Trailblazer Award for Joanna

Congratulations to Joanna Benedict who has been named a Top 50 Trailblazer for 2022.

The Top 50 Year 12 Trailblazer Awards are about celebrating more than just academic achievement or your ATAR. They identify and celebrate students who use their final years of school to make a positive impact in their community.

This award recognises Year 12 students who positively impact their community. Joanna spent time volunteering to shop for the elderly in her neighbourhood during COVID lockdown giving her a sense of community and a sense of family.

Every Wednesday, Joanna would take a trip to her local grocers after her online school day had ended, and search for essential items such as toilet paper, bread, fresh produce and any other groceries the elderly might need. Often, she had to travel to a few different shopping centres to look for specific items such as bread as they would be finished in other stores.

Joanna was not only the person who was able to provide the elderly with their essential groceries, but was also one of the only people that would make contact with these community members. She provided the support and human connection that they so greatly missed due to the intense period of lockdown. Joanna’s weekly visits helped the elderly community feel assured and part of a wider neighbourhood.

You can read more about Joanna’s award, the community impact and the self-esteem boost her volunteer work provided here.