Never too busy to care

Another young Hedlander has been announced as a finalist for the 2012 WA Youth Awards.

Kirsten Simpkins was born and raised in Port Hedland, attending Port Hedland Primary School before winning a five-year scholarship to board at Perth College.

Ms Simpkins, who is currently completing an honours degree in law and arts at the University of Western Australia, was nominated in the education category of the awards for her work as Oaktree Foundation WA director.

The Oaktree Foundation is an organisation which works to educate young people on global issues and runs fundraising campaigns.

Ms Simpkins said she became involved in the organisation in 2009 as a participant in a program designed to engage with university students and at the end decided she wanted to stay involved.

Through the Oaktree Foundation, Ms Simpkins has been involved in the Live Below the Line challenge for the last three years, living off less than $2 a day for a week to raise money and awareness for education projects in developing countries.

Even with her busy schedule in Perth, the 24-year-old still makes time to come “home” to Hedland several times a year.

“I spend all of my holidays and breaks back home and I do swimming teaching when I come up,” Ms Simpkins said.