What are the Trailblazer Awards?
The Trailblazer Awards celebrates Year 12 students beyond their ATAR, recognising those who have overcome personal challenges and used their final year of school to positively impact their community.
Our Trailblazers will have the opportunity to network with industry leaders, build their personal brand and profile as a future leader, get exam ready in our 1-day HSC Trials Accelerator, and so much more!
Find out how Natalia navigated Year 12 differently throughout 2022!
Introducing: Natalia Tartak
Category: Social Impact & Change
School: Bethlehem College Ashfield
State: NSW
Career Aspiration: Commercial Law
Achievements
- Holds the Position of Spirituality Prefect for Bethlehem College
- Worked with Sebhel Charity to provide disaster aid for the Beirut Explosion
- College Delegate for the Rotary District Model United Nations Assembly
What makes Natalia a Trailblazer?
Selflessness isn’t something you hear much about these days but, for Natalia Tartak, it’s something she spends plenty of time working towards. Spirituality Prefect for Bethlehem College and tireless charity worker, Natalia has dedicated six years at the College to volunteering and community support.
Becoming the Spirituality Prefect for Bethlehem College is a role Natalia’s grateful for — not for the sake of popularity or a fancy title to put on her resume, but to bring more students into the field of social justice. This platform has been five years in the making, where she has been working with the Red Shield Appeal throughout its winter appeals, meal events for those without a home, and nursing home visits.
Over the gloriously materialistic Christmas holiday, she prefers to give back, donate and increase community effort with the Red Shield Appeal. If that wasn’t enough, to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, she was able to send a truckload of toys. These initiatives are close to her heart and help her to connect more students to faith-based programs.
With her family and the Charity Association of Sebhel, Natalia has also been assisting relief efforts and aid for those affected by the Beirut explosion in Lebanon. And while she’s still in Year 12, she has been helping immigrants from Lebanon with the practical and cultural transition to Australia, taking on the duty of making Australia feel like home for them.
For Natalia, selflessness is a skill and putting those in need before your own requires confidence. Being unwavering her egalitarian beliefs was a trait she honed throughout her charity work, participating as a model United Nations delegate and Spirituality Prefect.
This isn’t to say Natalia hasn’t faced challenges and moments of doubt, especially during her HSC experience. When she contracted the Delta strain in the middle of starting the first term of Year 12, her study commitments were cut back. The lightning pace of her Year 12 subjects meant she had to work harder than anyone scarcely could – even then, her marks fell behind her expectations.
Fortunately, Natalia has faith. She also has her aspirations of venturing into the legal and business world to keep her afloat. There, she wants to redeem the rights and integrity of others.
It’s in Natalia’s hard work, resilience and, of course, selflessness that has made us eager to recognise her as one of 2022’s Trailblazers.
The Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazer Awards
The Trailblazer Awards aim to identify and celebrate students who use their final years of school to invest holistically in the skills and experiences that will maximise their own future opportunities and make a contribution to the future of our society.
Our winners for the Year 12 Trailblazer Awards have demonstrated initiative in volunteering for their school or community, have participated in co-curricular activities, and have held leadership positions within their schools.
Learn more about who placed in the Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazers here!
About Art of Smart Education
At Art of Smart Education, we’re an award-winning provider of holistic tutoring and mentoring for students in years K-12. Our mission is to help students answer the difficult question, “What am I going to do with my life when I finish school, and how do I get there?”
We understand that true success involves mastering study, career and leadership skills while maintaining your wellbeing, not just excelling in academics and as a result, over the last decade, we’ve supported over 10,000 students to achieve their best and maximise their options for life after school.
Each year over one million young Australians, parents, and teachers access our guides, videos and resources to navigate the journey through high school.
