Local Leaders Burn Brighter

STUDENTS from throughout the Upper Hunter honed their leadership speed dating and balloon racing skills last week during a visit from Burn Bright.

Pauline Carrigan, founder of the Where There’s A Will Foundation won the opportunity, for the nationally recognised group to visit local students, in a raffle earlier in the year.

Lindy Hunt of Where There’s A Will said the experience for local students was energising.

“These young guys are such great presenters, they are used throughout the country and so it is great for kids in the Upper Hunter to be experiencing their show,” said Ms Hunt.

“We did a whole heap of getting to know you activities and all the schools got to mix with each other and that is really powerful to see a shift from the first activity where the schools stuck with themselves then they were all mixed up and it is great to see them interacting and hopefully that translates to much more positive relationships in the community because they can say hi and know each other,” she said.

“They looked at what leadership really is and influence and how they can influence people all the time whether they realise it or not; in fact Harvard University research shows that in our lifetime we influence 10,000 people,” she said.

“They got to talk about how they influence people, in a positive or negative way, so the emphasis is on let’s choose the positive,” Lindy Hunt said.

Olivia Estrada, a year 10 student from St Joseph’s Aberdeen said it inspired her to be a better leader.

“It’s very inspirational to talk about how to become a better leader,” said Ms Estrada.

“Everyone has the ability to be a leader it just depends on how you want to do that and the highlight for me has been getting to know more people outside my school,” she said.

Lexie Meier, a year 6 student from Scone Primary School also enjoyed the opportunity.

“It has been great, the games and I’ve learnt a lot,” she said.

“Leadership is more than being someone that people look up to it is about being respectful and having fun,” Lexie Meier said.