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Thursday, 7 July 2011
Page: 8037

Mr STEPHEN JONES (Throsby) (13:56): This Saturday last, five local councils from the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven communities got together to recognise community driven leaders from local Aboriginal communities. Shellharbour, Wollongong, Wingecarribee, Kiama and Shoalhaven councils held their joint local government regional NAIDOC awards ceremony. Year 12 Dapto High School student, Ricki Lee Donovan, received the 2011 Aboriginal Young Achiever of the Year award from the Shellharbour City Council. Ricki is the first in her family to go on to year 12 and has done so with credits and honours. Despite living in other towns and suburbs during her secondary schooling, Ricki continued her education at Dapto High School, making the two-kilometre daily walk from the Dapto train station to her school and back again. Ricki's achievements extend beyond the classroom. Her extracurricular activities include working in the Aboriginal community and helping with the Narinya Aboriginal grief and trauma healing programs through New South Wales in Aboriginal communities. In fact, Ricki's nan founded the Narinya program, a healing program for Aboriginal people affected by childhood and adult sexual abuse. Ricki is also involved in bush food catering activities and brings her skills and knowledge of food science to this. Ricki has just returned from Vietnam and Thailand where she spent two weeks with her school, teachers and leaders. Ricki has recently received an ANZ apprenticeship, which she hopes to enter into upon completing year 12. (Time expired)

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Hon. BC Scott ): I call the great Maroons supporter, the member for Wright.