Cooper Clarkham, Giselle George and Joshua Buchanan. Photo: Supplied.
CONTRIBUTED BY LES LOUIS
The Rotary Club of Wynnum and Manly has a long history of supporting local youth with its various programs. This year is shaping up to be a bumper year for these activities and the wonderful opportunities they offer local youth.
Citizenship awards are made to outstanding senior high school students who embody Rotary’s core values of integrity, service and helping others. The awardees for 2025, Cooper Clarkham (Iona College), Joshua Buchanan (Wynnum State High School) and Giselle George (Moreton Bay College), were recognised at a recent club meeting, where they spoke of their life plans and dreams.
The club will begin accepting nominations for the 2026 awardees from August this year.
We are currently sponsoring Rebecca Notari-Markey as a 12-month exchange student in Chile and are now looking for candidates for 2027. Interviews will be held in March 2026 – get in early.
An exciting and challenging training program – the Rotary Youth Leadership Award – aims to equip leaders and potential leaders aged 20-30 with the personal, leadership, and citizenship skills required to succeed in all areas of their lives. The program provides participants with an unforgettable experience, combining learning and laughter in a regional setting. It will be held from 31st May to 6th June at Camp Cooby, located north of Toowoomba, an engaging venue with lake views and friendly staff who are dedicated to creating the best opportunities and experiences for guests.
A popular program for students in the last two years of secondary school is our Rotary Youth Transition Seminar, a weeklong camp held in early December. The week is packed full of sessions, games, guest speakers, activities and events designed to prepare you with everything you need to know to survive in the real world. We teach how to budget, maintain a car, connect with and influence people, eat well, exercise, challenge yourself, build strong relationships, and so much more! We will begin accepting nominations from October this year.
The Science Experience program will be held in January 2027, with nominations starting in August 2026 – check with your school and online at rcwm.org.
