March 11, 2025
Last-minute substitute Tayla Clapson will be representing the local region at the 2025 District final of the Lions Youth of the Year competition.
The regional finals were hosted by the Kingaroy Lions Club on Saturday, and held at St Mary’s Hall in Albert Street.
Tayla represented the Cooloola Gold Lions Club, standing in for a fellow student from St Patrick’s College, Gympie, who could not make it to Kingaroy.
She competed against students who had won their local Kingaroy, Nanango, Blackbutt, Gympie South and Tin Can Bay club competitions.
Local finalists were Tasleigh Gangemi (Kingaroy Lions Club), Naryon Hinchcliff (Nanango Lions Club) and Clay Foley (Blackbutt Lions Club).
Lions Youth Of The Year involves a lot more than just public speaking, although that is an important component.
The students also undergo face-to-face interviews and are judged on their community and cultural involvement as well as their academic skills.
Naryon Hinchcliff, from Nanango State High School, took home the prestigious regional Public Speaking award, while Tayla was the overall winner.
She will now represent the region at the District final which will be held as part of a formal dinner at Bargara on March 22.
The judges for the Kingaroy event were former councillor Terry Fleischfresser, Toastmasters member Marietta Wetzig, Cr Debbie Dennien and St Mary’s Catholic College teacher TeAna Riddell.
- Related article: Tasleigh Wins Youth Of The Year
