28 Jul 2009
Clubs WA has announced that 16 year old Sophie Smith from Bunbury will represent Western Australia as part of the 2009 Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge.
The Kokoda Challenge is a program that offers young people between the ages of 16 and 22 the opportunity to walk the Kokoda Track over ten days between the 28th September and the 9th October.
“I’m very excited to be selected to participate in a program that will be both physically and mentally challenging, as well as gain a greater appreciation and understanding of our Australian identity and the significance of our heritage,” Sophie stated.
The intention of the Kokoda Youth Leadership Challenge is to identify young people within the Western Australian community who are potential leaders, and who have an ability to both inspire and educate other young people within their local communities.
Executive Director, Mr. Peter Seaman stated “Sophie demonstrated to us her great appreciation of our Australian identity and heritage. Sophie has developed natural leadership skills through her involvement at school and is an active participant in the local community, volunteering her time at the Surf Life Saving Club, Girl Guides and the Red Cross Soup Van.”
Expenses covered by Clubs WA include the cost of flying to Kokoda, as well as accommodation, food, camping equipment, boots and track permits.
The program has now been adopted nationally, with state club associations in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, ACT and South Australia all funding the cost of at least one young person to walk the Kokoda Track.
Candidates are expected to walk the entire Kokoda Track, which at 155km is 59kms longer than the more popular eco-tourist track.
At the conclusion of the trek, the group will visit the Bomana War Cemetery. The cemetery contains 3,819 Commonwealth burials from WWII, 702 of them still unidentified.