Student Success

Erik Beltz, Year 10

Erik made such a positive impression on high-ranking officers from WA Police while attending the recent Jambo Africa Festival that he was invited by them to attend a breakfast forum with the Police Commissioner.

The forum aimed to gain young people’s perspectives on how to make WA better.

Erik was invited by Sergeant Don Emanuel-Smith to contribute his views and meet Commissioner Col Blanch at the breakfast event, which featured an address by an African lawyer who was once a refugee. 

Erik's mother, Nkandu, said Erik "made a great impression on everyone - being the youngest in the room and asking good questions''.

He received a further invitation to tour Police Headquarters and the officers even encouraged him to consider a career in the force. 

"Col Blanch asked anyone under the 18 to put up their hand (Erik was the youngest) and he said that the police force is only effective if it can work in collaboration with the community. He hoped that one day Erik would take over from him.'' 

 

 

In this photo and the one above, Erik is pictured with WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch and Sgt Don Emanuel-Smith and Inspector Peter Healy.

 

 

Aelwen Johnstone, Year 10 

Aelwen Johnstone attended the World Forum on Urban Forests in Washington DC. She was selected to talk about her work on the Millennium Kids Youth Board, the Greenlab program, as a youth advocate and shared her experiences from her 7 year-long urban greening project. Click HERE  to see the forum page. Aelwen was the only youth representative to have been selected by scientific committee to speak.

Congratulations Aelwen!