2019 SA Australia Day Award recipients announced

WINNERS OF THE 2019 AUSTRALIA DAY AWARDS ANNOUNCED

 A woman committed to community support for suicide prevention, a young woman setting examples and teaching her peers about a topic close to her heart and an event helping struggling South Australian farmers in the Australia Day Awards for 2019.

Australia Day Council Chief Executive Officer, Jan Chorley said the Australia Day Awards recognise the commitment of great South Australians who work unnoticed, are big hearted and make their communities a better place for all Australians,

“The Australia Day Awards recognise those outstanding efforts made by people all around South Australia. The actions of the 2019 recipients is something special that enriches the lives of those around them,” she said.

“They don’t do it for the praise, or for the recognition – they do it simply because it makes a difference for people in their communities.

“These are the unsung heroes that we pay tribute to on Australia Day, and I congratulate all Award recipients for the outstanding contribution that they have made to their community, and that helps make Australia such a great place to live.”

This year’s Australia Day Award winners are:

About The 2019 Australia Day Awards Recipients:

Citizen of the Year Awards 2019

South Australia’s Citizens of the Year 2019:

Ingrid Kennerley (District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula)

Ingrid has contributed many hours of volunteering within the Cummins community with various sporting clubs and community groups. Her unselfish and enduring devotion to the community is inspiring and has made Cummins a better place for its citizens. Ingrid’s personal experience with the tragedy of suicide has enabled her to provide support for community members when it’s needed and to be a mentor on the Empowering Lower Eyre - Suicide Prevention Network. Committee.

South Australia’s Citizens of the Year (Commendation) 2019:

Derryn Stringer (Wakefield Regional Council)

At Snowtown Centenary Park Sports complex, the football club had a shed that was used as change rooms and, on game days, as a canteen. Derryn Stringer’s vision was for this to become a pavilion to host meals after training and post game day functions and community events. Derryn has spent hundreds of hours working on funding the project, sourcing contractors, materials, organising working bees, as well as many days and nights spent at the pavilion himself. What he has achieved and the effort that he has made to achieve it is truly extraordinary.

South Australia’s Young Citizens of the Year 2019

Scout Sylva-Richardson (City of West Torrens)

Scout Sylva- Richardson is a 14 year old student who has an Autistic 11 year old brother. Scout found there was a real lack of resources around children with Autism so decided to be proactive and write her own resource from a personal experience. Scout's book has since been delivered across schools and organisations in South Australia and nationally and a second print is being organised to meet demands.

South Australia’s Young Citizens of the Year (Commendation) 2019

Joseph McMahon (City of Mount Gambier)

Joseph McMahon is a caring, compassionate and supportive individual to his local community. At 15 years of age he has achieved many accolades in community service, public speaking, drama, sport and music. He has been described by his principal as “a caring member of our school community”.

Joseph is an active and well-respected member of the St John Ambulance Cadet Division and through his dedication and community work he is wanting to pursue a career as an Ambulance Service Paramedic.

 South Australia’s Community Event of the Year 2019:

Rope for Hope (Wakefield Regional Council)

 "We may be kids, but we can still make a difference". In response to the drought conditions affecting farmers in 2018, students at Owen Primary School organised "fiver for a farmer" day, where all students came dressed as farmers and donated $5. What began as an idea from some big hearted middle primary students concerned about the drought in parts of SA, evolved into a major fundraiser, which not only provided truckloads of hay for farmers in need, but also highlighted the crisis, and gave hope to farmers doing it tough.

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures 2019

Provided by the Minister for Education through the Multicultural Education and Languages Committee (MELC)

MELC is a ministerial advisory committee that provides advice to the Minister for Education and Child Development in the interrelated areas of languages education, multicultural education and the internationalisation of education. MELC works collaboratively with educational and community organisations towards ensuring that education for all students is enriched by the value of engagement with linguistic and cultural diversity and that young people learn to operate with sophistication and ease with diverse people.

This Award is for people aged 24 years or younger, who have demonstrated a commitment to a multicultural Australia including community leadership and the capability to operate across languages and cultures.

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures 2019

Farzana Rezaie

Ms Farzana Rezaie is a success story for migrants settling into regional Australia. As an Australian citizen of Afghan/Hazara background, Farzana is passionate about the capacity for education and language to develop communities, activate citizenship, and foster social inclusion. Her personal contribution continues to positively affect the daily lives of hundreds of children, from kindergarten to secondary school, and in turn their families and the community.

The Award for Leadership in Languages and Cultures 2019

Sophie Szabo

Ms Sophie Szabo is a Year 12 student at Pedare Anglican and Uniting Church School with a demonstrable passion for languages and cultures. She continues to immerse herself in a variety of cultural experiences, to study Chinese and French languages, and to share the benefits of multilingual education with her peers and the community, both locally and internationally.

 2019 Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award:

Sponsored by the Office for Women

This Award was introduced by the Australia Day Council and the Office for Women to recognize some of the outstanding contributions by women to the community during the current year or over several years. The criteria also include achievement in their relevant field and their ability to act as a role model in the community.

2019 Recipient for Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award:

Emmah Evans

Cystic Fibrosis is the most common life threatening, hereditary illness effecting primarily the lungs and digestive system and this year’s Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award recipient is a proven Cystic Fibrosis fighter. Emmah Evans is an inspirational role model, as well as being a wife and mother, who is committed to changing lives for the better and is proof that a disability should not define you.