HAVING been top of the class at Penola High School from Year 9 through to Year 12, the accolades keep coming for 2018 graduate Gorgia Robbie.
Gorgia was named Wattle Range Council’s Riddoch Ward young citizen of the year at Saturday’s Australia Day celebrations, with her history of community service is a true indicator of her worthiness of the award.
From a young age Gorgia has embodied the community spirit of Penola and Coonawarra, joining numerous sporting clubs, donating her time to worthy charities and being an exemplary academic achiever.
Last year she achieved the top Australian Tertiary Admission Rank score for her school of 94.20, was named the Kalangadoo
Lions Club youth of the year, received a student citizenship award from the Order of Australia Association of South Australia and the Barker Shield award for academic achievement.
Gorgia was also a key component of the Penola Netball Club A Grade side and captained the 17 and under side to a premiership.
The teenager also started volunteer work for Meals on Wheels last year, something she believes is important for the community.
“I really enjoy being able to give back to Penola and Coonawarra,” she said.
“I do not do what i do for the accolades but just to help others out.
“Taking pride in our community is important – I never thought I would get an Australia Day award for it though.”
With such a vibrant resume of community service, Gorgia was the perfect award winner.
“I’m not sure how she has time to do everything she does in our community,” Riddoch Ward councillor Dean Burrow said.
“But we are proud to have her here and are honoured to award her the young citizen of the year for 2019.”
With the world at her feet, Gorgia will now take a gap year traineeship position at Gramac before deciding what to do in the future.
“I’m not sure what I want to do yet,” she said.
“I do want to go to university, but I’m not 100pc on what for yet, so I think I’ll just enjoy this year and see what happens.”
