FREELING’S Elijah Smith loves to seize an opportunity, regularly stepping up to represent his school, peers or wider community, while still achieving strong academic results and being a carer to his Dad.

The Kapunda High graduate has been titled Light Regional Council’s Young Citizen of the Year in recognition of his active and positive contribution he makes to society.

The accolade is on the back of recently receiving the Governor’s Commendation of Excellence, as well as the Minister of Education’s Children’s Week Award, and the Mayoral Youth Recognition Award for Educational Excellence at the Kapunda High School presentation evening, all in 2019.

Mr Smith, 18, said it was an honour to be recognised by the community and the council.

“It’s really inspiring for me to receive such an award and to recognise the accolade isn’t just an accumulation of my successes; it’s a real showing of the successes of Kapunda High School and youth programs I have been involved with,” he said.

Last year, a passion for politics and leadership saw Mr Smith represent South Australia at the National Schools’ Constitutional Convention, in Canberra, and the United Nations Youth National  Conference, in Melbourne.

Most recently he was one of eight South Australian senior secondary students chosen to meet with senior members of the Education Department to present a range of student perspectives to drive improvement.

Meanwhile, Mr Smith has been in a carer role for his dad, who experienced a stroke four years ago.

“It’s been bittersweet in a way in that it taught me at quite a young age, 14, to step-up into a position of maturity and leadership,” Mr Smith said.

“I knew opportunities were there and missing out on such opportunities didn’t make any sense to me.”

This year, Mr Smith will be moving to Canberra to start a Bachelor of Public Policy, at the Australian National University.