Kyabram P-12 school captain Huon McIntosh has been named Kyabram’s Young Citizen of the Year.
Stunned when he heard his name read out, the teenager reckons he was in a daze when he got up to receive his framed certificate.
Congratulated by The Nationals leader and State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh, also a speaker at the Kyabram event, Huon discussed the various community work he is doing, which attracted his nomination.
He also explained why he is known to all his schoolmates — and most of the town — as Taz.
“Mum and Dad went to Tasmania for their honeymoon and had such a good time they decided to name all their children after places there,” Huon said.
“And yes, I was named after a tree, whereas my sister and brothers at least were named for towns, which includes younger sister Sorrell and younger brothers Zeehan and Tayene.”
While his young citizen award may have been a shock, his parents Danielle and Brad had been let in on the secret to ensure he attended the day.
Brad said he came within seconds of letting Huon know so he would be prepared to speak.
“I thought he might be nervous, just not as nervous as we have been keeping his secret,” he said.
Huon’s schoolmates Jack Freeman and Madita Schmitt spoke about their experiences as Rotary Exchange students.
Jack was Kyabram’s Young Citizen of the Year in 2022 and only got home a few weeks ago.
Madita hails from Kelsterbach, a small town near Frankfurt.
She arrived in Kyabram in July last year and will return to Germany in July.
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