State Heritage Convention

Ms Alicia Curtis
Young Australian of the Year 2001 award winner

Alicia has had an interest in the environment since she was 10 years old. In year six, she help set up an environment group called CARE. During year seven she worked tirelessly organising lunchtime meetings, activities and guest speakers. The CARE club also made a video that won the school a prestigious Banksia Award. That same year Alicia, after submitting a project on the work of CARE was chosen as a delegate for an International Children's Conference in the UK, sponsored by the United Nations Environmental Program. It was at this point, as a 12 year old that Alicia's passion and commitment for the environment was well and truly sparked.

In 1996, Alicia co-founded the "Kids Helping Kids" group which hosted annual conferences in Perth. The conferences aimed to give school children from all over WA, as well as overseas delegates the opportunity to explore practical ways in which they could help start their own environmental project and network with other young people. This group is still active today as the very successful 'Millennium Kids'.

In 1998, Alicia became an inaugural member of the Youth Environment Council, as well as the Swan Youth Advisory Committee and in 1999, she was selected for the National Youth Roundtable. As part of her research project for the Roundtable, Alicia endeavoured to canvas the opinions of young people in relation to the environment. In order to achieve this she ran a conference with the help of CSIRO and her school Swan Christian College. The conference was called 'Reclaiming the Future' and invited a 100 student delegates from across Perth to participate. Due to its success the conference has continued annually and has extended to include teacher participation.

Earlier this year Alicia began a Law/Arts degree at UWA and has accepted many speaking engagements from various community groups. She has a continuing passion for the environment and well as an active interest in all youth issues. She has recently been selected as the WA representative for National Youth Week.