PORT ADELAIDE'S Empowering Youth program has concluded for Semester One with a graduation ceremony at Alberton.
At least 50 students from Salisbury East, Mark Oliphant College and Harbour View Campus headed to the Allan Scott Headquarters at Alberton on Monday to celebrate their achievements participating in Power Community Ltd’s Empowering Youth program.
As part of the celebrations, students from different schools were divided into groups and guided through a number of activities before the awards ceremony.
After learning the history of the Port Adelaide Football Club, the students undertook some AFL physical testing in the indoor facility.
They were then taken on a guided tour around Allan Scott Headquarters where they were spoken to about the various career pathways at the club.
The students also listened to an information session on player nutrition and welfare, run by the Power's sports scientist Harry Routledge and player development coach Stuart Cochrane.
Port Adelaide's community development coordiantor Lisa Kennedy said the students learned plenty in the information session.
“The information was related back to simple messages for the kids about their nutrition and looking after themselves as well,” Kennedy said.
The official award ceremony was held at The Port Club later in the afternoon, with some very special guests in attendance.
Family members were present to see each student receive their certificates, handed to them by Empowering Youth ambassadors Matthew Lobbe, Alipate Carlile, Charlie Dixon and Paul Stewart.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever linked the parents into our program, so it was really good to hear their feedback,” Kennedy said.
“It was really positive and something we will be looking to do next semester as well.”
As part of the award ceremony, each school recognised a ‘most valuable student’ with a signed guernsey being presented to three winning participants.
The most outstanding student in the 2016 Empowering Youth Program was Salisbury East High School's Lachlan Mittiga, who was presented with the Travis Boak leadership award for his enthusiasm, attitude and extensive community work.
Lachlan was recognised by his teachers as an extremely precise and hard worker, who enjoys doing volunteer work in his community. He will also undertake work experience with Power Community Ltd next week.
“Because they get 10 SACE credits for completing the program we thought we’d make it a bit more formal and more special for them,” she said.
“The idea of the activities was to reward the students for doing all their schoolwork.
“They got to have a go and hopefully learnt a few things.”
The Empowering Youth program restarts next semester with a new selection of schools, but the Power's community team will continue to engage graduates as 'Empowering Youth alumni.'
The next step for these students after they graduate from their secondary education is the Powerful Futures program, which assists them in finding employment.
Northern Adelaide Senior College were involved in the Empowering Youth program, but were unable to attend the graduation day.
