This week we had pleasure of welcoming student leaders from across the Barron River electorate to a Youth Leadership Forum alongside the Minister for Housing, Public Works and Youth, Sam O’Connor.
Students from Peace Lutheran College, Redlynch State College, Freshwater State School, Freshwater Christian College, Newman Catholic College, Holy Cross School Trinity Park and Smithfield State High School came together for an afternoon focused on leadership, community, and the future.
The forum created an opportunity for young people to engage directly with leaders, ask questions, and share their perspectives on the issues that matter most to them.
The students who attended this forum demonstrated a genuine passion for making a positive difference in the world around them. Their questions reflected a strong understanding of the challenges facing our region, as well as a willingness to be part of the solutions.
These are the future leaders of Barron River and beyond and the level of insight, confidence and curiosity on display made it clear that our community is in very capable hands.
Providing opportunities like this helps build confidence, encourages civic engagement, and ensures young people feel heard and valued. It also strengthens the connection between our future leaders and the decision-makers shaping their communities.
As part of the forum, students heard from a range of guest speakers who shared their own leadership journeys and insights.
This included contributions from James Cook University, with Dr Sam Horseman from the JCU Ideas Lab, as well as Barron River Youth Parliament representative Samuel Chesters and Highly Commended Young Woman of the Year, Kyra Hourigan.
Together, they offered valuable perspectives on leadership, innovation and community involvement, giving students real-world examples of how they can make an impact.
Students also had the chance to experience JCU’s CAVE immersive learning facility, providing a unique glimpse into future-focused education and technology, and helping to inspire new ways of thinking and learning.
Events like this are only possible through strong community collaboration.
A sincere thank you goes to the teachers, school staff, parents and carers who continue to support and encourage these young leaders. Their guidance plays a critical role in shaping confident, capable and community-minded individuals.
Thank you also to James Cook University for hosting the event and providing such an engaging environment for the forum.
And finally, appreciation goes to everyone who helped bring the event together, ensuring students had the opportunity to participate, connect and learn.
The Youth Leadership Forum was a powerful reminder of the talent, passion and potential within our local schools.
By continuing to invest in opportunities like this, we are not only supporting individual students, we are strengthening the future of our entire region.
There is every reason to feel optimistic about what lies ahead, with such an impressive group of young people ready to step forward and lead.
