Highlights
- On Australia Day, various awards are given to recognise the achievements of many Australians for their service to community.
- This 2021, nearly 900 outstanding Australians will be recognised on the Australia Day Honors list.
- Filipino-Australian singer and student Trinity Young has been nominated for Central Coast's Youth of the Year award.
"I did not expect anything to be given to me. I just do what I want for the community," says the 15-year old singer.
"I feel so grateful and humbled. I think I gained a sense of responsibility in life to be able to help people," shares the young lass.
Helping the community
The nomination for Trinity Young was done by her school after years of helping her school's various programs to extend help to the Central Coast community.
"I was nominated for the Youth of the Year award by my school for partaking in the JUMP (Josephites Undertaking Mission Projects)," narrates the incoming Year 11 student.
The JUMP program began in Term 4 of 2017, where MacKillop Catholic College students have championed the school's new outreach program.
"For the past 3 years I have done 300 hours of service."
Some of their activities include preparing and serving food to the homeless, volunteering, and donating their time to serve others.
For her 'outstanding contribution to Outreach and Community service', Trinity was awarded the 2020 Mary MacKillop Award by her School's Secondary Principal Mrs Debra Ferguson. Source: Supplied by June Young
"One of the big highlights I had with the JUMP program was the White Ribbon Walk against Domestic Violence at The Entrance in 2017 and 2018," says Trinity.
"I am also part of the Mini Vinnies Group which do a bunch of charities. For example, every Easter and Christmas time we go to nursing homes to check on the elderly and give them what they need."
"I am also part of the Youth Ministry Group at my school helping in the various programs the school holds."
Unexpected recognition
As a child, Trinity Young has always been active in her community. She never expected anything in return for what she does.
"It was very unexpected. I got a call from my dad one day when I was out, saying that my teacher phoned and informed him that I was nominated for the award," Trinity shares happily.
The young Trinity sings at one of the local Central Coast Council events on Australia Day years ago. Source: Supplied by T. Young
Her school's nomination for her also came after she was recognised for the 300 hours she had devoted to volunteering under the JUMP program.
"I feel very inspired when I went to the actual ceremony to see so many other people from the community do the same thing," she says.
The fifteen-year-old hopes she'll be able to continue volunteering and to inspire others to help too.
"It really inspires me more to go out and do more stuff for the upcoming years."
Always eager to extend help
Because of her mum, who fulfils a big role for the Filipino-Australian community in the Central Coast, the young lady has always been aware of her community.
"I do a lot of stuff to help my mum with the community that she runs, the Australian Filipino Association of the Central Coast," she reveals.
"We've been going to Maitland every single year for the Filipino community classes that my mum and a few other Filipino teachers had been taking part of."
Trinity Young sings with her mum, June, to help raise funds to build a skateboarding rink in Central Coast, in memory of 10-year-old Banjo Pilon, who passed away when he was hit by a car while he was skateboarding in the area. Source: June Young Facebook
"Some of our activities are - we hold a class where we teach younger people or any one that wants to come and learn the Filipino language and culture, doing sausage sizzle fundraisings, just to bring out the Filipino community to New South Wales."
She would frequently lends her singing talent to help with fundraising drives and events.
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