Aarohi is a compassionate leader dedicated to advocacy and inclusion, demonstrated through her volunteer coaching for Special Olympics Australia, youth council roles, and commitment to purpose-driven leadership in creating tangible change for vulnerable communities.

Anika Shinde was inspired to become a leader by a deep desire to create inclusive spaces where every voice is heard and valued. Witnessing the challenges faced by underrepresented students motivated her to take action and lead with purpose.

Using recycled and sustainable materials, prefabricated parts, and cutting-edge tech, Anotida's innovative approach reduces building time, environmental impact, and sets a new standard for sustainable architecture.

Inspired by her mother’s community involvement, Belle is a capable and adaptable leader whose open-mindedness, problem-solving skills, and commitment to self-improvement drive her passion for creating meaningful change in her school and local community.

The Challenge Bandits from Scouts WA are a dedicated team of young leaders collaborating on various projects that address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Deenah, empowered by her experience with bullying, became a resilient leader, using her empathy and advocacy to create an inclusive environment and champion mutual respect, while fostering collaboration and valuing diverse voices within her school community.

Eeishu developed the "EXTRA automated garage door," a smart, voice-activated system using number plate recognition to enhance convenience and safety—especially for the elderly and physically challenged—reflecting her passion for accessible, tech-driven solutions.

Emma leads the development of transdisciplinary, project-based learning units empowering students to drive community-focused social justice and sustainability initiatives through innovative curriculum models like.

Felix has developed an innovative semi-supervised machine learning solution for remote sheep monitoring, utilizing modern technologies like LiDAR, thermography, and soil maps to predict outcomes with exceptional accuracy and enhance agricultural practices.

Motivated by a desire to make communication more inclusive, Jayashruthi developed a wearable sign language glove that bridges the gap between deaf or hard of hearing individuals and those who can hear. Her innovative design translates hand gestures into speech and converts spoken responses back into text, displayed on a screen attached to the glove.

Julian, a Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and founder of JMDigital, has transformed his digital services company from a passion project into a thriving business, supporting small businesses, sponsoring community initiatives, and fostering local economic growth.

Kit, a Young Innovator of the Year finalist, founded Tomorrow’s Hope, a pioneering platform combining education, awareness, and AI to break mental health stigmas and foster open conversations among young people and their families.

Lucas founded Glossy Boys, a bold nail polish brand designed for men, combining durable, quick-drying gel polish with user-friendly kits to break stereotypes, promote self-expression, and redefine male grooming with confidence and creativity.

Meena is inspiring to change one “mini step” at a time. Through her sustainability project and podcast, she’s raising awareness about consumer behavior and its environmental impact.

Mia is a passionate young leader who empowers others through her global self-development platform, tutoring business, sustainability innovations, and financial literacy initiatives, inspiring positive change and personal growth worldwide.

Michelle’s visionary leadership led to the creation an interdisciplinary STEM program for Year 10 students that has engaged over 1,100 participants and 500 industry mentors inspired by a transformative student trip to Silicon Valley.

Nicole has embedded a range of entrepreneurship programs for Years 7–12 fostering employability, financial literacy, and community impact while strengthening industry connections for regional youth.

Palash is the founder of Aquacomix, a Brisbane-based social enterprise creating comics, games, and educational resources to inspire young people about marine life and conservation, combining his passion for the ocean with entrepreneurship and community impact.

‘Project Bray Green,’ created by Year 8 students at Bray Park SHS, encourages recycling through a rewarding system that allows students to earn points and prizes by scanning QR codes, promoting sustainability and a greener lifestyle.

Driven by a passion for fishing, the outdoors, and environmental sustainability, Riley Morgan co-founded Bass Buster Lures with his mate Lincoln to tackle the growing issue of lead pollution in South-East Queensland’s waterways. Together, they developed an innovative range of lead-free fishing lures—including the Bpop, Deep Crank, Shallow Crank, and Shad designs—crafted to reduce environmental harm if lost.

Sarbani is a passionate and high-achieving student whose dedication to excellence spans academics, leadership, music, public speaking, and sport earning national titles in squash, top academic honours, and community leadership roles.

Tafadzwa is an award-winning author and environmentalist who, by age 16, gained international recognition for her writing, led sustainable initiatives like UNICEF Zimbabwe’s Eco-reusable pads project, and mentors global environmental efforts through her dedication to impactful advocacy.

Team Canary develops innovative wearable and environmental monitoring technology to enhance workplace safety by providing real-time alerts for potential hazards and promoting employee well-being.

