It was a proud moment for a group of BSSC graduates this morning, when they were awarded Youthrive Scholarships for their leadership potential and commitment to regional communities.
Youthrive’s Dr Maryann Brown presented the scholarships to five students, including sisters Paw Eh Nee and Paw Ku Htee who are both graduates of the college’s EAL program and come from a refugee background.
Ku Htee, who graduated in 2019, is currently completing a traineeship at Bendigo Community Health Services while studying at Bendigo Access Skills Training (AST). Paw Nee hopes to study a Certificate III in Community Service at Bendigo at AST next year and hopes to one day work in Education Support.
The scholarships were created in 2008 by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, specifically to improve access to post-school education for rural young people.
The other recipients are Liam Price, whose passion for robotics has led him to an electrical apprenticeship in 2021, Paris Spillman, who will study to become a commercial pastry chef, and Tameka Lougoon, who hopes to study Design at Monash University.
“All these students are resilient and determined to contribute,” Dr Brown said. “Victorian rural and regional communities will be thriving, with strong input from skilled and motivated young people like Liam, Paris, Tameka, Paw Nee and Ku Htee.”