Two inspirational school students have been applauded for their leadership qualities throughout the Newcastle LGA.

Lambton High’s Cadence Campbell and Newcastle Grammar’s Sadie Smart were among 26 pupils honoured by Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of New South Wales, recently at Government House.

The pair was presented with Youth Community Service Awards for exceptional engagement with their local community.

Each received a trophy and certificate of commendation from Ms Beazley, who’s also Patron of The Order of Australia Association NSW Branch.

Ms Campbell and Ms Smart were nominated by their school principals as being exemplary role models before a selection panel determined the final award recipients.

Service ranges from local initiatives such as education, health and welfare for disadvantaged or underprivileged communities, to international programs in a host of development activities such as education, health, sanitation and infrastructure projects.

Convenor Dr Frank Kelleher OAM congratulated the outstanding duo.

“Cadence and Sadie are two of 26 high school students recognised to have selflessly volunteered their time to a wide range of organisations and for many very worthy causes while busily preparing for their Higher School Certificates,” he said.

“They contributed beyond the norm and their actions have inspired their fellow pupils.

“They’re beacons of inspiration for others to follow.

“Cadence and Sadie did not seek recognition for their actions.

“But, we honour them with the highest recognition available to NSW high school students.”

Ms Campbell’s citation read:

“Cadence has been an active member of the Australian Army Cadet Corp since 2021. Her commitment and leadership skills are focussed on fostering a youth community dedicated to service, integrity, courage, excellence and respect. This was recognised in 2024 with her appointment as school captain and as Company Commander of her unit, 211 ACU Adamstown, together with an AAC Gold Commendation Award. Her service has also extended to provision of emotional support, well above her years, to youth facing struggles in their lives, by facilitating connections to mental health service and chaplaincy support. At state level, she is responsible for teaching and organising leadership courses for others to attain higher ranking within the organisation. Her demonstrated leadership capabilities are reflected in her role as 2024 school captain, where she has promoted collaboration and communication initiatives between students and staff, particularly in the organisation of school events such as charity drives and cultural celebrations. She has also been a very active leader of the mountain bike community since 2022, where her coaching and communication skills have been invaluable, particularly in engaging girl members to achieve their skills goals, and in the organisation and management of state and national events.”

Ms Smart’s citation read:

“Sophie is a Year 11 student with a strong commitment to serving disadvantaged communities, both local and international. Her journey began at Soul Hub, a local organisation support of disadvantaged people, serving coffee and engaging in conversation them outside school hours on days a week. She fosters a sense of empathy and understanding in these interactions and has developed an understanding of their kindness and resilience under trying circumstances. One elderly man who walks a distance to Soul Hub daily told her of his brother, a WWII veteran, who struggles to attend the Anzac Day service in Sydney each year. Sadie travelled to Sydney herself and attended the service to support and help him through the day. She also volunteers regularly at the Sunday Community Lunch program run by her school and church, serving lunches to the disadvantaged. She also participated in her school’s Vietnam Project at Long Hai Primary School, a school for disadvantaged children in Vietnam, organising and leading art classes for them. Her experiences with the disadvantaged have influenced her to pursue tertiary education in Law and Psychology to help her assist the vulnerable in society more effectively through humanitarian law and legal aid avenues.”

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