Nominations for City of Canterbury Bankstown’s 2026 Children and Youth Awards will close this Friday (21 August).

The annual awards celebrate local rising stars who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in such areas as community service, advocacy, leadership, academic excellence, sport, arts and overcoming adversity.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the awards are an important opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable contributions young people make to the City every day.

“Our young people continue to amaze us with their courage, compassion and determination,” Mayor El-Hayek said.

“These awards are not only about recognising their achievements but also about encouraging them to keep dreaming big, giving back and shaping the future of our community.”

There are two age groups to recognise a local youngster who lives, works or studies in Canterbury-Bankstown and is making a positive impact:

• Children aged 8-12: the categories are Leadership, Inspiration and Community Involvement
• Young people aged 13-18: the categories are Leadership, Inspiration, Community Involvement, Creative and Performing arts, sporting and academic achievement

Estelle Freeman, a budding author

Estelle Freeman (aged 10, Padstow) was named the winner in the Community Involvement category in the Children’s category at last year’s Awards.

She was recognised for her extraordinary kindness beyond her years, helping to cook meals that are distributed to families in need at Riverwood Community Centre (as part of St Therese Catholic School’s One Meal Program). She also writes heartfelt letters and handmade cards to seniors in nursing homes.

“I do it because I like making them feel remembered and cared about,” Estelle said.

“I felt so proud to receive the award because it made me feel like the little things I do to make other people happy can make a difference.”

While Estelle continues to serve and uplift those that need it the most, she has since used her immense creativity and imagination to write three books.

With help from her mum and a clever use of AI to create the illustrations, the books have been produced using PowerPoint and a photo book app.

“I love writing and this was a great way for me share my passion and spread some joy,” she said.

The first one is about my dog Jasper (Jasper’s Forever Family) who lived with us for 16 loving years before passing away last year.”

“The second is about our adopted dog who loves to dance (A Dog That Likes to Dance) and the third is about a kookaburra (Kayla the Kookaburra).”

Estelle’s beautiful novels have been printed as gifts for friends and family, but she hopes to have them published one day as she sets her sights on completing 10 in total.

Thien Ha Vo, a performer for good

In the 2025 young people’s category, Thien Ha Vo (14, Yagoona) – also the winner of the Community Involvement Award – was celebrated for her ongoing efforts to support such charitable organisations as the Children’s Cancer Institute, Westmead Children’s Hospital, The Heart Foundation and, notably, the Australian-Vietnamese Youth Orchestra.

As a star talent in the orchestra, she has performed at a range of events aimed at promoting multicultural harmony, such as the Bankstown Lunar New Year festival, and uses the platform to fundraise for struggling Vietnamese communities.

“Receiving the award was incredibly rewarding – to know that the time and effort I put into supporting my community had been recognised, it motivated me to continue giving back and making a positive difference,” Thien said.

“I’d encourage everyone in Canterbury-Bankstown to nominate a young person who is making a difference in their community, even if they themselves don’t realise how much of an impact they’re having.”

Nominations for the 2026 Children and Youth Awards close on Friday 21 August.

To nominate a local young person, visit cb.city/CYAwards