Aaron, driven by a passion for youth representation, has organised impactful Youth Forums, including the Brisbane Youth Forum at Parliament House, connecting young people with decision-makers to foster inclusivity and inspire change.

Annie created My Voice, a discreet Bluetooth speaker worn as a necklace that helps non-verbal individuals communicate more naturally by projecting their voice from their neck—encouraging eye contact, connection, and inclusivity.

Driven by a passion to tackle Australia’s scam epidemic, Archie developed a user-friendly app that scans calls and texts against a reported database, empowering users with real-time scam alerts, customisation, and self-protection tools.

Ashtoush, founder of PEETA and VOCA, has created innovative communication tools inspired by his non-verbal autistic brother, empowering individuals with autism through accessible, tailored, and affordable digital platforms.

Charlie’s SolBot is an autonomous drone system with a motorised brush and high-pressure water cleaner designed to efficiently clean hard-to-reach solar panels—improving energy performance—with future plans to expand into residential and broader surface cleaning.

DeepDive4U, run by Veer Sareen and Mehar Sareen, is diving deep into success by creating a platform where young people can explore diverse professions.

Eeishu, a Young Innovator of the Year finalist, developed the EXTRA automated garage door, leveraging technology like number plate recognition and voice assistants to enhance accessibility, safety, and convenience for all, especially the elderly and physically challenged.

Esiayo is the creator of Mythic, a groundbreaking open-source macOS game launcher that enables users to play Windows games seamlessly on Mac devices. Built with a custom implementation of Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit and powered by Wine and Apple’s D3DMetal, Mythic translates Windows DirectX API calls into macOS Metal—delivering high performance without emulation.

Gideon is a versatile and accomplished young leader excelling in academics, sports, music, public speaking, and service, with numerous prestigious awards highlighting his dedication to excellence and impactful contributions.

Joshua transforms education through innovative projects like 'Rapid Value Creation' and the Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Education Programme, fostering creativity, financial literacy, and leadership to equip students for a dynamic future.

Justin has transformed education through "PathPod," a podcast fostering community and self-reflection, and by empowering students to lead their learning through innovative, student-driven teaching methods.

Kshithij, a passionate and innovative problem solver, has excelled in public speaking, STEM competitions, and social impact initiatives, driven by his curiosity, creativity, and a deep appreciation for his immigrant roots and the opportunities his parents provided.

Luke is a driven and compassionate student whose commitment to academic excellence, environmental action, and co-curricular pursuits, from founding a sustainability group to excelling in robotics, music, and leadership, demonstrates his passion for making a lasting, positive impact.

Meena founded "mini steps" in 2022 to promote sustainability by encouraging local buying and raising awareness about eco-friendly practices, with a mission to inspire environmentally conscious consumer behavior through various media and community engagement.

Michael has transformed education by introducing personalized learning plans for senior students and a comprehensive career education program for Year 9 students, focusing on holistic development and practical career preparation.

Mingming’s AusApp is an innovative communication tool that uses a phone’s camera and visual aids to bridge the gap between Auslan users and non-signers, promoting inclusivity and two-way understanding.

Driven by his experience living with Lupus SLE, Oliver has become an inspiring leader who uses his journey of overcoming medical and social challenges to advocate for young people with disabilities and empower others through public speaking.

Parisa is a high-achieving student with a strong passion for STEM, recognised for her academic excellence, volunteer work, and leadership roles while overcoming challenges and drawing on her diverse cultural background to inspire positive change.

Sarbani and Isabella, co-founders of Quilted Quest, address social isolation and textile waste by transforming old clothing into quilts, fostering community connections, and supporting charities through creative recycling initiatives.

Rob, founder of GCC's Year 10 DeLorean Project, revolutionizes education by fostering entrepreneurship and enterprise skills, empowering students to solve real-world problems, and achieving impactful success through innovative projects and university partnerships.

Born prematurely and facing medical challenges, Siobhan founded Our Pixie Friends, a social enterprise offering resources, stories, sensory products, and inclusive events to support children through adversity and help them embrace their unique identities.

Tafadzwa is a 17-year-old award-winning author and environmentalist, using her voice and platform to make a global impact.

Driven by a vision to make global diplomacy more accessible, Victor founded the International Youth Model United Nations (IYMUN)—a digital platform reimagining traditional Model UN for the modern world. Through free online conferences and workshops, IYMUN has reached over 150 students across 20+ countries, empowering young people—particularly from underrepresented regions—to develop confidence, leadership, and global awareness.

