For anyone who has the privilege of meeting Woodville High School Principal Meredith Edwards, the words passionate and heart will always come to mind and, fortunately for all of us at Youth Opportunities, this is something she has brought in spades to her partnership with us over the years.
Term three saw Meredith take part in her final graduation for the Youth Opportunities Personal Leadership Program at Woodville High School and, before she enters into retirement, we wanted to officially recognise the wonderful advocates and ambassadors both she, and her Woodville High School colleague Leanda, have been for young people, and Youth Opportunities over the years.
We asked Hannah Russell, Youth Opportunities Training Services Lead, who was coordinator for Woodville High School for many years, if she could reflect and provide a few words about Meredith.
“Meredith has been one of the strongest supporters of our program over the past 16 years. She is values driven and passionate about justice and the wellbeing of her students as a whole. Meredith stands up for what she believes in, and her advocacy for her students is second-to-none. She leads with passion and the expectation of excellence, especially from herself. Her warmth, honesty and zeal will be sorely missed, but we wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.”
Leanda was the school-based co-ordinator for many years, and has been absolutely pivotal in the success of the Personal Leadership Program at Woodville High School. Hannah shared a few words about Leanda and her importance to Youth Opportunities:
“Leanda acted as our go-to contact at the school and would go above and beyond to ensure students engaged with the Youth Opportunities Personal Leadership Program. Her tenacity, humour and hard work have been pivotal in ensuring the success of the program.”
Meredith and Leanda, thank you for such a strong partnership with Youth Opportunities over the years, which has resulted in us together being able to support so many young people to create a positive pathway for their lives. We hope you both enjoy your retirement, and we look forward to continuing our friendship for years to come.