Step to the Future Foundation

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

To Step to the Future,

Yesterday Step to the Future held a Forum in Townsville. This not only was a day out of school work but it was a day for all the Grade 11 students to truly look at life, what they have and what they could do. For many this was an eye-opening experience, and for all, I'm sure, it was great fun. I would like to thank Step to the Future, and the guest speakers, for the knowledge they have imparted onto us.

Tragically, we were told of the governments funding cut to Step Foundation. This is a tradgety because in these hard times teenagers are left open to a lot of doom and gloom, and without Step to the Future they might not remember to make the most of it. Also the connection with the speakers that Townsville recently experienced will no longer be enjoyed by later years. I hope the government has a change of heart, for the future of Australia. Townsville Student

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Dear Diane
I attended step to the future yesterday in Townsville, never in my life have I seen something so uplifting and supportive. If step to the future was to get shut down it would have nothing but a negative effect to the young teens of today. Listening to real stories and how people got though it no matter how hard life got just made me and my peers see how great our lives are and that we should be living them to the most. Thank you very much and i hope to see you next year!

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Hi Step
step to the future is the most amazing thing i have been to in all my life. im a year 10 student at town high and was sponsored to go. at first it was just a day off school but I\'m glad I went it inspired me to never give up which is important in todays society as everybody is telling you can\'t do the things you want to do, but this program encourages you to keep trying. I think it\'s appaling that the government is cutting funding to such an awesomely-awesome programe.

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Gday Step,
My name is XXX I'm a year 11 student at Heatley secondary college. I today attended the Steps to the Future Forum in Townsville and would like to say thanks to the many people who spent time organizing this great advent. I would be very happy to have the chance to come back next year.

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Dear Robert
Hello my name is XXXX and I am a current year 11 attending Townsville Grammar School.

This year I had attended the Steps to the Future forum and loved it. It was my first time attending something like this. I didnt know what to expect. My friends and I had been talking about it saying how we cant wait to have the day off school. Little did I know that that day (10th march 2009) was going to be a day where I had looked at my life and realised there is so much more I could do. In previous years I have been teased about the way I run, and my height. I was taller then everyone in my year level at the current years. Luckily I have not lost someone close to me like my father or my mother unlike others. I was not born with a disability but I was born with a hole in my heart making it hard for myself to breathe. As I grew older the hole had closed over. Last year I was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy (being paralized in one side of my face). Luckily unlike others it wasnt perminent.

Since the years that I was't teased about the way i ran and my height I have been very self concious and refuse to do sporting activites as I have a fear of being teased again. Since I have recovered from having Bell's Palsy I havent been as confident to look someone in the eye when I am specking to them. Once attending Steps to the Future forum I have realised I am going to change the choices I make in life. Like Sam said we have a decision not a condition. I will be taking the wise words that each speaker had said that day and use them through out my life. When times get rough I will think about this forum and use those words to solider on and achieve the things I want to achieve.

Since attending a new school this year. I have found it very challenging. I have thought many times about giving up and not trying my hardest to succeed. Knowing I wouldn't have to try. But since attending this forum I have thought "I am going to try my hardest because success comes from your effort toward your goal that you ahve set".

I would just like to say that I think Steps to the future is the best thing I have attended and I think many other students should be able to witness and experience the advice that the speakers had stated. It was interesting listening to the stories these people had to tell. I think once listening to these speakers I had realised my life wasnt bad at all. I just needed to believe in myself. Like others would have experienced. The way the forum is run is defently a success. Many students envolved themselves in the singing, the dancing and the game of heads and tails.

If they were to stop funding the Steps to the Future foundation it would mean many students wouldn't get the chance to experience the once in a life time wake up call. I think stopping Steps of the Future would be the biggest mistake ever made, because it will affect many teenagers to come in the years.

I hope what I have written today has made sense. I hope it makes people realise how important Steps to the Future really is to teenagers. Townsville Student

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Hi,
today the school and i went to one of the Step to the Future Fours in townsville. it was very inspirational and i enjoyed it alot! i think it should be able to continue its presentations its very worth while!!! Thank you!!

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Dear Step to the Future & Australian Government,

My name is XXXX, I am 16 and go to Ignatius Park College Townsville, grade 11.

I am very disappointed to hear that the Foundation is going under threat because of insufficient funding from the government. That why i write to you today as one voice, in hope that it will join with many others to help save Step to the Future Foundation.

