Teen Parliament 2024: Future leaders wanted for the opportunity to appear in parliament
Got a big idea for the future of our state? The Advertiser has opened nominations for this year’s Teen Parliament – and entering could be life-changing.
Education
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Young leaders are encouraged to submit their big idea for a better future for South Australia to be in with a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship.
Applications have opened for The Advertiser’s Teen Parliament 2024, where entrants will be in the running to become one of 30 students representing the youth of SA at Parliament House on March 8.
Students from Years 10, 11 and 12 will have two weeks to submit their ideas relating to topics such as state development, the economy, the environment, health, education and social issues.
Applications close soon.
For the 2024 event, there will be more scholarships awarded to standout students with 10 of the Teen Parliament cohort each receiving $10,000 from The Advertiser Foundation.
Last year’s scholarship winners Jackson Coaby, Juliana Lanzilli, Kaylee Trenerry and Seth Kayser are continuing to make their mark following the event.
They now hope to inspire this year’s new crop of future leaders.
Young Indigenous advocate Jackson is following in the footsteps of his father Jason, an Aboriginal liaison officer and grandfather Cyril, who co-founded the Aboriginal Sobriety Group that gives people an outlet to fight addiction.
The Salisbury East High School student said he had been inspired ever since he got to “teach others about my culture” at Teen Parliament.
The 16-year-old has decided to put his scholarship towards buying a car, which will assist with travelling for his involvement in the Tjindu Foundation, which supports Indigenous youth.
A passionate campaigner for women’s sport in schools, Kaylee will start a secondary teaching degree at Flinders University in July on her path to inspiring young girls.
“I just love helping people and educating others about things I’m passionate about,” Kaylee, 18, said.
She will use her scholarship to help pay for her study.
Juliana, who won her scholarship after speaking about the need for financial education in schools, has embarked on a career path in STEM following the event at the University of Adelaide with a double degree in electrical engineering and finance.
Juliana has used the scholarship for a laptop ahead of starting university, getting her driver’s licence and a new violin.
She will play violin at her local church Our Lady Queen of Peace in Payneham, which her family has been a part of for more than 100 years.
“It’s really important for all kids to have the same financial understanding so they’re not disadvantaged when they finish school,” the 17-year-old said.
Port Lincoln High School student Seth, 17, is still passionate about energy after sharing his ideas for a nuclear-powered future at last year’s Teen Parliament.
Since winning his scholarship he has appeared at the 2023 Bush Summit in August with fellow Port Lincoln Teen Parliament alums India Ciura and Prapti Pai.
Now in Year 12, Seth has used his scholarship to help buy school supplies as he prepares to study mechanical engineering at university before joining the Defence Force.
For this year’s candidates Seth had a clear message: “Be confident in everything you do.”
Other scholarship winners included Tayah Coulthard-Todd from the Tjindu Foundation who petitioned for equal access to education for Indigenous people and Amber Cameron, from Port Broughton Area School, who campaigned for education reform.
India, a scholarship winner from Teen Parliament 2022, continued her mental health advocacy in 2023.
The 19-year-old from Port Lincoln addressed a shortage of mental health services in the regions at The Advertiser’s Bush Summit.
India has since moved to Adelaide and is in her second year of a psychology degree at The University of Adelaide.
The rural student used the scholarship funds to support her living costs at St Mark’s College at university.
“For a lot of rural people, if you want access to services it’s going to be someone you know in the area … it gets rid of that anonymous side of it,” India said.
At Teen Parliament 2023, Attorney-General Kyam Maher and former premier Steven Marshall were present as the cohort of students spoke about pressing topics, such as education, transport and energy.
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