By Callum Ludwig
The recipient of the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise (UYCE)’s Ian De La Rue Youth Initiative Award for 2024 has been decided.
This year’s winner of the award and its $1000 prize is Talei Whiteside, recognising her efforts as a young leader in her school and community.
Ms Whiteside said putting herself forward for leadership opportunities has always been important to her.
“I like to joke that I’ll do anything, like if you need me to clean the toilets, I’ll clean the toilets, just give me a job and I’ll do it and if you need someone I’ll do whatever, that’s just something that I’ve grown up with, my parents are great and will always do something so I think I’ve taken that on,” she said.
“I’ve been very confused by this whole process because people keep dropping little different hints about who nominated me and I just wanted to know the whole story but I think my vice-principal and my Year 12 leader both nominated me, I think they worked together,”
“It’s so lovely [to have been nominated] because I do these things and then it was like ‘Oh, people noticed’ and I didn’t need them noticing, but it was really lovely.”
Ms Whiteside was nominated by her Year 12 Leader at Upper Yarra Secondary College Katie Feagan, who in the nomination described her as ‘a perfect role model’ who ‘has given to and looked out for others throughout her life and never asks for anything in return.’
Some of Ms Whiteside’s achievements and contributions include;
Being a Year Level Captain and School Captain at Upper Yarra Secondary College
Designed and created Grade Six uniforms for Gladysdale Primary School when uniform supplies were destroyed as well as being a photographer and publisher to their website and helping in moving and relocating the Art Room
Being a camp volunteer most school holidays at a Christian Youth Camp
Running the tech desk fortnightly at the Warburton Anglican Church, including helping connect online participants.
Ms Whiteside said she was so grateful to receive the award.
“[When asked what she’d put the money towards] They’re not going to be impressed by this, but I need a new phone so probably that,” she said.
“Next year I’ve been planning to move to Geelong to study occupational therapy at Deakin so that’s a big life change, which is both terrifying and super exciting but for a while, I’ve wanted to study occupational therapy, I keep moving where I want to go to uni, but at the moment it’s Deakin,”
“I guess we’ll see on December 12 if I’ve got the ATAR I need.”
Created during his time as chairman of the Bendigo Community Bank of Warburton and Yarra Junction, the Youth Initiative Award went on to be named in honour of Ian De La Rue OAM and is awarded each year to a student or multiple students from the community as they leave secondary school.