Today I was lucky enough to have the opportunity from my school to go to the 2009 Step to the Future Forum in Townsville. Truthfully, I went into this say saying to myself, "yes, a day off school work, bludge". But thankfully it wasn't and straight away I got into the day from the get-go!

We had four magnificent, smart, funny, courageous and most of all INSPIRATIONAL speakers, all of which taught me something and touched me in some way.

The one which touched me the most was Eric Bailey. I am a keen, basketball player, lover and supporter and was inspired from his story playing in the NBA against one of the best ever, as well as the NBL league. But most of all it wasn't the basketball that really inspired me it was what he went through in his life, just to get there for that one moment of DREAM TIME! To hear that he was put into foster care and taken under the adoption by a caring, yet unstable family living in a crook area, going to school being bullied and teased everyday because of his uncontrollable condition is just touching, when we compare our fun filled, wealthy lifestyle to what he had.

Eric Bailey was the last to talk today and once it had finished I went up to him and thanked him for the words and got a photo with him (which unfortunately didn't come out). Straight away when i got home, i googled his name and got a big page of him off his own site ( http://www.ericbailey.com.au/media/EricBaileyPDF.pdf ).

I read this article of everything he went through, even though i had already heard it today, I just couldn't stop reading, the story was so inspirational and addictive. It is now printed off and on my wall as something to inspire ME in not only my basketball, but my life, what I want to do when i grow up, what i can do to help others and what i need to do to be successful.

I have two reasons for writing this email to Step to the Future Foundation and the Australian Government.

The first is to thank Step to the Future Foundation for an excellent, exciting, fun and inspirational day all aimed to help me and those at the theatre for our future. This thanks not only goes to the organisers but to the speakers for putting out there personal stories to help us.

The second reason is to support the foundation in getting much needed and deserved funding towards keeping these excellent days running. This day as you have read above has touched and helped ME towards MY future, as well as many others in the theatre and around Australia where the group travels to. I believe it would be stupid not to fund this type of organisation which is set up to bring only the best out of our future teens.

I leave thanking you again for the opportunity you gave me today and give all hope & support that I will be hearing that Step to the Future will be coming back next year!

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Step,
I found Step To the future to be a very inspirational program and it indeed was very helpful to many who attended. If there is no support for this program children in high schools across Australia are going to be missing out on an amazing opportunity to be inspired and motivated. Please continue the support for this amazing program!

Townsville Student

10/03/2009

Dear Step

I was at the Townsville Step forum yesterday and am now very passionate about helping to keep the program running. I have set up a Facebook page to help get attention and for people to join and talk about their Step experiences. I have also set up a petition for people to officially sign. I was hoping maybe you could get some members of the foundation to maybe join the facebook site and maybe even sign the petition.

For example if Eric Bailey or Hamish and Andy joined many others may and it would be good for well known people to support it. The other thing that I was hoping for was for you to maybe mention the facebook page and the online petition on the Step website.

The link for the facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=58474120853

and the link for the petition is: http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=55667744769&h=_Eila&u=l1X-O

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Diane
I just wanted to say thank you. I thought that steps the future was the most inspirational and informative function that I have ever been to. Steps to the Future made me think about, life is not always perfect but you can always find peace and one day you cold find happiness again.

I am someone that could never forgive, I have never been the person to think about the other person and what they were thinking, but going to steps to the future changed that for me hearing what happened to all the speakers Eric Bailey, Sam Cawthorn, Nina Funnell and Armondo Hurley, they have had one of the worst things in the world happen to them but they are some of the happiest people in the world all though forgiveness and belief in themselves.

I think that Steps to the Future should not be stopped because it changes people's lives in ways which without a program like this those lives may not be able find what they are looking for, and the inspiration to follow there dreams.

Thank you everyone from Step to the Future.

Jill Olifent

27/02/2009

Hi Diane
Thanks again for allowing all my Year 12's to experience the Step to the Future day. They all left the day with lots of thought and purpose regarding who they are, and where they are heading. The speakers were truly inspiring!

In addition thank you again for giving Annesley students the opportunity to also be part of the Student Organizing committee-the girls involved loved it, and enjoyed the opportunities it gave them.

I support the Foundation wholeheartedly in their search for continued financial support from the Federal Government.

