A Southern River College student has been selected to represent the views of her peers and drive the future direction of education policy and reform.
Katie Russell has been selected as one of 20 public school students to sit on the WA Student Council, a body set up to inform Education Minister Sue Ellery on school issues.
This is the first time a WA Student Council has been established, and Russell will play an instrumental part in giving the Minister a student’s point-of-view on crucial issues in education.
Russell’s selection on the panel is no surprise to anyone familiar with the 15-year-old powerhouse.
She is a mentor for local youth, leader of the College’s Activist’s Club and has shaved her head twice to raise month for cancer research.
In May, she was named runner-up in the Yolande Frank Art Awards, a competition promoting human rights education in WA Schools, for her work A Symphony of Variety.
Her passion to make a difference is palpable, but she still had to beat out 100 nominees from across 63 public schools in WA in a rigorous selection process.
“I’m on the student council at Southern River College, and one of the teachers, Owen Davies, recommended that I apply for the WA Student Council,” she said.
“We had to create a video and submit that, and from there we went into a Zoom call, putting forward our attributes and how we interact with other students.
“I’m really passionate about making a difference, I want to make a change. I feel like I’ve got a lot of things that I want to say and I feel that I can really represent my peers, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity.”
Russell believes that education is the key to the future.
“Society has a lot of issues, and the best way to solve a lot of issues is through education, education and knowledge are the most powerful tools we have.
“If we can teach students about these issues, kids are naturally innovative so they’ll come up with solutions.
“If I can be a part of that or influence that in any way, it would be incredible.”
“I just, I’m really passionate about a lot of things.
I love art, that’s a great creative outlet for me and it’s just a lot of fun, and all my community work, I just enjoy doing. It makes me happy to know I helped someone and made a difference.
“I just try and find the time.”
Southern River College principal Sharon Harry said the entire school was proud of Russell’s achievements.
“Katie has contributed to the student voice within Southern River College as a student councillor for many years,” she said.
“She is well-informed and considered in her thoughts and actions, extremely civic minded and prepared to work for justice for all.”
