He is one of just 16 ambassadors across the country.
Sidney Edwards, a student at Blackheath Public School and boy school captain, has been selected as an Indigenous Literacy Foundation ambassador for 2018.
Sidney will help raise money to buy books for children in remote communities, a cause run by the non-profit ILF since 2004.
He was nominated by his library teacher, Cathy Lamond, and his class teacher, Stephen Morris.
To apply he had to submit a two- to three-minute video application about why he wanted to be an ambassador.
“The gap between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous in literacy levels is very large and I felt that no matter when you come from, literacy should be a skill that everyone should have,” Sidney said.
Sidney, whose favourite books are adventure and fantasy novels and non-fiction nature books, will run two Great Book Swaps to help raise funds.
The first is at his school on Friday then on Saturday (August 25) he will host a book swap outside the community hall in Blackheath in a joint venture with Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre.
Everyone is invited to bring along a book, swap it with one already on the table and add a gold coin donation to raise funds to buy books for Indigenous children. It will run from 9.30am-1pm.
“The Blackheath Choir Festival will also be there on this day so I am hoping that many people will also be able to support this very worthy event,” Sidney said.
”I would like as many people to come as possible as all funds raised will go towards the ILF.”
I would like as many people to come as possible as all funds raised will go towards the ILF.
- Sidney Edwards
Sidney’s mum, Tania, said her son was always keen to help others.
“Sidney’s got a real social conscience. It’s very much about equality and people shouldn’t miss out just because they live in remote areas,” she said.
