Three Dungog High School students, Sam Neilson, Melody McLarty and Georgia Burns, were the local entrants.

All the students are doing their HSC next year and are heavily involved with school activities including peer support leadership, mentoring and student representative council.

The youth of the year program is designed to foster, encourage and develop leadership qualities in our youth, in conjunction with other citizenship qualities at the age when they are about to enter the fields of employment or higher education.

Qualities sought include academic attainments, leadership, citizenship and community involvement, personality, sportsmanship and public speaking.

The importance of public speaking is recognised at all levels with a specific award to the candidate judged to be the best speaker.

The overall winner, judged by John Connors, Nancy Knudsen, Nick Helyer and Nyomi Aubrey was Melody McLarty.

Public speaking winner was Sam Neilson.

Nyomi Aubrey, who works with the National Australia Bank the competition’s major sponsor, and lives at Booral, was previously a contestant in the quest and found it to be a great experience.

“I went on to win the regional level held on the Central Coast, but was unable to continue because of illness,” she said.

“I was the first representative from the Stroud area for nearly 30 years and I was very proud to have won at that level.

“I went to Bulahdelah Central School where public speaking was my favourite assessment.

“It was great to meet all the other students involved in the competition and I am almost certain the confidence I gained helped me with my interview skills and obtaining employment.”

There are two Lions clubs in this zone and two winners from each zone will progress to the regional judging.

Melody will go straight to the regional and the winner from the Gloucester zone will also proceed.

The club judging will be held in Gloucester in February with the regional to be held there the following month.