A BARHAM teenager’s passion to help out whenever she can received community praise on Australia Day.
Abbey Hird, 16, received Wakool Shire Council’s Young Citizen of the Year Award as part of Barham’s Australia Day celebrations.
The award recognised the Barham High School year 11 student’s commitment to the elderly and youth.
“It was a real honour to be recognised by other people in the community,” she said.
Outside of school, Miss Hird spends time volunteering at Murray Haven Home for the Aged and also the Barham Community Library.
Roles Miss Hird undertakes at the library include helping visitors select books and also reading stories to children.
“Spending time at Murray Haven and the library allows me to work with a couple of demographics I would not normally mingle with,” she said.
A passionate public speaker, Miss Hird was the guest speaker at Barham’s Remembrance Day commemorations in 2014 and at Wakool’s Centenary of ANZAC service last year.
These experiences of speaking in front of strangers and large crowds helped Miss Hird prepare for last year’s Gannawarra Youth Parliament team, which prepared and debated a bill at YMCA Youth Parliament.
“Being a part of the Youth Parliament team allowed me to meet really good people from not just within the area, but also other parts of the State,” she said.
The award capped off a memorable year for Miss Hird, who was the 2015 Chisel Lodge Research Essay Competition winner after presenting a piece about the Barham-Koondrook road bridge.
“I would like to thank the community, as well as Wakool Shire Council in general, for initially selecting me to speak at the Centenary of ANZAC event,” she said.
“The award will encourage me to do more in the community.”
