Four young women from St Eugene College, Burpengary, are marking International Women’s Day on 8 March 2026 through acts of service that have delivered handmade comfort items to hospitals, mental health resources to school counselling offices, and fundraising support to families in need across the local community.
The students, Year 11 students Evie, Amelia and Kaitlyn alongside College Captain and Year 12 student Kya, each developed their own form of community contribution independently and represent the kind of youth-led civic action that International Women’s Day highlights each year.
Evie: 1,400 Felt Hearts for Patients and Families
Evie began hand-stitching felt hearts while her grandfather was receiving palliative care, wanting a practical way to offer comfort to her family and others in similar circumstances. The project grew steadily from there. When a former St Eugene College student experienced a serious football accident in 2023, Evie extended her work to include students, visitors and staff at the school.
She has since crafted more than 1,400 felt hearts, with items delivered to her school counsellor’s office, the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Prince Charles Hospital. Two hundred hearts alone went to the former student Joseph and the people around him during his recovery. Each heart carries a simple message: that the person holding it is still loved and supported.
Amelia: Crocheted Creatures With Mental Health Messages
Amelia approached the same challenge of comfort and connection through crochet. Since 2023, she has made more than 60 small octopuses and jellyfish, each tagged with mental health messages and resource information. The items are placed in guidance counsellor offices and the school library, available to any student who needs something to hold during a difficult moment.
The project reflects a deliberate effort to make mental health resources approachable and tangible, particularly for students who may not seek formal support independently.
Kaitlyn: Vinnies Leadership and $2,000 in Fundraising
Kaitlyn has channelled her community commitment through the St Vincent de Paul Leadership Society, which is a structured program for young people wanting to make a difference. Despite her busy Year 11 schedule, she has volunteered in Vinnies stores, taken part in the CEO Sleepout to raise awareness for homelessness, and contributed to raising $2,000 for those in need. She graduated from this formal program in November 2025, carrying those experiences into her everyday leadership.
This individual contribution from Kaitlyn sits alongside a broader, school-wide achievement reached in 2025. During that year, the entire St Eugene College community in Burpengary worked together to raise $12,000 worth of food, toiletries, and gift items to support people in need within the local area.
Kya: International Women’s Day Celebrations for the Whole College
As College Captain in 2026, Kya has taken a school-wide approach to International Women’s Day. Working with staff and her leadership team, she developed a programme of activities designed to make the occasion actively empowering rather than purely symbolic. Students will have the opportunity to write messages of thanks to the women who inspire them, and the college will wear purple ribbons as a visible expression of support for the women in their lives.
Principal Louise Olley said the four students reflected St Eugene College’s founding values, noting that the college’s namesake was known for his expansive sense of compassion, and that the students demonstrated the school’s mission to enter to learn, dare to grow, and leave to serve.
Why This Matters for Burpengary
The work these four students have done connects directly to services and people within the local community. Felt hearts have reached patients at two major Brisbane hospitals. Mental health resources sit in the hands of students who may not otherwise access them. Fundraised goods have reached families in need in the Burpengary area. And a college-wide International Women’s Day programme is building a culture of appreciation and recognition among the next generation of the suburb’s community members.
Each student under 18 drove her own project, showing that meaningful community contribution in Burpengary begins with individual initiative. Whether they worked independently or through established organisations such as the St Vincent de Paul Society, these young women proved that impactful service requires time, skill and intention.
Further information about St Eugene College, Burpengary, including enrolment enquiries, is available at the college website. St Eugene College is located in Burpengary, within the Moreton Bay region north of Brisbane.
Published 3-March-2026.

























