ALC students win national award

Students from the Peninsula Alternative Learning Centre have been named Australian winners in the "community value" section of the Young Achievement Australia awards.

Under the guidance of teacher Mr Nic Urie, youth worker Stephanie Hammonds, clerical assistant Janet Booth, and community mentors Vicki Stickler, John Eden, Julie Parsons and Renae Jackson, the students established a company to design, manufacture and market possum boxes.

These boxes provide safe homes in the bush or trees for possums but are also useful in encouraging possums out of people's roofs and into the boxes.

With the need to include the letters YA in their name to acknowledge Young Achievers, the students named their company "It's For YA".

Students in the program were David Burgess, Jacqueline Richards, Sophie Wills, Sarah Patching, Ben Robin, Mitchell Hamstra, Mat Power, and Adrian Hawkins.

"From the beginning, the program was a huge success with students learning valuable basic skills as well as leadership, teamwork and responsibility," said Brisbane Water Secondary College principal Mr Pat Lewis.

"Their product also proved to be very marketable and sales were brisk.

"With this success behind them the students entered into the awards section of the program and at the State awards were nominated as finalists in the categories of best product, best manufacturing process, environmental management, best regional and rural company, and special performance award.

"With the help of local businesses and organisations, students attended the State awards ceremony and were announced winners in the categories of best product and best manufacturing process."

Their story was picked up by ABC television's Stateline program which featured a substantial segment on the students and their company.

Following their success at State level, the students were then nominated for awards at the national level.

Last week they again dressed in formal attire provided by Bridal Collections and attended a glittering function at the Grand Ballroom in the Wentworth Hotel in Sydney.

Nominated in the categories of Environmental Management Award and Community Value Award, the students and their mentors were delighted when "It's For YA" was declared Australian winner in the Community Value category.

Mr Lewis said this was an enormous success for this group of local students and has brought with it some unique experiences and memories which will be remembered for a long time.

He added that students had learned and demonstrated many skills and developed great confidence in themselves along the way and to be extremely proud of themselves.

The students have thanked their mentors and sponsors.

Press release, November 25 Pat Lewis, Brisbane Water Secondary College