Sharing a Dream

Aerospace Engineer and pilot Renee Wootton held a room of 194-people spellbound as she spoke of her childhood, air cadets, study, her career and her dream of being an astronaut.

The 28-year-old proud Tharawal woman was keynote speaker at the Western Sydney International Women’s Day breakfast held on March 8th at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta.

The audience included senior students and teachers from 13 Hills and Western Sydney Schools.

Distinguished Guests included Lord Mayor City of Parramatta Clr Donna Davis who welcomed all present, giving a short history of advances of women since colonial days of the Female Factory; Hills Mayor Dr Peter Gangemi who spoke about the Hills Shire and what he hoped the future may be for residents; Emeritus Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne; Patricia Lawson OAM and Barbara Horsfield OAM.

Co-organiser Kaye Amies said Renee delivered a brilliant and inspiring address, which was much appreciated by the audience.

Renee told of her life growing up in an Australian country town of 100 people, her school and university life and interest in aeroplanes which started as a 15-yearold in the Australian Airforce Cadets.

She learnt how to fly aircraft, take them apart and then rebuild them.

Renee has delivered and led Australian Aviation projects for the past nine years and has been recognised for her innovative approach and excellence in engineering, her volunteering, her vision to improve female representation in the engineering and aerospace fields and working towards finding ways to make flying as ecologically sound as possible.

Kaye Aimes said: “Renee was quite inspirational. One of the things that she said to the students was that they should work hard, and if they don’t like a subject they are doing they should work extra hard to overcome the difficulties they are experiencing.”

At the event members of Zonta Club Sydney Hills presented the ZONTA International Young Woman in Public Affairs Award (YWPA).

Highly Commended Awards were presented to Jessica David from Tara Anglican School for Girls, Rania Shehryar from the Australian International Academy (AIA) and Sayuni Wijayatunga from James Ruse Agricultural High School. The Winner was Isabella Neville from Hills Grammar, who will now go on to the District 24 level of the competition. dream dream dream dream

The Winner of District 24 level goes on to compete at the International level.

Last year Australia had an International winner in Eloise Amirtharajah from Ballarat in Victoria.

The Zonta Club of Sydney Hills wishes Isabella further success as her application progresses in the District and International levels of the Award.