Eltham Rotary Club has been a supporter of the National Youth Science Forum (in its early years it was called the National Science Summer School) since its start. 1986/87 Terry Burke (Youth Director) co-opted Heather onto the club selection committee and again in 1987/88. We were so successful that one year we had 3 students accepted by District; this resulted in a rule change (Australia-wide I believe) that Clubs could only submit 2 candidates to District. Thereafter, if we had more than 2 good candidates we would see if a nearby Club would like to sponsor one.
In 90/91 Richard Luke (Heidelberg RC) became District Chairman of Youth Summer Schools and from knowing Heather at La Trobe included her in the District interview panels. District interviews were held at Glenn College, La Trobe University and at Dookie Agricultural College. The District interviews required a group of 13 Rotarians and volunteers as they were carried out by 4 panels of Chairperson and 2 members, with one person on reception. The annual gathering and dinner of NYSF participants for the coming January in Canberra and their families with NYSF Director Professor Rod Jory AM was also held at Glenn College. Richard Luke continued for 4 years as District Chairman.
In 94/95 Robin Chapple (Diamond Creek RC and formerly Eltham) took over as Chairman. Pi and Marjorie Beecham and myself joined Heather on the interview panels. Around 70 to 80 students were submitted to District and the interview panels had to select the District’s quota of 23. NYSF was run as two sessions of two weeks in Canberra for 130 students each year selected from Australia and New Zealand.
In 95/96 Pi Beecham took over as chairman and continued for 3 years.Following Pi, in 98/99 I became chairman and continued for 3 years. Alan and Dorothy Anderson became panel members. During this period, we lost the Rotary contact at Dookie and so the country interviews were held at Shepparton TAFE. In 2001/02 Alan Anderson took over as Chairman for the next 3 years.
All these years the interview panel members had been careful not to have any bias towards known clubs. With the District Governor changeover in 2004 a Rotarian convinced the DG that the panel was biased and so Alan, Dorothy, Pi, Marjorie, Heather and I were no longer required.
The Club has continued to have 1 or 2 students who are successful every year, which is a clear indication of the quality of the students in our area. We were always very impressed with the ability and achievements of the students, not simply in their academic work but in their contributions to their communities.NYSF is a wonderful opportunity for students entering year 11 and interested in science, not simply in medicine, to be exposed to the range of science available at university.
