It was so great to be back for my third Inspiring Australians Student Summit, joining more than 500 students from across southern Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula to share my story of founding the South Australian Youth Forum. I spoke about my experience of starting SAYF at 17 and how leadership isn’t something that only belongs to people with a particular title, position or level of experience. I really wanted to share the idea that leadership exists in all of us, and tha

I was invited back for a second Inspiring Australians Student Summit, this time joining history-making astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg and Dr Karl as one of three keynote speakers. Over 600 students from nine visiting schools came together for a morning built around curiosity, resilience, and dreaming boldly. I brought the youth voice and community leadership lens to a lineup of genuinely extraordinary Australians, speaking to what it means to build something from the ground

I was invited to deliver a keynote at the Official Dinner of the 31st National Schools Constitutional Convention, held at the National Press Club in Canberra. I spoke to 120 students from across every school sector in Australia about what youth voice in democracy actually looks like when you take it seriously. I was invited specifically as the 2025 SA Young Australian of the Year and for my work building SAYF. What made it even more meaningful was that I had been an NSCC dele

Over 400 students heard from Sam Bloom, World Para Surfing champion and author, His Excellency Dr Richard Harris SC OAM, Governor's Deputy and Thai cave rescue diver, and me as the 2025 SA Young Australian of the Year. Together we shared lessons on resilience, trust, teamwork, and the power of youth voice. I spoke to students about using their voices for change and what genuine community leadership looks like at any age. Photo credit: Andrew Beveridge

Alongside two SAYF members, I spent a day across the Parndana and Kingscote campuses speaking to over 400 young people in Years 7 to 12 about youth advocacy, resilience, and leadership. The visit marked the beginning of something significant for Kangaroo Island, building the foundations for what is now the established Kangaroo Island Youth Movement.

Over two days at the Adelaide Convention Centre, I delivered a keynote to more than 1,000 students from 90 schools, with some travelling from as far as Port Lincoln and Mildura. The room was full of primary and secondary students who had come together around themes of leadership, growth, and connection. I spoke about the South Australian Youth Forum, about what it looks like when young people are handed real tools and real responsibility, and about why advocacy does not wait

Since January 2025, I have been working as a contracted Co-Lead to establish the Youth Voice Initiative at the Specialised Assistance School for Youth. Working alongside passionate students and dedicated staff, I am supporting the build of a student-led committee from the ground up, one that identifies concerns, highlights gaps, and creates real opportunities for improvement within the school. My aim is to help young people recognise that their perspective has weight, and cre