January 26, 2017
Nanango’s Rebecca Clapperton was named the South Burnett’s Young Citizen of the Year at the region’s Australia Day Awards on Wednesday night.
The South Burnett Young Citizen of the year recognizes someone under 25 who has given outstanding service to the local community over a number of years, and this year there were three nominees.
Rebecca graduated from Nanango State High School in 2013, and is currently studying a dual degree in business and agriculture full time at the University of New England.
While this consumes a large amount of her time, she still remains an active member of the Nanango Show Society and the Nanango Campdraft Committee, and is on the steering committee for the Young Farmer section of the Nanango Show.
Rebecca is also an enthusiastic sportswoman, and has played representative netball for her school, her university and her local community.
She actively participated in – and umpired – the 2016 South Burnett district netball competitions.
Rebecca was also a finalist in the 2015 Australian Farmer of the Year Award for agricultural students, and is a good judge of meat, being placed in the top 10 when she entered the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association competition.
Rebecca is keen to pursue a career in agriculture, and hopes to do so when she completes her university studies.
Other nominees for Young Citizen Of The Year were:
- Ellen Dalton – Ellen has just completed her Year 12 at Kingaroy State High School where she was both School Captain and President of the Student Council; she was also an active member of the symphonic band, playing piano and French horn, helping the group win Fanfare’s regional championships in 2014 and 2016. She also coordinated the school’s annual Flair concert, which showcases KSHS talent and raises funds for the school. Ellen has also volunteered her time to perform at the Burrandowan Races, the Wine & Food In The Park festival, the Mayor’s Gala Ball and at local ANZAC services. Ellen is also a member of the South Burnett Community Orchestra, and is now pursuing a tertiary education at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music at Griffith University, and hopes to become an instrumental music teacher.
- Rebekah Kapernick – Rebekah was school captain at Cloyna State School and delivered a speech at the school’s centenary celebrations in 2011. She went on to become dux of Murgon State High School in 2016, and has also represented the high school in sporting competitions and Anzac commemorations. Outside school, she’s also been involved in many extra-curricular activities such as touch football and netball to maths and engineering challenges. She also helped put together gift bags for Blaze Aid to distribute to farmers after the 2013 floods. In 2015 she was selected to attend the University of Queensland’s Young Scholars Program, which is designed to develop future leaders, and was also selected to represent Murgon High School at the annual QRRRWN State Conference, an organisation dedicated to empowering rural women. She is now keen to pursue a career as a secondary school teacher.
