For one young woman her time spent at a Bunbury high school helped her to become the person she is today, admitting she was on a dark path before moving to the South West.
Fast forward seven years and Trudy Snow was recently crowned Miss Kwobordok (Miss Beautiful in Noongar) as part of this year’s Miss NAIDOC Perth Empowerment and Leadership Program.
Now living in Perth, the 22-year-old finished her schooling at Newton Moore Senior High School from Year 10 through to Year 12 after moving to Bunbury from Brisbane.
“I was apart of the Newton Moore Senior High School Girls Academy, which was a massive thing for me because they are the ones that really helped me get back on track with everything in life,” she said.
“If I didn’t have the amazing support of Newton Moore, especially the Girls Academy I wouldn’t be the person I am today, I pretty much owe everything in my life that I’m doing now to them.”
Miss Snow was one of nine finalists in this year’s Miss NAIDOC competition and completed a six-week empowerment and leadership program before the crowning night.
“On crowning night I was awarded Miss Kwobordok, which gets voted by our peers and it’s the person who shows the most leadership and support for all the girls throughout the six weeks, it was a massive honour and quite surreal,” she said.
“To be able to be part of the most amazing group of women is such a privilege - I’m honoured the girls hand picked me, I can’t believe it.
“I was in a bit of shock when they called my name out, one of the girls turned to me and said congratulations and I was trying to hold back the tears but it all just came out, it still hasn’t really hit me.
“It’s doing a lot of leadership and engagement with the community, which is what I’m already doing just on a bigger scale to represent young leaders.”
Miss Snow owns her own health and wellness business and hosts workshops for children, sharing her own story of weight loss and how she overcame bullying as well as hosting a program on Noongar Radio.