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VCE Achiever

 

Lenny Pritchard – Plenty Valley Christian College

The VCE Achiever for this month is Lenny Pritchard from Plenty Valley Christian College in Diamond Creek.

Within her school and community Lenny has shown outstanding leadership. Lenny is a member of the Diamond Creek Country Fire Authority (CFA). She has served her community through fire fighting and has assisted in other emergency situations. Of particular significance to Lenny was her efforts in combating the tragic bushfires in February. ‘Being part of the CFA has been one of the most heart-wrenching and life changing experiences for me. It is full of risks and challenges.’

Lenny’s involvement with the CFA has inspired others to follow in her footsteps. This can be seen in the rise in interest from fellow students in CFA membership. Lenny has spoken at school assemblies to encourage other students to look for opportunities to get involved with their community and volunteer their services.

Lenny is also involved with Prison Fellowship Australia which provides support to prisoners, ex-offenders and their families. Lenny has spent countless hours caring for these marginalised people. She also helped organise ‘Kamp for Kids’, which gave children with a parent, or close relative, in prison a chance to experience camping for the first time and exposed them to positive role models.

Through her volunteer work with the Prison Fellowship Lenny has formed new friendships and gained insight into the lives of inmates and their families. It has had a profound impact on Lenny and given her a passion to reach out to others. ‘The best thing about volunteer work is that it empowers you to make changes and to give back to the community.’

At school Lenny is a leader and role model to others. Lenny helped organise the Red Cross Blood Bank service at school to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood and saving lives. She is the Year 12 Chapel Coordinator and has participated in student leadership programs, such as the Ergon Leadership course which is a theological training program run by the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.

Over the summer holidays Lenny volunteered with Youth with a Mission (YWAM), an organisation which works with young people to encourage them to make positive impacts on the community.

As a student leader Lenny participated in a missionary trip to Thailand. The trip allowed students to learn from the local community about their cultural differences. ‘The experience in Thailand has opened my eyes to the immense poverty and the needs of the world. It has highlighted the gap between the developing and the developed worlds.’

Juggling so many responsibilities can be difficult but Lenny manages it all by being extremely focused and organised.

Lenny hopes to study nursing and midwifery and continue with her aid work overseas in the future.

 

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The VCE Achiever Award is coordinated by the VCAA to recognise the efforts of VCE students in promoting community involvement in their local school and wider community. VCE Achievers actively participate in such activities as the arts, environmental protection, aged care, hospitality, local council initiatives, fundraising and public speaking. Monthly finalists receive a three-month subscription to the Herald Sun, and in December one overall winner will receive a notepad computer donated by Lenovo Australia. Students in government, Catholic and independent schools may apply for the award in 2009 by using the application form on the VCAA website (Excellence and Awards > VCE Achiever Award).

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