Stephanie Evans isn’t your average 18-year-old. When Steph isn’t studying for her final year at school, she’s also running a charity educating school kids on protecting our marine life and environment.
At age 10, Steph founded the charity Seas of Change from her bedroom. Since then, her school friends Mel, Gloria and Thilara joined the charity, which raises funds and awareness by speaking at schools, talking at events and mentoring with other organisations around the globe.
Steph was recognised as the Young Citizen of the Year for her amazing efforts in our Australia Day Awards this year.
Nominations are now open for next year’s Australia Day Awards – nominate an outstanding person you know today.
Hear more about Steph’s story in our video:
Video text transcript
Steph, Young Citizen of the Year
Video opens on a beautiful day at Curl Curl Beach
Voice over of Stephanie Evans, Young Citizen of the Year for the Northern Beaches:
I didn’t think it was that crazy to want clean air, clean water, to have our environment safe,
Steph speaks to three friends at the water’s edge of Dee Why lagoon
Steph: To have endangered species not become extinct so I wanted to do something about it.
Steph is on screen with Curl Curl Beach in the background, some text appears on screen that says: Stephanie Evans, Founder of Seas of Change
Steph: Hi, I’m Steph Evans and I am the founder of Seas of Change
Photo of Steph with dugong, photo of Steph with two friends in her charity holding a turtle, photo of Steph with Seas of Change photos and facts in the background
Steph: Seas of Change is a non-profit organisation that raises funds for marine life, and marine environments and we do that by fundraising, raising awareness in schools, talking at events, doing speeches at schools and partnering with other organisations globally.
Steph on screen
Steph: Seas of Change started when I was 10 years old.
Photo of Steph as a child sitting at her computer
Steph: I founded it in my bedroom when I was in year five and I really wanted to be a vet and I was too young to go to uni and I was also too young for TAFE so for some reason Plan C was to start a charity.
Photo of Steph as a child writing a letter
Steph: And I wrote to Sea World. I wrote to lots of other places but Sea World was the only one that replied, and they gave us prizes for our first ever fundraiser. And it just went from there.
Steph on screen
Steph: I’m very very passionate about education
Steph speaks to a crowd of school children in a school hall
Steph: And I love being able to speak to young students, because they’re so engaged and their minds are just ready to learn and they really want to do something about it but they really just need to be given those tools to actually create that change.
Steph speaking to three friends at Curl Curl Lagoon
Steph: So talking to schools and mentoring is my proudest part in Seas of Change.
Steph on screen
Steph: When my mum told me that I was the Young Citizen of the Year for the Northern Beaches
Photo of Steph receiving her Young Citizen of the Year Award on stage
Steph: I was so excited, I actually started crying.
Photo of Steph speaking on stage at a lectern when receiving her award
Steph: And I think as a young person that has been doing this for almost seven years now
Photo of Steph with her award and family
Steph: It was amazing to have a board of people say like, ‘What you’re doing is actually really cool, and we’re recognising what you’re doing.
Steph on screen
Steph: And to have that legitimacy behind me, it was actually amazing to have that recognition.
Steph and three friends standing at the water’s edge at Curl Curl Beach laughing together
Text comes on screen:
Nominate someone who inspires and serves our local community in our Australia Day Awards.
northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au
White screen and a black Northern Beaches Council logo appears on the screen