Honour for community spirit

ALMOST 50 young students from schools across the area were honoured at the 2011 Holt Community Spirit and Leadership Awards Ceremony held at the Casey Council Chamber last week.
The ceremony was conducted by Holt MP Anthony Byrne, and recognised the students whose contribution, hard work and dedication have made a positive impact in their schools and local community.
Mr Byrne said the awards gave him the chance to say thanks to the students on behalf of the community.
“The testimonials from the schools nominating their students were outstanding, and tell of the great work done by our kids and the strong sense of community spirit that they have,” Mr Byrne said.
“One of the award recipients was nominated because he shaved his head in order to raise nearly $3000 to support a classmate whose mum had just been diagnosed with leukaemia.”
“He felt it was important for him to do something to help save her life. There were many other similarly impressive testimonials, ranging from assisting with the 2011 February floods clean-up to designing a new school uniform.”
The Community Spirit and Leadership Awards are held annually, and celebrate local young people who dedicate their time to the local community.
Award winners are nominated by their school and receive a framed certificate and gift voucher.
The winners are Alkira Secondary College student Jessica Bowler, Berwick Fields Primary School student Cameron Hawkins, Casey Grammar School student Samantha Chapman, Chalcot Lodge Primary School Duygu Ozturk, Coral Park Primary School student Zoja Kovacs, Courtenay Gardens Primary School student Amber O’Donnell, Cranbourne East Primary School student Melissa Vorster, Cranbourne Park Primary School student Mitchell Caddaye, Cranbourne Primary School student Jason Henshall, Cranbourne Secondary College student Javiera Lizana-Rivas, Cranbourne West Primary School student Jacinta Watts, Dandenong Valley School student Adam Keating, Don Bosco Primary School student Tiara Fernandez, Doveton Primary School student Andrew Leime, Endeavour Hills Secondary College student Slone Sudiro, Eumemmerring Primary School student Skye Thompson, Fleetwood Primary School student Shani Jones, Fountain Gate Primary School student Puoch Puoch, Fountain Gate Secondary School student Ben Hill,
Gleneagles Secondary College student Natasha Rallis, Hallam Primary School student Damon Weeks, Hallam Senior College student Charlotte Capper, Hampton Park Primary School student Dalina Nath, Hillsmeade Primary School student Mitchell Hunt, James Cook Primary School student Ashleigh McDonnell, Kambrya College student Kelly Lenehan, Kilberry Valley Primary School student James Cole-Sinclair, Lynbrook Primary School student Shaylah Portelli-Moore, Lyndhurst Secondary College student Jasmine Sadler, Maramba Primary School student Abbey Smith, Maranatha Christian School – Endeavour Hills student Lauren Alley, Marnebek School Cranbourne student Katie Hopcraft, Mary MacKillop Primary School student Sarah Castricum, Mossgiel Park Primary student Dilushi Premathlaka, Narre Warren South P-12 College student Brandon Knowles, Nossal High School student Tiger Chatzis, Rangebank Primary School student Lydia Paull, Rivergum Primary School student Eid Yusofi, Southern Cross Primary School student Shohana Akbar, St Agatha’s Primary School student James Toskov, St Francis de Sales Primary School student Tony Yalda, St Kevin’s Primary School student Damien Ruttun, St Paul Apostle South School student Kyle Fernandes, St Peter’s College Cranbourne student Brittany Hay, Strathaird Primary School student Cayne Tagliaferro, Thomas Mitchell Primary School student Helani Jayawardhana and Trinity Catholic Primary School student Caitlin Bibby.