Glass House youth parliament member aims to make a difference
By Kirra Livingstone
MALENY State High School student Kelly Schofield, 17, has been appointed as the youth parliament member for the state seat of Glass House, working with Andrew Powell to hone her political skills.
Kelly has a strong passion for history and politics, particularly international relations. She first applied for the youth parliament program in 2023 but was unsuccessful. But her perseverance paid off when she reapplied this year and was accepted.
“I applied again this year and was lucky enough to be accepted. I couldn’t be more honoured, as it has already given me so many opportunities and allowed me to meet incredible people,” Kelly said. She believes that more can be done to address the needs of young people in Australia. “Issues relating to youth are becoming more represented in parliament, with the appointment of ministers for youth and discussions about youth centered issues,” she said. “However, we still have a long way to go, as we are the next generation.”
Kelly emphasised that many young people are currently focused on securing jobs and planning their futures, whether through travel or work after school. Kelly plans to attend university to study economics, philosophy, politics, or political science, with the goal of working in politics.
“My school does an excellent job of meeting the needs of its students,” she said. “I believe they can continue to be supportive if we address some of the bigger issues within the wider community. That’s where I want to make a difference after school and university—by being involved in strategic decisions that impact both the community and education.”
Schofield is also Maleny High’s school captain, and is one of the ambassadors of the school’s international committee.
Kelly said she thoroughly enjoys being a part of many pillars of the community. “I absolutely love being school captain, and this role is a goal I have had since Year 7,” she said. “I love representing our school and recognising how hard our teachers and guidance officer work to better us as students. “We truly are so lucky with the teachers we have.