GMAS student named WA Lions Club Youth of the Year runner-up in win for the regions

A talented South West student has been named Western Australian Lions Club Youth of the Year runner-up for 2022.

Last month, 17-year-old Aimee Telford of Georgiana Molloy Anglican School was named runner-up in the award, along with the W-Districts Public Speaking prize, after three rounds of competition.

She said it was an honour to represent the regional community in a competition “traditionally dominated by metropolitan students.”

“It’s an amazing feeling... the experience was inspiring and just incredibly fun all around and I’m so glad that I decided to give it a go,” she said.

Established in the 1970s, the LCYOY is an Australia-wide competition for students aged 15 to 18 years old, searching for “future leaders of the country.”

Candidates are judged on their participation in school and community life as well as any unique talents they may possess.

The practical portion of the competition entails three rounds of public speaking, including a five-minute speech of their own choosing and two, two-minute impromptu speeches that they will not know the title of until they are asked to speak.

In this year’s competition, Ms Telford was one of seven local candidates who competed at the regional final, with three progressing to the district final in Perth.

She was then selected to represent the South West at the WA State Final, sponsored by the Australind Lions Club.

Despite Perth Modern School’s Huda Zaida taking the title, Ms Telford said she hoped her success inspired more regional students to enter in the future.

“Most regional students are not even aware that this competition exists and I hope that my participation can propel it into a more diverse selection of schools,” she said.

“I met some amazing people and had the opportunity to visit some incredible places across WA, so I really hope that others take that chance as well.”