Regards

Jill Olifent Dip T, B Ed, Grad Cert (Prof Practice), Grad Cert (Adolescent Health and Welfare), Grad Cert (Mental Health), CASA Associate
Co-ordinator: Student Counsellor and Student Voice
Annesley College

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Step
Just wanted to say that last Friday's Step to the Future Forum was fantastic and that the government should keep funding the program as it is a great way to help the youth of today taking their steps into the future!!

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Robert
I don't think that you should get rid of this program as it really inspired everyone and it was a great time.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Step
Step to the future is a great educational and inspiring day for young people who need to find answers. I think there is no need to stop this fantastic forum thank you for Friday.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Robert
The step to the future forum was such a great experience that really inspired me to start giving everything my best. This program should not be stopped as it has given me and others the opportunity to watch such fantastic, inspiring speakers and an inspirational presentation that i won't forget. Thanking you.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Step
I am from St Aloysius College and i just got back from the Step to the Future Youth Forum today in Adelaide. I was amazed and truly inspired. It was nothing like i expected. The speakers were so inspiring and they helped me realise that if i believe in myself, i can be the best that i can be in life. I can have a bright and successful future and be whoever i want to be. Hearing the stories from the various speakers today amazed me. They all overcame so much in their life. They made the best of it and became truly successful. I think the government should continue to fund this excellent day so that future generations can be truly inspired just like i was today.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Hello Step,
My name is XXX and I am from SA. I had the great opportunity to attend the forum today. It would be such a tragedy if such a great event as this one didn't continue into the future. It is such a good idea to have a day just for the young youth of SA. As there has been a rise in things like crime and suicide in young people, I think a day like this is important and so meaningful to a lot of young people.

I think it might also change the views of fellow youth about when you have hard times (which there are a lot in teenage years) why don't we use those bad experiences to create good ones out of it (a bit like using our negative energy to put it into something that will make a difference in this world). This program has the opportunity to change someone's life as is has mine and I hope that it may continue in the future.
P.S. you may even want to start a petition because I know a lot of people would sign it.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Hello Step,
Dear Step Hi, i was at Adelaide step to the future forum today and i thought it was great. You all made me see the good things about my problems and how to move on from hard things in life. Please come back next year, it was a very moving experience. it would be good if future students could see it. Thanks so much. :)

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Hello Step

My name is XXX and I went to the Step to the Future forum on Friday the 27th in Adelaide and I am from Annesley College.

It would be a huge loss if the forum was lost. It provides a huge benefit for all the people that attend it. It was an inspiring day and for all the people that missed out, it would be devastating.

The government should see how much good it actually does for the people that attend. It makes people want to stand up and do something with themselves, even those that are going through troubled time.

I don't think that the forum should ever be lost, it is a great program.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Step
My name is XXX, I go to Thomas More College and I attended your forum last week on the 27th of Febuary in Adelaide. I just wanted to say i absolutely loved it. I believe everyone should be able to experience the amazingly inspiring stories that your speakers told, especially Eric Bailey and Nina Funnell.

These people have motivated me to strive for the best i could possibly hope for. I would just like to thank everyone involved as it was such an eye opening experience for me to be able to see things from another perspective. I have realised that you can always make something good out of things, even the worst situations. I would like the Step to the Future program to continue in the future as i would gladly attend it again. Please email me if there is anything I can do to help that to happen. Kind regards.

Prue Wilkosz

27/02/2009

Dear Di,
Thanks so much for yet another wonderful "step" experience. The overwhelming feeling of both staff and students was very positive and enthusiastic. We have also had positive feedback from parents on student's behalf.

I have emailed all of the year 10's with a link to your website and suggested that they might like to email their thoughts or support the cause for further funding.

Thanks again, it was a wonderful event that was well organised and brilliantly delivered.

Kind regards,

Prue

Prue Wilkosz
Pathways Coordinator
Sacred Heart College
Brighton Road Somerton Park 5044

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Dear Step
i would just like to say on behalf of my student body at thomas more college thank you for the inspirational experience you gave us a the step to the future seminar in Adelaide. i would like to also thank the guest speakers. their stories we very inspirational. they gave us the hope and inspiration we need to achieve our best. the government is making a mistake on their desicion to stop "step to the future". who is going to give our next generation of studends the will to do there best. once again i thankyou on behalf of thomas more and i wish the government would reconsider their desicion.

Adelaide Student

27/02/2009

Hi
Step to the Future was very inspiring. The government should continue to fund it as it has helped many students become inspired and realise how lucky we really are.