Year 10 students have wrapped up Change in Action 2026, a four-day intensive program in which the cohort worked through a genuine public health challenge affecting their generation, moving from problem and research through to a communicated solution and live pitch. This year's challenge was co-designed in partnership with Katherine Cacavas and the team at the Gold Coast Public Health Unit.
The program culminated in a Grand Final, with six finalist teams presenting to an audience and a panel of guest judges drawn from health, industry and the community.
Grand Finalists
Somnia
Safe Drinking Kit
DrinkHab
No Nic No Problem
Rethink the Rush
Shay the Sheep
Rethink the Rush was named Champion Team for 2026. The team tackled the rising harm of energy drink consumption among teenagers, where over half of Australian secondary students have tried one and one in five drink them weekly. Their solution, Educate, Segregate, Systemise, moves from school based education through to separating energy drinks from soft drinks on shelves, and on to systems level reform of marketing and warning labels, a genuine three phase roadmap through to 2031 that changes the environment these products are sold in rather than simply the message around them.
Congratulations to project lead Poppy Jones, along with Asal Mamirjonova, Aili Rivas, Holly Wilson, Miranda Olen and Xeline Gochuico, mentored by QAHS Alumna Linda.
Soteria took out the People's Choice Award. Soteria is a safety app designed to prevent sexual assault among young people at nightlife venues, developed in response to data showing one in five Australian women experience sexual assault and around half of young people face harassment on a night out. The app uses real time alerts and location sharing among trusted contacts, with notifications that bypass silent mode and an alarm system to draw the attention of bystanders, backed by the Queensland Sexual Assault Network.
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of this year's guest judging panel, who gave their time to challenge and champion the students throughout the week:
Guest Judging Panel
Craig Rowsell, Director, Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct
Joanne Kanakis, Nursing Director for Outpatients, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service
Shaurin Shah, Strategic Partnerships and Innovation, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, and Chief Executive Officer, Health Choice Medical Centre
Laena Trueman, Project Support Officer, InGeNA Limited
Dr Jens Tampe, Director, Tampe Consulting, also a Change in Action mentor this year
Katherine Cacavas, Gold Coast Public Health Unit, who also codesigned this year's program
The teams were also supported throughout the week by a dedicated group of QAHS alumni and industry mentors:
Alumni and Industry Mentors
Anton Bagino, Class of 2022
Carly Hudson, Class of 2016
Daniel Cao, Class of 2022
Hannah Provenzano, Class of 2023
Janvi Makanjee, Class of 2022
Mengjia (Linda) Yang, Class of 2022
Robbie Newton, Class of 2021
Dennis Nguyen, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology
Dr Jens Tampe, Tampe Consulting
Change in Action would not come together without the dedication of Mr Turner, Mrs Hudson, Mr Ebrahim and the wider administration team, who led delivery of the program from start to finish. Mrs Chetter and Mrs Rebgetz also presented across the week, alongside a Year 11 leadership team of Pal Patel, who presented, Nur Medina Ahmad Hizwani and Shirin Golsefid, who co-hosted, and Ashley Oliver, Edessa Maingit and Samantha Ly, who volunteered as ambassadors. Thanks also go to the GL and supervising teachers who gave their time and support throughout the week.
Special Announcement: Rethink the Rush Invited to Present at the Queensland Prevention Symposium
In a rare honour, Rethink the Rush has been invited to present their winning solution at the Queensland Prevention Symposium in September, held at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre. The opportunity places our students alongside health professionals, government representatives and community leaders from across the state, taking a solution born in a Year 10 program onto a genuine industry stage. It is a remarkable extension of the work the team put in during Change in Action, and a strong reflection of the calibre of thinking coming out of the program.
Congratulations to the entire Year 10 cohort on a program that reflected real teamwork, energy and a willingness to step outside their comfort zone.
QAHS - enabling transformative opportunities in an excellent global education.
Dion Obst
HOD Global Connect