Youth of the Year

Patrick Adji School Captain of Normanhurst Boys High School was the winner of our Club final for 2020. Patrick’s five minute speech was about motivation and focused on his fear of public speaking and how he has made attempts at tackling challenges. Patrick handled his impromptu questions with ease and really appears suitably composed when put under pressure. He is a caring, friendly person and is very engaging. Hornsby Advocate recognised his sporting potential and recognised him as Young Sportsperson of the Month at one stage.

Patrick was an outstanding representative for our club at the Region Final hosted by the Lions Club of Carlingford Dundas. The standard was so much higher however it was obvious that Patrick had prepared well. He was very unlucky not to have come out on top with a single mark separating the top two candidates. It was a just reward when he was chosen as the winner of the Public Speaking section. He was so excited, having been recognised as one of the best speakers in the northern Sydney region; a fear he has worked hard to overcome as his five minute speech indicated. We were so proud of his efforts and he certainly was an outstanding ambassador for his family, his school and our club. He is already a successful school leader and future success is assured.

Our club and or area have had some amazing success in recent times with Lions Youth Of The Year. Indeed, Normanhurst Boys High School have continued to set the benchmark with an outstanding record. 2019 School Captain Marko Beocanin enhanced this success and was an exceptional representative for our Leos Club of Normanhurst. Marko not only won the overall State YOTY award he also won the Public Speaking section which was held in Tamworth. A dozen of his school friends travelled to support him at that event and thoroughly enjoyed their time. Marko was an outstanding National Finalist at the Lions National Convention in Geelong where nine of his Year 12 mates turned up which created a first for that competition. Whilst Marko did not win he did impress and has established an amazing network of support form all over the country. He reports how exciting his trip to the International Youth Conference in Rotorua New Zealand turned out to be. His YOTY experience culminated in an amazing reunion with all State winners in a week long holiday with Hannah Bowden, National winner, and the Busselton Lions Club. Like Paul Gibbeson and Raul Vellani before him, Marko has cemented strong ties with so many contacts from all over the world. He was a brilliant ambassador and really thrived with this rare opportunity.