DUNWICH resident Mikayla Adams-Houston will be among 120 senior students from around Australia attending the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Canberra later this month.
The Lourdes Hill College year 12 student will attend the Convention at the Museum of Australian Democracy from March 19, joining other students in discussing issues around the Australian Constitution and systems of government.
Outcomes from the Convention will be incorporated into a Communiqué that will be presented to Senate deputy president Sue Lines for tabling in Parliament and recorded in Hansard.
As a national delegate Mikayla will be part of a group of 23 students travelling from Queensland.
She was chosen for the convention after being named a finalist at the South East Queensland Schools Constitutional Convention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in October 2018.
As well as discussion among students, the Convention will include a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives and a dinner at the High Court of Australia.
Mikayla said she looked forward to visiting significant sites around Canberra, such as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.
"It will be an amazing experience," she said.
"It's just that step forward for our people, and it's very special for young people to be able to do things like this too."
Mikayla said her goal was to increase representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on a parliamentary level.
"Often we don't have an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person representing us," she said.
"(Government representatives sometimes) don't have the authentic information or real life experience that they need to make a change."
The Convention marks another achievement in a busy start to the year for Mikayla, who was the MC and a guest dancer at the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation New Recipients' celebration at Australian Catholic University in February.
She was also named a finalist for the 2019 Seven News Young Achievers award in the Aboriginal Achievement category.
The award recognises Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people using their own stories and experiences to give back to their communities.
Alongside conservationist Bindi Irwin, soccer player Sam Kerr and singer Jessica Mauboy, Mikayla has been featured in the book Stand Up For the Future, a celebration of inspirational young Australians which is due to be released in April.
She is also set to be the focus of an episode of Our Stories on National Indigenous Television.
Lourdes Hill College principal Robyn Anderson said Mikayla was leading the way in her role as Reconciliation Captain and through her actions in the wider community.
"She has been a leader in our community since year 9," Ms Anderson said
"We are excited to see her grow into the future."
