Australian Olympic Change-Maker Award

My name is Hani Ataish and I am honoured to be nominated by our fantastic PE staff at Reservoir High School for the 2021 Australian Olympic Change-Maker award. The Australian Olympic Change-Maker award recognises students who are demonstrating the Olympic spirit - friendship, sportsmanship and striving for excellence – both on and off the playing field, through leadership and driving positive change in their school or local community. By demonstrating those attributes, I was lucky enough to be invited to the National Virtual Forum, which was held online with more than 900+ students across the country attending. We got the opportunity to meet some of Australia’s hard-working Olympians including Kyle Vander-Kuyp, Zac Stubblety Cook, Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho Del solar, who recently just returned from their incredible journeys representing Australia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We also got the opportunity to hear about their experiences, as well as some advice they gave us in terms of working hard and getting to the place you want to be, which was great to hear about. Furthermore, we all were honoured to hear about how Australia’s indigenous culture was being presented in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by Kyle Vander-Kuyp who was the key figure in demonstrating respect for the first nations people. Kyle highlighted the work in which he and the Australian Olympic committee had done in making it possible. Kyle also shared with us “how not only are you representing Australia but also how you’re representing the country with the oldest living culture in the world”, which was very special to hear.

One great piece of advice I received out of the forum is that no matter what obstacles you are faced with – stick to yourself and enjoy the moment. 

Altogether this Forum was amazing, it not only inspired myself and the 900+ students but also reminding us to enjoy the journey we have and don’t let the negatives hold you back.

My name is Tayla Hume, and I am extremely privileged and grateful to be receiving this award. 

The Olympic Change Maker award offers a great opportunity to showcase the significant work achieved by students around the country, working both on and off the field, showcasing friendship, sportsmanship, diversity and striving for excellence and success. The National Virtual forum had more than 900 students across the country. Hani and I had the opportunity to listen to some Olympic champions who competed in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics including volleyball champions Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho Del Solar, swimmer Zac Stubblety Cook and former running champion Kyle-Vander Kuyp. It was truly inspiring to hear Kyle speak about Indigenous culture and how that was reflected during the Olympics. We had the opportunity to listen to all their experiences as well as the ups and downs that they all had faced whilst being in the public eye. If I could take one thing out of the national forum, it would be to always think positive, stick to your strengths and enjoy the journey. It was really inspiring and motivating to hear all their amazing stories and all the obstacles they had faced along the way. I definitely will take all the information I have learnt into my life and my journey to come.