The Forbes Phoenix found the Young Citizen of the Year, Aidan Clarke, at the Forbes Learning Ladder where he gently and expertly helped put on a little girl’s shoes, wiped a runny nose, and ensured all children had a helmet on when bike riding, in between answering questions.
Manager, Raewyn Molloy said: “Aidan’s Young Citizen of the Year award is so well deserved. We all feel very lucky to have Aidan here at the Forbes Learning Ladder.”
At school Aidan was captain of Forbes North Public School, a member of the Forbes High School SRC for five years and captain of Forbes High School in 2013.
Aidan said he was so happy and grateful to have the opportunity to grow in the career of his choice, study with TAFE and attain his goal of attending university without having to leave Forbes.
“I was successful in gaining a traineeship here in 2014. Then during 2015 and 2016, I completed a Diploma of Childcare.” This year Aidan will commence a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education externally with Charles Sturt University.
On top of his studies, Aidan will be taking care of and nurturing up to 20 little ones of three and four year old. “We will have to see how it goes,” said Aidan. If his calm manner and love of childcare is anything to go by, he should not have any problems coping.
When asked what he enjoyed most about working as a childcare worker, Aidan said it was the experience of seeing tiny babies arrive and leave as children ready to start school who can tie their own shoe laces.
Congratulations Aidan you are an inspiration to future recipients of the Forbes Young Citizen of the Year!
By Dianne Collie