11 Mar 2019
Vice-captain Xanthia Hughes has been awarded Young Hastings Heroine of the Year for volunteering and demolishing gender boundaries at the International Women’s Day event at Port Panthers on 8 March.
“It was a big shock,” the young leader said.
“Xanthia is always first to volunteer to help her school, peers, teachers and community members,” said Mr Rob Lyttle, Senior Deputy Principal.
Xanthia responds to questions the same way she approaches life: with “100 per cent”. She applies her can-do attitude to everything she does, saying the theme of International Women’s Day, “Balance for Better”, was pertinent for her.
“Whatever men can do, women can do… often better!” she said.
Xanthia has been volunteering with Surf Lifesaving for 12 years, including patrols, age management, state camp facilitation, and youth development camps, plus “anything else I can do,” she said.
The International Women’s Day Committee, the Hastings Business Women’s Network, and Leslie Williams MP recognised Xanthia for her keen community spirit and tireless work with those who are disadvantaged or in distress.
“Xanthia is a fantastic representative of the school and the community,” said Mr Rob Lyttle, Deputy Principal of senior students. “She is a trailblazer in male-dominated subjects and leads by example for the good of everyone,” he said.
Being the only female student in three of her five subjects (Sports Coaching, Timber Technology and Construction), Xanthia has uncovered many obstacles to reach her goals.
“I did struggle quite a lot, but I got through it,” she said.
She persisted to get enrolled in the Timber Technology course in Year 9 when she moved to the school, and promptly proved herself by scoring the highest marks in the course.
“The boys in the class have accepted me now,” she says of her classmates.
As for her plans after school, Xanthia has no doubts: “I want to be a builder”. She plans to enrol in a 4-year apprenticeship in Carpentry and Building, followed by a year at TAFE in a Diploma of Building and Joinery, with the option to continue on to university in Construction Management. She has also considered a gap year in the army to start her trade.
“I can’t stress [hard work] enough,” Xanthia said.
Xanthia knows being a female builder will be difficult, having experience on a construction site with her work placement as the only girl, she said only half the other tradies were accepting of her.
“It will be one of my biggest things I will have to knock down,” she said.
Being vice-captain, Xanthia is a role-model for younger students and hopes they look up to her.
“She is really approachable and a great role model for younger students,” said teacher Mrs Gallagher.
“I’m a very open person, and I’ll always put myself out there to help people,” she said. “I’m a bit of a mother to some of the younger kids, making sure they are doing what they want to do instead of what is expected of them,” Xanthia said.
“Xanthia has an amazing ability to relate to and communicate with anyone of any age or social group,” said technology teacher Mrs Gallagher, “she continually puts others first, it blows me away.”
The Heroine looks up to her teacher and long-term mentor Mrs Gallagher, who works as a technology teacher in a male-dominated field.
“She’s more like family,” Xanthia said.
“[Xanthia’s] resilience is amazing… and her dedication and commitment,” said Mrs Gallagher, “I work in a male-dominated faculty without losing myself, and she has the ability to do that as well.”
“She doesn’t lose sight of her goals, she’s out there getting qualifications that put her above everyone else competitively,” said Mrs Gallagher.
“She keeps her direction and knows what she wants,” said Mrs Gallagher.
The Hastings Heroin Awards have been running for 8 years at the International Women’s Day Event in Port Macquarie and aim to recognise the efforts of unsung heroines in the local region. This year’s awards focus on gender balance by challenging bias and supporting women’s advancement, in line with the international theme of Balance for Better.
The awards are judged by local MP and co-founder of the International Women’s Day Hastings Committee, Leslie Williams, co-founder Kelly Lamb, and Chairperson of Liberty Domestic & Family Violence Specialist Services, Michelle Vassallo. Future nominations can be made through the Hastings Business Women’s Network website.
