2016 Rotary Student awards night.
 
Rotarians, teachers, students, families  and friends gathered at the Alexandra Golf Club to celebrate the 2016 Rotary Club of Alexandra Student award night.   Each awardee was introduced to the gathering by their teacher who explained why the student had been selected for the award.  The citations acknowledged the student’s ability to grow within themselves developing a realistic self image and the courage to step up to the mark when circumstances required.  Every awardee had displayed a range of skills and interests in their lives often involving service to their fellow students and the winder community.  when accepting the award each student  spoke with clarity and poise thanking their families and their teachers for the support they had received.  The universal feature of all citations was the leadership skills the students displayed, leaving no doubt that this  generation is both willing and able to be dynamic leaders well into the 21st century.  The first awards were made to the male and female Citizens of the year from the Alexandra Secondary College and they were introduced by Nigel Lyttle.  Nigel first thanked the Rotary Club of Alexandra for its continued support of students at all levels and in particular those at the Secondary College.  Nigel explained that Olivia Twining, the female citizen of the year for 2016, was absent as she was on a leadership development course in New Zealand and that her sister Evonnie  would accept the award on Olivia’s behalf.  Nigel explained how both Olivia and Brenton Doyle-Smith, the male citizen of 2016, were committed students who had a wide range of interests and were very active in school life. Both showed outstanding leadership skills and were both worthy of the award of a gold Citizen watch and a certificate acknowledging them as Rotary Citizen of the Year  for 2016.  Richard Lovett, president of the Rotary Club of Alexandra, in making the presentations congratulated both Olivia and Brenton on their commitment to their community and to their studies.  In introducing the primary school awards Richard explained that earlier in the day he had made the presentation to Blake Lewindan in Marysville as he could not attend the Rotary evening as it was Marysville Primary School presentation night.   The primary  school encouragement award comes with a certificate and  $300 to assist the student in their secondary school studies.  In turn Taggerty Primary School Jack Devos, Alexandra Primary School Caitlin Turner, Eildon Primary School Lariza Sacrang-Robinson, St Mary’s Primary School Toby Prothero, Buxton Primary School Daisy Birtchnell were introduced by their teacher. Cooperation, positive attitude, commitment to other students, leadership, active in a wide rage of activities both at school and in the wider community and a desire to do their best at what ever they tried were the constant comments in all citations.  There is no doubt that these young people will do their very best in the next stages of their lives and the community of the Cathedral Cluster can be justly proud of the students, teachers, family and  the wider community who have been involve in their growth and development.   In closing the evening Richard Lovett again congratulated the students on their awards and wished them all the very best in the future.