Participants in the annual Active Citizen Program for selected Aboriginal year ten students from Parkes, Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo high schools had an amazing experience with the Penrith Panthers this year.
The six-month reward program of the Central West Police District aims to increase the participants’ awareness in being an active citizen and positive role model in the community, enhancing their cultural knowledge and building up their leadership skills.
This year the program included a once in-a-lifetime experience when the group visited the Penrith Panthers Rugby League Football Club as part of their Sticks To Stadium program. It included a tour of the Panthers’ Rugby League Academy and taking part in a cultural experience – learning about bush tucker, art, throwing boomerangs and tools.
The camp finished on a high when the students not only attended the Panthers vs Sharks match, but they also had the privilege of holding the banners on the field as the players ran out. After the match they had the opportunity to meet the players outside the dressing room.
For the rest of the program, participants took part in various local cultural activities, visited local businesses and community groups to find out about their community involvement, and discovered local career opportunities that may be available to them and building up their skills.
The program concluded with a leadership camp in Canberra and Jindabyne, where the participants climbed to the summit of Mount Kosciusko, visited the Royal Military Academy at Duntroon and the Australian War Memorial with a Last Post ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The Parkes students in the program were Nicayden Greenwood, Kyah Turnbull and Jarmarra Goolagong. The police members involved included Chief Inspector David Cooper, Inspector Shane Jessep, Senior Constable Daniel Greef, Senior Constable Emma Dyball and ACLO Kevin Read.
