Young leaders show the way

TWENTY-three Cardinia Shire high school students completed the 2010 Cardinia Shire Council’s Young Lead-ers Program last month.
The program finished on a high with a presentation cere-mony at Cardinia Cultural Centre.
On the night students spoke about leadership, inspi-rational leaders in the comm-unity, and innovative concepts about leadership such as ‘pay it forward’, in front of family, friends, mayor Graeme Legge and councillors, council chief executive Garry McQuillan and council staff.
Youth Development Offi-cer Emma Carter said throughout the program students built on existing leadership abilities and developed other life skills that could be utilised within their school and local community.
“The program comprised interactive learning and outdoor education that chall-enged student’s values and beliefs to push them to think outside the square,” she said.
“It was hard for some as not many students knew each other at first, but by the end of the five-day program they all got along well.”
Students were selected from Beaconhills College, Chairo Christian School, Emerald Secondary College, Heritage College, Kooweerup Secondary College, Lakeside Lutheran College, Maranatha Christian School, Pakenham Secondary College and St Francis Xavier College.
Mayor Graeme Legge awarded each student with a certificate.
The Young Leaders pro-gram is a Youth Participation and Access program jointly funded by the Victorian Government and Cardinia Shire Council.