Students from across the Hunter, Central Coast and Central West received scholarships at the 2023 Proudly Public! Awards night at Sydney Town Hall on Monday.
They are among over 700 public school students and educators from across Australia to receive scholarships administered by the Public Education Foundation in 2023.
Since the launch of PEF’s scholarships program in 2009 over 3,000 students and more than 120 educators have been supported with greater than $8.5 million in life-changing scholarships administered by the Foundation.
A list of Hunter, Central Coast and Central West student and teacher recipients is attached below, with full details in the link.
Department of Education Acting Secretary Murat Dizdar thanked the Public Education Foundation for its ongoing support of public education in NSW.
He said the scholarships helped to remove barriers to achievement created by social and economic disadvantage.
“These scholarships are about recognising student excellence, potential and ability and rewarding students so they can continue to reach their potential,” Mr Dizdar said.
“Behind many of these awards are extraordinary stories of resilience and a commitment to learning against the odds, especially during the pandemic, bushfires and floods.
“I am proud of our students, teachers and leaders who have attained scholarships. It is their efforts that combine to create the extraordinary public education system we have in NSW, one that believes in the individual no matter your postcode and as part of its DNA is determined that every individual connects, succeeds and thrives in public schools.”
Public Education Foundation CEO David Riordan said the awards celebrate the enduring values of Australian public education.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential, and these scholarships will help make that possible,” Mr Riordan said.
The Public Education Foundation is a charity dedicated to enhancing the value and reputation of public education by providing life-changing scholarships to its students, teachers and principals.
For a full list of scholarship recipients visit: https://www.publiceducationfoundation.org.au/
Walter and Eliza Hall Trust Opportunity Scholarship
Isla Farr Oxley High School
NSW Teachers Federation Primary Scholarship
Charlie Palmer Gwandalan Public School
Kua Swan Glendore Public School
Public Education Foundation Primary Scholarship
Levi Nicholson Scone Public School
Felicity Samuel Wadalba Community School
Levi Nicholson Scone Public School
Felicity Samuel Wadalba Community School
Niyahla Wright Glendore Public School
Waratah Education Foundation Primary Scholarship
Dhakota Hodges Glendore Public School
Kaitlyn Mulligan Woodberry Public School
Alana Newland Glendore Public School
Lily Nguyen Glendore Public School
Waratah Education Foundation Secondary Transition Scholarship
Eliza French Glendore Public School
Jakeisha-Lee McBride Glendore Public School
Aboriginal Education Council Scholarship
Hannah Baillie-Angeles Bulahdelah Central School
Kailee Good West Wallsend High School
Jie Matthews West Wallsend High School
Nakiesha Vickery Northlakes High School
Andrew Casey Indigenous Scholarship
Charlie Deacon West Wallsend High School
Connected Communities Scholarship
Destyni Bight Coonamble High School
Jordan Briar Coonamble High School
Braydon Dodd Coonamble High School
Madie Hodgson Coonamble High School
Rihanna McBride Coonamble High School
Public Education Foundation Indigenous Scholarship
Beau Hinton Coonabarabran High School
Yooralla Samuel Wadalba Community School
Una May Smith Scholarship
Ashlee Dawson West Wallsend High School
Tae-Lani Gordon Glendore Public School
NSW Teachers Federation Refugee Scholarship
Maryam Hossein Zadeh Callaghan College Waratah Campus
Friends of Zainab Senior Secondary Scholarship
Maryam Hossein Zadeh Callaghan College Waratah Campus
Narges Eftekhari Callaghan College Jesmond Campus
Madina Khanzada Callaghan Collage Waratah Campus
Unions NSW Jeff Shaw Memorial Scholarship
Caitlin Blanch Peel High School
VET in Schools Scholarship
Chloe Lund Denison College of Secondary Education, Kelso High Campus
Woodcock Family Scholarship
Harry Brown Singleton High School
Katie King Singleton High School
Hunter Mcloughlin Scone High School
Koby Newman Singleton High School
NSW Teachers Federation Award for HSC Excellence
Rebecca Oewns Gosford High School
Lara White Newcastle High School
NSW Cookery Teachers Association Scholarship
Emilie Coe Dunedoo Central School
Rilee Perry Whitebridge High School
Nurses and Midwives Health Scholarship
Anastasia Walsh Nyngan High School
Public Education Foundation Tertiary Scholarship
Dinara Jayarathna Taree High School
Alishea Rankin Coonabarabran High School
Hugh Shadwell Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School
Teachers Health Early Career Scholarship
Jessica Burg Oxley High School