St Joseph's Nudgee College

March 6, 2009

St Joseph's Nudgee College Year 11 student Thomas Boase heads to Canberra later this month to represent Queensland at the National Schools Constitutional Convention.

Thomas was chosen to represent Queensland after he, and Year 12 students Sorogo Mills, Birrigan Young and Sam Kluk, attended the South East Queensland Zone School Constitutional Convention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at Brisbane's Parliament House last week.

Zone Conventions, which are organised by Education Queensland and are supported by the Queensland Catholic Education Commission and Independent Schools Queensland, involve senior secondary students from both state and non-state secondary schools.

Zone Conventions are held throughout the state and act as a prelude to the National Convention which will be held in Canberra from March 17–19.

"The purpose of the Convention was to be elected to become a Youth Delegate for the National Convention held in Canberra," Nudgee College's Indigenous Liaison Officer Ms Yvonne O'Neill said .

"Students had to present an argument lasting no longer than three minutes on a topic which was sent out to them the Friday before. The theme for this argument was 'Australian Republic: To Be or Not To Be?'."

Thomas was chosen by the group to deliver the speech and all set about putting together an argument that they felt comfortable with. The group unanimously voted to keep Australia a Constitutional Monarchy and put forward this case in their speech.

On the day, Thomas, and twenty-two other students, delivered well prepared and interesting speeches to their peers and other dignitaries.

Students were then asked to vote for the person or persons that they felt would best represent them at the National Convention.

Thomas and Allanah Johnson from Kepnock State High in Bundaberg were both chosen. 

Ms O’Neill congratulated the group on a wonderful job and said all members should be proud of their efforts both in preparing for, and at, the Convention.

"Congratulations to Thomas, Birrigan, Sam and Sorogo for an amazing effort, you were most deserving of the win. You all represented Nudgee College with pride and it showed in your presentation as a student of the College. You truly did Nudgee College proud."