonalds.
Do you have a favourite sport? Besides dancing, I think soccer and netball
What’s your favourite song? Pretty much anything from the 80’s
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I like both.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? The power to freeze as sometimes things pass by too quickly.
BRIELLA FISHER, 16
How did you achieve your accomplishment? Hard work and dedication definitely helped and I love dance so much that it made it really easy.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? My parents support me and my teachers really helped me.
Was it hard to accomplish this? It was very time consuming and can be very painful, but keeping a clear head helps.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? When I finish school I want to do teaching and I think the skills that I have learned from dance will help, plus I can teach others
What’s the next goal you want to complete? Definitely finish school first but for dancing I want to be in a professional showcase
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Of course. Dancing is a great way of gaining new friends and boosting your self-esteem and confidence
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? Literature.
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? I honestly dance all the time, even when I’m brushing my teeth, but I also like to draw.
Do you have a favourite sport? Dance, always dance.
What’s your favourite song? Such a hard question, but I love 80’s songs. ‘Break my stride’, because it is so motivational
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I’m both, cats are cool and dogs are amazing.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Being able to fly or being able to understand what animals (particularly dogs) are thinking because they are so mysterious.
JOSH MUIR, 24
How did you achieve your accomplishment? Hard work and perseverance, patience and passion.
Is there anyone that helped you along the way? Mum, dad, Sharon Knight, Bonnie Chew, Emily Murphy and Julie Collins, my community and organizations (there are too many to name), with consistent support and opportunities I created a lot of my own luck
Was it hard to accomplish this? It's easy to be positive. I faced challenges failing increased my success.
Does your accomplishment relate to what you want to do in the future? I’m always aiming to further my accomplishments in the future. Thinking about and reminding myself of purpose is essential and how I can share my wisdom with others
What’s the next goal you want to complete? Film and televisionm, music and art. Using the platforms I enjoy most to encourage strength and inspiration
Is this something you want other youths to get involved in? Yes, it is a lifestyle choice that is seeing me blossom - I encourage one thing, it is to pursue a career in what you enjoy
What’s your favourite subject/unit/course at school/university/TAFE? Everything, I'm an all-round sponge of learning - it allows my collection of thoughts to use my creativity. Imagination is pure
What do you for a hobby/with your free time? I am nomadic, I walk alot and open my mind to environments around me. It is a big reflection in what I do
Do you have a favourite sport? Basketball is my one true love and I enjoy all sports
What’s your favourite song? Tears for fears ‘Everybody wants to rule the world’. It reminds me that money can't buy the best things that life offers, and to remain me
Are you a dog person, cat person, or do you like both? I am a dog person, I believe cats are great to observe. I am allergic to them though
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? To fly so high I could reach the stars.