Pilbara youth setting high standard

Young people of the Pilbara contribute so much to the community and a handful of stand-out citizens have earned nominations in the2019 Seven News WA Young Achiever Awards.

Hannah Mitchell and Navyaa Shukla, both from Karratha, have been nominated for the Royal Flying Doctor Service regional service award and the Catholic Education Western Australia young leadership award respectively.

Jack Dawson from Tom Price has been nominated for the RFDS and Freemasons WA community service and volunteering award.

Liam Broad from Paraburdoo rounds out the West Pilbara nominees, having also been put forward for the Catholic education award by Shire of Ashburton Cr Linton Rumble.

Cr Rumble said teacher Liam had demonstrated consistent leadership to the students of the Paraburdoo Primary School both in and out of the school environment.

“Living in a small community like Paraburdoo, the sense of community and youth leadership is critical to the development of the children based in the town residentially,” he said.

“Liam volunteers countless hours outside of his paid employment to assist in the delivery of youth sport in the town, as well as recreational events.”

Hannah was nominated for the awards by her mum, Casey, after she was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish at Easter last year but still managed to achieve A grades at school and work three jobs in town.

“She has proven her ability to be an outstanding human being with enough determination to make the whole world proud,” her mum said.

Navyaa is a well-known young person in Karratha, having been named young citizen of the year in 2018, and was nominated by her mum, Nutan, for the various leadership roles she had held.

“Throughout 2018, she held the role of cultural captain at St Luke’s College and has contributed almost 50 hours of her own time to volunteer at several organisations and events in the Pilbara community,” her mum said.

Jack was the only young person to be nominated in two categories, with the Freemasons award recognising his work with different emergency service-related organisations in Tom Price.

“I have been privileged to be given the opportunity at Tom Price Emergency Services Cadet Corps to assist SES Tom Price with Karijini gorge rescues, land searches and sandbagging operations,” he said.

“I have been a part of seven gorge rescues ranging from broken hips all the way up to taking full spinal precautions.”

Finalists for the awards will be announced at the end of March with a gala presentation dinner to be held in Perth of May 25.