Young people from Stirling have been announced as finalists in this year’s Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards in recognition of their incredible achievements.
Aaron Smith, 25, is a finalist in the Entertainment category.
The young singer shot to fame after a video of him performing went viral on social media and has gone on to top global streaming charts with his debut single, Unspoken.
Aaron has previously supported Ellie Goulding on tour along with performing at TRNSMT.
Hoping to inspire other young people, the talented musician who has previously struggled with depression, has spoken openly about his battle with mental health and the challenges he has overcome so far.
Millie Boo Smith has been announced as a finalist in the Sports category.
The 15-year-old horse rider has shown outstanding commitment to sport, having been awarded the Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Participant of the Year in 2021.
Millie, who was born with cerebral palsy, has never allowed her disability to stand in her way, with her achievements including Grade 3 and 4 qualifications in RDA Horse Care, and Stage 1 and 2 in BHS Horse Care and Horse Health. The talented youngster also qualified for the RDA National Championships in Dressage and came first in photography at the RDA arts and crafts event along with supporting fundraising efforts for local RDA group Equi-Power.
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She was also recently the recipient of a Forth Valley Disability Sport award.
Heritage and Scotland: Designing and Telling Inclusive Stories, 19-25, is a finalist in the Equality and Diversity category.
Set up by four young members of Scotland’s Roma community, the group have been exploring Scotland’s heritage and recognising the diversity it contains. The group’s work focuses on understanding the heritage industry through visits with museums and archaeological organisations.
The young Scots have examined the heritage and archaeology job market and are working alongside a range of organisations to engage with the wider Roma community and foster inclusion in Scottish heritage. The group is also set to hold a presentation on its work at the Museum Galleries Scotland Knowledge Exchange Event.
The final Stirlingshire nominees are Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park committee members Catriona Manders and Aiden Cronin. The 16-year-olds have been commended for their work in championing and raising awareness of the committee during COP26.
Catriona and Aiden both spoke of the importance of involving young people in future decision making and went above and beyond to represent the group – of which they have been founding members since 2018.
The finalists impressed judges with their outstanding contributions to their communities.
The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards aims to recognise and inspire extraordinary young people from across the country who are making a real difference to the lives of others.
Now in its 16th year, the awards highlight the triumphs of young people in a range of categories - from sport and the environment to enterprise and volunteering – and shine a light on the invaluable contributions made by remarkable young people across Scotland.
The results will be announced on April 27 at a star-studded awards ceremony hosted at Edinburgh’s International Conference Centre.
