Kendall Whyte is 2022 WA Young Australian of the Year

Congratulations to Kendall Whyte (Class of 2010) for being named as the 2022 WA Young Australian of the Year!

Miss Whyte is the Founder and CEO of Blue Tree Project which helps improve discussions and understanding of mental health.

Miss Whyte’s brother, Jayden, took his own life in 2018. At Jayden’s funeral, one of his friends shared a story about Jayden once sneaking onto his family’s farm and painting a tree blue to confuse his father.

This then prompted Jayden’s best friend and his cousin to paint a tree blue in his memory, which led Miss Whyte to found the Blue Tree Project in 2019.

If you have ever seen a painted blue tree around Perth, then now you know the source. Blue trees can now be spotted all around the world.

Blue Tree Project provides free seminars and community events across regional Australia which provides a forum for people to speak openly and authentically about mental health, without the fear of judgement. Miss Whyte is helping to spread the message that “it’s ok to not be ok”.

Miss Whyte was announced as the Young WA Australian of the Year last Thursday night.

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