BlogTrailblazerSophie Newsham – St Scholastica’s College, Glebe | Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazer 2022

Sophie Newsham – St Scholastica’s College, Glebe | Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazer 2022

Sophie Newsham

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 Sophie navigated Year 12 differently throughout 2022!

Introducing: Sophie Newsham

Category: Social Impact & Change

School: St Scholastica’s College, Glebe

State: NSW

Career Aspiration: Business and Commerce

Achievements

  • Participant in the National Schools Constitutional Convention
  • Awarded Finalist in the CSDA Debating competition and Participant in the CSDA Public Speaking competition
  • Participates in Competitive Netball and coaches Netball

What makes Sophie a Trailblazer?

Sophie Newsham has spent her final years at St Scholastica’s College committed to shaping Australia’s legal constitution and honing her skills in competitive public speaking. She is also passionate about business and already worked on the construction and commercial programs of Dexus and Multiplex.

Sophie participated in the National Schools Constitutional Convention. Held at NSW Parliament, she discussed with state representatives the important question of whether Australia should have a Bill of Rights. It’s something Australia lags behind on, with all other Western democracies having a declaration of the important rights that protect every citizen.

The convention aimed to present the Senate reasons on why Australia should have a Bill of Rights, either in legislation or entrenched into the Constitution.

‘I was open to discussing with other schools across Australia through debate around whether there should be a bill of rights and was asked to share my thoughts.’

But, as much as this is a crucial issue, this is a lot for any young HSC student to take on and was out of Sophie’s comfort zone. Public speaking is daunting, even for Sophie who has won awards for it — namely, she was a finalist in the CSDA (Catholic Schools’ Debating Association) Debating competition and participant in the CSDA Public Speaking competition. Instead of chickening out, Sophie dug her heels deeper and, in front of a large crowd, Sophie voiced her thoughts on the matter.

Sophie has also worked with Dexus and Multiplex in their property development programs for Young Leaders. Over the course of 3 sessions with Dexus, she collaborated on the constructions around the MLC Centre and designed sustainable construction plans across Sydney in 2021. The Multiplex program was a little different, where Sophie spoke with Multiplex’s management team. With them, she learned about their construction around the Fish Markets and even built towers out of straws to reflect the construction progress.

Keep in mind, Sophie has yet to finish Year 12 and is still an HSC student and competitive Netballer in the Inner West. Reckoning with her studies while making time for her co-curricular commitments and hobbies (playing the guitar, volleyball her school and volunteering at Vinnies are part of this mix) has been an omnipresent challenge for her in 2022.

After getting a taste of it during the Multiplex and Dexus programs, Sophie’s career plans after HSC are focussed around business and commerce. Sophie’s enthusiasm is self-evident in her achievements and undoubtedly inspirational to others, which is why she is one of 2022’s Trailblazer winners. We know she’ll go far after Year 12!

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.

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