Branches & Regional Groups :: QLD :: Secondary Student Citizenship Awards

The Order of Australia Association

Queensland Branch 

Student Citizenship Awards 2012

Background

The Student Citizenship Awards for Year 11 and Year 12 students have been running in Queensland since 1999. Other Branches of the Association conduct similar Citizenship Awards.

In 2012 the Queensland Branch of the Association will again be inviting nominations for Student Citizenship Awards from Queensland Secondary Schools. 

The purpose of the Awards

The Awards are an initiative to encourage students to think about Australian citizenship and the importance of contributing to their community through service and involvement. The Awards recognise students for their community service and remind us all of the significant level of volunteering undertaken by young Australians.
By nominating deserving students, schools place value on good citizenship.

The awards also serve to make students more aware of the Australian Honours system and the ideals of good citizenship that it enshrines.

2012 NOMINATION FORMS FOR THE SECONDARY SCHOOL AWARDS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON – WATCH THIS SPACE .

Nomination Process.

A letter is sent to all Queensland senior schools in Term 2, inviting them to nominate Year 11 and Year 12 students for these Awards. The schools select their nominees based on their involvement and commitment to the ideals of citizenship and provide written examples to demonstrate what the student has undertaken and achieved.

Selected students may not necessarily be academic or sporting high-achievers, but they will have displayed a commitment to bettering the world they live in and will be excellent role models and leaders.

The students nominated will generally have very impressive lists of activities in which they are actively involved. These range from door-knocking for numerous charities to fund-raising initiatives, involvement in school and community events, consulting to local government, youth parliaments, visiting nursing homes, helping senior citizens, running youth clubs or advocacy groups, surf life saving, mentoring younger students, public speaking - all in addition to enthusiastic participation in sport, cultural and academic activities!

Judging process

A panel of judges from The Order of Australia Association (Queensland Branch) selects 12 of the most outstanding submissions.  These students receive an engraved Gold Medallion (the Association emblem) and a framed Certificate of Merit.

All other students nominated for an Award receive a Certificate of Community Service to recognise their nomination and the importance of their contribution to society.  These certificates are sent to the schools in September and the Principal usually makes a public presentation of the certificate at a school assembly.

Status of the Awards

Successful students receiving the "Secondary Schools Citizenship Award" need to be aware that these awards are NOT awards in the Order of Australia – which are awards under the Australian honours system and are considered by the Council for the Order of Australia and approved by the Governor-General.  More information on the Order of Australia can be found at www.itsanhonour.gov.au

The student awards are received from the "Order of Australia Association", which is a separate entity to the Order of Australia.  A successful student should refer to their award as a "Secondary Schools Citizenship Award” received from the Order of Australia Association, Queensland Branch".

The awards do not carry a post nominal after the successful student’s name.

Medallions provided to students as part of this award should not be confused with the Order of Australia Medal. It is inappropriate, misleading and incorrect for a student to refer to any medallion received under the Secondary School Citizenship Awards programme as an Order of Australia Award or an Order of Australia Medal or an OAM or any other coined title award utilising the words 'Order of Australia' without reference to the Association in the name

Nominating schools are encouraged to counsel participating students in understanding these distinctions.

Presentation of the Awards

The presentation of these awards usually take place in September at an afternoon tea function at the Old Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House, Brisbane.

Successful students may travel from all over Queensland to attend this function, with family and friends. Members of the Association and other distinguished guests from the youth and education sectors will also be invited to attend the function. It is always a very dignified and impressive occasion.

Strong support from the Honeycombes Property Group 

The Queensland Branch of the Association is delighted that long-time supporter, The Honeycombes Property Group has committed to providing sponsorship for the Student Citizenship Awards for the next three years.  Mr Peter Honeycombe says his company is proud to be involved and sponsor these Awards.  "The Awards play an important part in recognising the huge input students have into their communities.  This recognition encourages wider particfipation in citizenship activities and provides students with strong role models".

Further Information

Further information can be obtained from the Queensland Awards Convenor Professor Klaus Bremhorst AM (Tel: 0417 742 146; Email: k.bremhorst@uq.edu.au   Information can also be obtained from the Dina Browne AO (Tel: 32360128; Email db@worthseeingmedia.net ) or the Honorary Secretary of the Queensland Branch - Geoff Cowles OAM; ( Email geoff.cowles@aanet.com.au ).

The 2009 Winners and Previous Year winners

For information on winners

please click on the link to:

SSCA 2009 Winners
SSCA 2008 Winners
SSCA 2007 - Winners
SSCA - Previous Winners

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