Kaylah, aged 14, St Leonards

When my parents first told me that they had enrolled me into Shine my initial thoughts were: I’m going to be stuck in a circle talking about my feelings, I was resistant at first and immediately thought all the negatives without considering the positives. Now, I think back and wonder what I would’ve done if I didn’t receive this opportunity. Throughout my life, I have been brought up to embrace new opportunities and give everything a go, this included Shine. Without Shine, I would not have realised how much room there was for me to grow and develop to become the confident, resilient person I am today.  I want to not only thank my parents but to thank all of you sitting and watching me, for enrolling your beautiful young women into Shine and giving them this life-changing opportunity. Because of this, I know for a fact that every parent’s duty is to invest in their child and give them the tools they need to better understand this complex world. Mum, dad, Nannie and Kyle, I thank you for supporting me and helping me be the best version of myself I can become.  Now, I would like to acknowledge the wonderful Miss Anderson, I thank you for creating this opportunity for the boys and girls out there to be able to embrace every part of them and helping them discover themselves. Furthermore, I thank you for helping not only me but also my classmates for helping us grow into people that our parents, friends and we are proud to be.