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I am honoured to be in this position and again be part of the team that facilitates that experience

Congratulations to Stuart McKelvie, Caroline Leach and Tayla McKechnie, the three former NYSF students who will each be coordinating the three January Sessions of the NYSF in 2014 as the chiefs of staff.

As volunteers they are directly responsible, with the mentoring of the Director and his team, for 150 domestic and international students, the student staff team of 20+, and the smooth running of all of the activities, forums and lab visits during their respective sessions.

Stuart, from Queensland, attended the January Sessions in Perth in 2010, and returned as a staffie in 2011 and 2012.  Stuart was selected by the Dalby Rotary Club, and attended the South African National Youth Science Week in 2010. Stuart has just finished a Bachelor of Commerce at Bond University.

Caroline is from the south coast of New South Wales, and attended the January Sessions in 2011 having been selected by the Shoalhaven Sunrise Rotary Club.  Caroline was a staffie in 2012 and 2013 and attended the APEC Youth Science Festival Thailand in 2011. Caroline is studying a double Bachelor Degree of Advanced Science/ Arts at the University of New South Wales, where she hopes to focus on medical Microbiology and Immunology.

Tayla, from Phillip Island in Victoria, attended the January Sessions in 2010, selected by the Phillip Island and San Remo Rotary Club.  Tayla also attended the National Youth Science Week in South Africa in 2010.  She was a staffie in 2011 and 2012.

Tayla is studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Genetics, at the University of Melbourne and would like to go on to complete a Masters of Genetics and pursue a career in research here or overseas.

"The NYSF is always such a positive experience for both the students and student staff involved, and I am honoured to be in this position and again be part of the team that facilitates that experience. I'm looking forward to the challenges that Session will no doubt bring for me, and the staff team. Stu, Caroline and myself have had a lot of support from each other and the entire student staff team throughout the year so we know we've got an incredible staff team for the 2014 Sessions. I'm just very excited to be involved in the NYSF again!"

Each of these young people has displayed outstanding leadership skills to be selected to take on this role, as well as a high level of commitment to the NYSF.

“In the lead up to the Sessions, they have been juggling considerable study and personal responsibilities along with their undertaking to manage the NYSF in January,” says NYSF Director, Damien Pearce.  "Their ability to do this illustrates their capacity to manage task before them and the commitment of the NYSF to facilitating a Forum that is for youth, run by youth; as well as the holistic development of young people who are well positioned to be leaders of the future".