Summit works magic for students

A GROUP of students from Mount Clear, Phoenix, and Woodmans Hill colleges have attended the 2023 Magic Moments Youth Leadership Summit.

Held at Collaroy in New South Wales by the Magic Moments Foundation, the five-day program has a focus on personal development for 14 to 17 year olds and aims to improve their life skills and confidence.

The local students received financial backing from Community Bank Buninyong, the Ballarat chapter of Soroptimist International, and the Lions Club of Sebastopol and District to get there.

Community Bank Buninyong community partnerships lead Kelly Bevan said it’s the first summit they’ve been able to send a group to since 2019.

“We’re gradually increasing the number of young people we can support each time, and this year we sent 14,” she said.

“With more than $24,000, we funded 12, and brought in the Soroptimists and Lions as some community partners, who provided $2000 each to fund two students.

“Our goal is to keep increasing the size of the group we do send because when the students come back, we know from their feedback that the summit is so worthwhile.

“Every student should have the opportunity to participate in something like this.”

Mount Clear College teacher, and Soroptimist member, Beth Burgess, said she often seeks additional chances for students to undertake extracurricular activities.

“A lot of kids just don’t get the opportunity to access the support of community,” she said.

“For a lot of young people, they’d never be able to afford to go on a camp to Sydney, and gain access to the amazing amount of worldwide speakers at the summit that fly in and deliver amazing programs.

“A lot of them aren’t quite sure what they want to achieve in life before they go, and the growth you see within that week is incredible.

“From a Soroptimist point of view, we knew we could make a big difference in a female student’s life, and give that particular student more confidence to reach their dreams.”

Participant Naomi said the summit was a welcoming environment, and she felt free to be herself.

“I met so many awesome people that do great things, it was inspirational, emotional, and motivating,” she said.

“Everyone was so supportive and respected my boundaries. I felt incredibly accepted, and I wasn’t nervous to tell people what I could and couldn’t do regarding my religion.

“I think it’s safe to say that magic moments truly changed my life.”