HUNTER student Briella Gyler-Dial hopes to use her new title of Surf Life Saving NSW Junior Lifesaver of the Year to inspire her peers to contribute to their communities.
"I'm really proud, it's such an amazing achievement to be awarded with," Briella said.
"I'm also pretty shocked it was me out of all those people there.
"I'm also pretty excited for what's to come with this new role and responsibility and I can't wait to find out how I can help."
The Hunter Sports High year nine student, 14, has been a member of Caves Beach Surf Life Saving Club for nine years.
She said her parents enrolled her in nippers to improve her confidence at the beach and give her skills to be able to help others.
She participates in carnivals, nippers and patrols, sets up and packs down the beach for younger nippers and assists other age groups.
She is hoping to become an age ranger, patrol captain, serve on the club's executive team and hold roles at a branch level.
"I like being involved in the club and surf life saving because I want to inspire the next generation of surf life savers, I want to be a mentor to them and I'd also like to save someone's life," she said.
"Being a part of the club I feel I am showing and inspiring the younger nippers to be like me, to grow up and be a surf life saver.
"Surf life saving has and will help me outside of nippers because when I'm older I want to have a job in medicine, so the skills I've learned like CPR will help contribute to that."
Briella has two younger siblings.
"I know when I was younger I used the older nippers and kids as inspiration and mentors and role models so I followed in their pathways, so I want the same thing to happen for the younger ones," she said.
"I know that being an inspiration can definitely have a benefit in younger nippers' lives, being involved in surf life saving helps inspire the young nippers and young members to be just like you so they can give back to their club and community."
Hunter Surf Life Saving named Briella and Taj Horadam the region's Junior Life Savers of the Year, which saw them attend a camp focused on team building and leadership.
Briella and Lennox Head Alstonville's Jayden Matthews were named state winners at the camp.
