Warrnambool College year 12 student Jasmin Prewett hopes to expand her horizons in New York.
WARRNAMBOOL College student Jasmin Prewett is swapping the south-west for the bright lights of New York after winning a prestigious national scholarship for her community involvement.
Jasmin, 18, received the 2012 Future Leaders — Helen Handbury Leadership Award, which recognises year 12 students in rural and regional Australia who have shown outstanding community leadership.
Jasmin will receive $5000 towards an international trip to experience community development in another culture. The Warrnambool College school captain hopes to travel to the United States.
“I was thinking I’d go to New York and help out in homeless shelters because I sort of wanted to get away from the Third World. Homeless people need help too … there’s poverty all over the world,” she said.
Future Leaders director Helen Sykes said the four recipients from around Australia, including two south-west residents, could take the international trip anytime throughout their tertiary studies.
Dr Sykes said the young people would work with a Future Leaders representative to decide where to volunteer for work and they were encouraged to consider meaningful international opportunities which would benefit them personally and professionally.
She said the panel was most impressed with Jasmin’s contributions to her community so far.
“Jasmin stood out as a very fine young woman and a leader and someone who has made a terrific contribution not just this year, but throughout her schooling,” Dr Sykes said.
Jasmin was nominated for the award by her English teacher Kathy Stacey and principal Mary Pendergast.
“I got a letter in the mail and they said ‘you’ve been successful’ which was exciting,” Jasmin said.
The year 12 student has held a leadership role at the college since year seven and hopes to continue working with people “from all walks of life” in the future.
“I loved being able to take ideas from people and make them into events and do what I could with it,” Jasmin said. “I love being able to get up on stage and reward people that have done well in the community or in the school.”
Jasmin is the college’s Flagstaff House captain and has helped organise fund-raising for local and national charities. This year Jasmin received the Lions Youth of the Year Bev Melican Memorial Encouragement Award and was a semi-finalist in the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Plain English Speaking Competition.
Jasmin sits her VCE exams next month and hopes to study a Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne University next year, majoring in criminology.
Monivae College school captain Alexandra Groves was the other south-west 2012 Future Leaders — Helen Handbury Leadership Award recipient.
