Whether it be running a community market stall giving away clothes in the interests of reducing ‘fast fashion’ or championing the civil rights of the people of the people of Kenya in the NSW final of UN Youth Australia – Millie Coupland is a young woman with passion and conviction.
So much so, that The Armidale School’s Senior Prefect will now progress to the State Final of the Lions Youth of the Year competition in Tamworth next month, having been named overall winner at the Lions District 201N1 Final in Macksville on Saturday night.
Representing the Lions Club of Armidale Dumaresq, Millie has progressed through the region and zone finals, impressing judges with an extensive record of achievements across many fields.
Along with five other finalists from across north-eastern NSW, Millie was interviewed on her academic, sporting, cultural, leadership and community involvement. For the public speaking component, competitors gave two impromptu speeches on ‘Manners Matter’ and ‘What is there to celebrate?’, before a prepared speech, with Millie’s reflecting on the decline in the quality of public discourse.
It was the tail end of a busy several days for Millie which included taking part in the NSW UN Youth forum in Sydney, and mid-week, witnessing Question Time at NSW Parliament House and having afternoon tea with the NSW Governor Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC KC along with other secondary school leaders from northern NSW.
But being busy is not new to Millie. A keen debater whose team last year won the senior division of the Australian National Virtual Debating Competition, her citizenship and community involvement includes spending a lunchtime each week joining other TAS students cooking for the Armidale Women’s Shelter, for which she also co-ordinates care packages.
“I was so fortunate to meet such accomplished girls, and I am looking forward to meeting more like-minded peers at the State Final. I can’t thank the Lion’s Club enough for running this, and particularly the Armidale Dumaresq Lions Club members Judy Fisher and Carolyn Gadd, who have supported me the whole way through the competition. I would not have made it this far without the dedication of my teacher Mr Hughes, who goes above and beyond to run the public speaking and debating program on top of his many other roles.”
It will be the second time in three years that the Armidale Dumaresq Lions Club has been represented at the State Final, with TAS student Fred Kearney ultimately progressing to win the National title in 2023. The State Final will be held at West Tamworth Leagues Club on 5 April, with the winner going to the National Final at Traralgon, Victoria, in May.
Pictured: Supporting Millie on the night were TAS Head of Debating and Public Speaking Tim Hughes, Armidale Dumaresq Lions Club members Carolyn Gadd and Judy Fisher and her mother, Caroline Coupland.