A standout in academics, performing arts, sports, and leadership. From earning over 16 academic awards to achieving AMEB levels in viola, voice, and piano, Anika is a powerhouse of talent and dedication.

Annie, creator of ‘My Voice,’ designed a necklace-like Bluetooth speaker to help non-verbal individuals communicate more naturally, fostering inclusivity, respect, and deeper connections through improved eye contact and accessibility.

Ashtoush, founder of PEETA and VOCA, has created innovative communication tools inspired by his non-verbal autistic brother, empowering individuals with autism through accessible, tailored, and affordable digital platforms.

Ashtoush, founder of PEETA and VOCA, has created innovative communication tools inspired by his non-verbal autistic brother, empowering individuals with autism through accessible, tailored, and affordable digital platforms.

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For Diya, leadership began not with a title, but through empathy and action. When a Federal MP was deeply moved by her artwork on the power of education, Diya chose to donate the proceeds as art supplies to her school—an early example of her belief that true leadership means using what you have to uplift others.

After moving to Australia from Russia and facing exclusion, Ekaterina became a purpose-driven leader committed to creating inclusive, empowering spaces where all students can thrive, embodying respect, initiative, and the belief that leadership is a collective effort.

Evelyn, a passionate coder proficient in Python and HTML, has independently created a Python game, contributed to Moonhack and Techgirls competitions, and blends her interests in STEM, art, and writing to develop impactful projects and mentor others.

Henry launched Tollz, a cashback rewards platform that helps Australians reduce toll costs by depositing earnings from everyday purchases at over 1,000 retailers, including Apple, Freedom, and eBay, directly into their Linkt & Eastlink accounts.

As the founder of JMDigital, Julian has built a thriving tech business dedicated to helping ambitious companies upgrade their digital infrastructure. Over the past six years, he has honed his expertise in developing responsive web apps, digital media, and e-commerce solutions that empower businesses to grow and adapt in an increasingly digital world.

Since 2021, Kim has transformed the TIDES program at PCACS into a dynamic, challenge-based learning experience that empowers Years 7–10 students to explore innovation, sustainability, and design thinking, fostering future-ready change-makers.

Lilia’s Interakt is a personalised education app that connects students with tutors for real-time, face-to-face or audio learning, fostering meaningful mentor relationships while promoting community service and tailored, transformative learning experiences.

Matthew is revolutionising the way AI is used in classrooms by flipping the traditional model. Through his innovative conversational AI approach, he’s empowering students to think critically and creatively, positioning AI as a mentor rather than a tool.

At Aveley Secondary College, Melanie leads an innovative app development program that empowers students to create meaningful digital solutions addressing real-world challenges. Her approach integrates technology, empathy, and cultural understanding to build both technical skills and social awareness.

Michelle leads the highly successful i3 program, an entrepreneurial STEM initiative for Year 10 students, connecting them with industry mentors and partners, and aims to create a lasting system that prepares students for success in education and the workforce.

Neil is a passionate entrepreneur who built Snkrs Royale into a successful sneaker reselling business with over 5,000 customers, strong retailer partnerships, and impressive returns, driven by his values, financial acumen, and commitment to personal growth.

Pal is a passionate and collaborative leader whose work has equipped her with strong skills in planning, conflict resolution, and community impact guided by empathy, accountability, and a commitment to positive change.

Year 8 students Omar, Corey, Tyler, and Lachlan launched an innovative, reward-based recycling initiative featuring QR codes, a website, and prizes to improve student recycling habits, with plans to expand it to schools nationwide and promote sustainable behaviour.

Rebecca, the youngest Vice President of Amnesty International's NSW Activism and Leadership Committee and founder of Youth 4 Difference, empowers young people through activism, volunteering, and policy initiatives, driving meaningful change with empathy and ambition.

As a Digital Technologies teacher for Prep to Year 6, Samantha is passionate about creating authentic, real-world learning experiences that spark curiosity and joy. Her classroom is a space where students are encouraged to think critically, dream big, and design with empathy.

Stephanie's leadership journey, fueled by her parents' support and her passion for youth advocacy, has led her to roles such as School Captain and Chairperson of the Kwinana Youth Advisory Council, where she champions resilience, inclusion, and change-making.

Inspired by his own migration journey, Tawana is a dedicated youth advocate and leader who has organised the first Kwinana Young Leaders Youth Forum, and launching initiatives to promote student mental health and community connection.