VCE student first among equals
Refugee rights are an issue close to Elizabeth Vu’s heart.
Her father’s stories of life in refugee camps during the Vietnam War have given her a deeply personal insight into experiences most Australian youth could scarcely imagine.
His legacy, translating for the United Nations and helping Vietnamese people gain refugee status to travel to countries like Australia, has inspired Elizabeth to dedicate herself to improving the welfare of others.
Elizabeth is a founding member of Equal Education, a combined initiative with Wyndham Education Centre providing free tutoring for Karen refugee children from Myanmar.
“It is my sincerest longing that it has the impact of allowing others to access the same equality
of opportunity as I have,” she says.
Elizabeth creates lesson plans and tutors year 5 students.
Craig Spicer, of Equal Education, commends her involvement, which has included finding volunteers, conducting interviews and co-ordinating legal paperwork and police checks to ensure tutors are able to work with children.
“As youth, it is critical that we understand what is going on in the world [to] make the future a better place,’ Elizabeth says.
She is a board member of Suzanne Cory High School’s Feminist Collective, and helped run the Feel. Think. Flow Modern Middle East Summit, which gave 150 school and university students the chance to talk to aid organisations and attend lectures on Islam.
Elizabeth encourages her peers to have compassion, believing great leadership is not just about actions but also ‘your ability to inspire others to follow suit and enact meaningful change’.
She opened a chapter of the youth volunteer group Vision Generation (VGEN) at her school, aiming to educate students about social justice and encourage awareness of fair trade.
VGEN used only fair-trade products at a Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser,
highlighting the impact on suppliers, workers and the environment.
To celebrate her school’s diverse population, Elizabeth organised a celebration of the Hindi festival Holi. The festival involves throwing coloured powder in large crowds — celebrating play and love — with people being covered head to toe in a rainbow of colour.
The event raised $650 towards her school’s Asia Pacific Youth Foundation Cambodia Program.
“Leadership should not be limited and restricted to those with a badge,” Elizabeth says.
She has been running the Swap Schools leadership development program between schools.
She hopes it will help students to “grow into strong leaders and citizens in their own right”.
The VCE Leadership Awards are co-ordinated by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The awards recognise the efforts of VCE students in promoting leadership and participation in their school and community. Finalists receive a three-month subscription to the Herald Sun, and a 12-month digital subscription. On November 21, one winner will also receive a computer donated by Lenovo Australia. Students in government, Catholic and independent schools may apply for the annual awards at the VCAA website.