 |
 |
|
|
 |
| THE ROTARY FOUNDATION |
|
||
|
As a volunteer, I had worked alongside the BBC during the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games and wanted to develop my skills. I chose a Postgraduate course at the University of Sydney reading Sports Science and Media and Communications. The course at Sydney has provided me with fresh new challenges including designing fitness programs for people with cardiac diseases or who have suffered from a stroke. From the moment I arrived in Australia I've felt at home. My Rotary counselor for the academic year, Doug McArthur has been taking care of me like one of his family. I was fortunate to attend the 99th Anniversary of Rotary at the Rose Bay Club which provided me with the opportunity to meet past and present District Governors and hear about their experiences as active Rotarians. I was also privileged to go to my first District Conference at Sydney's Convention Centre. I managed to meet many Rotarian friends and started to understand what Rotary `Down Under' was all about. The last six months have gone by so quickly it is unbelievable. Being a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar does present a commitment to represent Rotary and my country but it has also offered opportunities I could only have dreamt of like making friends with young people all over the world, learning about different cultures and seeing wildlife I never knew existed, like the Cassawary to mention a few. As a member of Sydney City Rotaract Club, over the next couple of months I look forward to getting involved with more Rotaract projects like the 2004 Terry Fox Fun Run. I shall be dusting off my trainers for the fun run on the 5th September at Wollongong University in aid of the University Cancer fund. One of my commitments to the Scholarship is to make speeches at Rotary Clubs in Sydney and the local area and when I return to the UK. I've received a warm welcome at all the Rotary clubs I have visited in Sydney and look forward to future invitations from other Rotary Clubs who want to find out more about home life in Nottingham from my perspective |
||
_______________________________________________________________________ |
||
The girls who participate on the club's behalf are no smarter than their counterparts, but the ethos of the college ensures the students are well prepared. For many years, the college has made it mandatory for all students, from year 8 on, to prepare speeches for presentation in the classroom. Students are then encouraged to compete within their age groups in the college.The result has seen excellent, confident young students emerging from the college, but even more importantly, the students from an early age have been given the tools to be confident in speaking in front of their peers and teachers. What a positive start to life. The three Rotary Districts in Western Australia have just completed the state finals of The 4 Way Test Speech Contest and Siobhan Dell representing District 9460, The Rotary Club of Attadale and Santa Maria won. It was a long way to the top! To get to the final, Siobhan presented her speech 7 times and finally at a college assembly in front of 800 of her peers — possibly the toughest audience of all. Schools such as Santa Maria offer a great opportunity for all Rotary Clubs to develop a greater understanding between our organisation and today's youth.So what does Rotary get out of it? Briefly, the speakers learn about Rotary and the 4 Way Test and reinforce it to Rotarians every time they present their speeches (and some members surely need the help). On top of this we also get access to possible future Rotary members (parents, teachers and competitors). Clubs have more access to students for our many wonderful youth programmes. Another bonus is that we learn about how this generation thinks |
||
