Newsboys Foundation

Newsboys Foundation Leadership Award 2014

The Age interviews Newsboys Foundation Youth Leadership Award winner

After winning the 2014 Newsboys Foundation Youth Leadership Award, 16-year-old student Margaret Tran was interviewed by The Age’s Lawrence Money.

2014 Newsboys Foundation Leadership Awards presented on 26 November
Awards_14_for_web_news copy 2
Left to Right: Senada Aldobasic – winner of the inaugural Newsboys Foundation Community Leadership Award in 2013, Shantelle Thompson – 2014 Newsboys Foundation Community Leadership Award Winner, Zich Zichy-Woinarski QC – Chairman Newsboys Foundation, Margaret Tran – 2014 Newsboys Foundation Youth Leadership Award Winner, Sandy Shaw – CEO Newsboys Foundation, The Honorable Alex Chernov AC QC – Governor of Victoria and Mrs Chernov.

Media release Margaret Tran

Media release Shantelle Thompson

A MOTHER of three and a young student have been presented with the 2014 Newsboys Foundation Leadership Awards.

The Newsboys Foundation Leadership Awards – presented at the Coopers Malthouse Theatre by The Honorable Alex Chernov AC QC, Governor of Victoria, this evening, are designed to recognise people who work or volunteer in community organisations and who have inspired young Victorians to do great things.

The Newsboys Community Leadership Award was presented to Ms Shantelle Thompson, a mother to three young children, a graduate teacher, athlete and role model with remarkable energy and commitment.

Ms Thompson serves with several community organisations and trains for several hours a day, six-days-a-week with the aim of achieving her ambition to become a world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

In her busy life, Ms Thompson is a program coordinator with Kiilalaana – a youth leadership, life development and women’s empowerment program that is being piloted in Mildura.

Ms Thompson plans to use half the Newsboys Foundation Community Leadership Award prize money of $10,000 to run and further develop the Kiilalaana program. The other half will go on professional development.

Ms Sandy Shaw, the CEO of the Newsboys Foundation, said: “It was an extremely competitive field of nominations and we congratulate Shantelle on winning the Newsboys Foundation Community Leadership Award.”

The Newsboys Foundation Youth Leadership Award was presented to Ms Margaret Tran, 16, a student at Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School. Fellow students and teachers consistently describe Ms Tran as a passionate public speaker and natural leader.

Over the past eight years, Ms Tran has been involved in leadership roles at her school including as Class Captain, Victorian Student Representative Council member, House Captain, Links Leader and Year 9 VicSRC executive member.

Since 2013, Ms Tran has been one of just 15 Victorian Student Representative Council executives who represent all secondary students in the state.

With the prize money of $5,000, Ms Tran plans to further her education, help pay for a World Challenge trip to Nepal and to help the VicSRC further its work.

Ms Sandy Shaw, the CEO of the Newsboys Foundation, said: “From a very young age Margaret has shown great leadership qualities in her school and her community. Margaret has been an inspiration to other students and young people.”