Young Citizen of the Year - Daytona Porter
Daytona Porter from Tathra is a 17-year-old youth leader who stands out not only as a high achiever, but as an accomplished mentor and inspiration to young people in her community and more broadly across the state.
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Daytona is a school captain at Bega High School and a National Rugby League (NRL) accredited referee who also volunteers with the Far South Coast Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) after school as a junior mentor supporting life change in disadvantaged youth.
In December last year, Daytona was presented with an Australian Olympic Change-Maker award by the Australian Olympic Committee, recognising her sense of friendship, sportsmanship, leadership and her will to drive positive change. Daytona is one of just a few young female NRL referees in NSW.
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Once she turns 18, she will get the opportunity to referee the men's games. The youngest Group 16 NRL grand final referee, Daytona was the first female to referee the Group 16 South Eastern NSW Women's Rugby League Grand Final. She has also refereed regional NRL finals, including the Koori Knockout, Katrina Fanning Shield, League of Nations and Walgett Knockout.
Last year Daytona was awarded the Tathra Rugby League Junior Club Person of the Year, which was the first time it had been awarded to a female.
Daytona's community spirit stretches beyond the sports fields. Lately she has been working with the Bega Valley Shire Council on a number of youth projects attached to the Youth Forum, including developing concepts for half-court basketball courts to bring young people together for positive change, especially in mental health and reducing crime.
Young Citizen of the Year - Zoe Pentin
Zoe Pentin from Pambula is a high achiever academically and in her community engagement activities. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Wollongong (Bega Campus), receiving a distinction for her degree in sociology and Indigenous studies.
She plans to pursue her work in giving back to the community through studying a Masters in Secondary Education this year, with a prospect of teaching history and social science.
Dedicated and passionate about helping local young people to achieve their best, Zoe was a volunteer with the Far South Coast Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) in 2021 and 2022.
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Zoe has supported community-centred young girls as a leader with the Merimbula District Girl Guides and is a member of Bega Headspace's Youth Reference Group, having undergone mental health first aid training to provide support to the young people she works with.
Her passion for the environment, permaculture and regenerative agriculture resulted in Zoe establishing the Youth Climate Action Group that works closely with the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast. She was also a volunteer at the Bega Valley Youth Forum and the Wanderer Festival as a part of the Green Team.
Other achievements include Pambula-Merimbula Lions Youth of the Year for 2018, Bega Valley Rotary Model United Nations representative in Canberra, Bournda Environmental Education Centre award recipient, Samaritan Appeal volunteer, school prefect, Further Education Scholarship winner and Mumbulla Community Foundation Scholarship winner.
Zoe is an enthusiastic and active member of the community and a shining example of what fabulous young people we have in the valley.
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