Giving students every opportunityAt the end of each year our hardworking scholarship panels finalise the lists of students who will receive our life-changing scholarships in 2019. It's a difficult and often heartbreaking process, as we have been overwhelmed by need and potential in our public schools. In December, just before the end of this school year, we will advise scholarship applicants whether they have been successful, or not, in receiving support in 2019.
Students like Sara*, Cory*, Morgan*, Kylie* and will miss out on much needed support without your help. Sara is a bright, resilient student who fled Syria with her family 3 years ago. She witnessed what no young person should have to witness in her war-torn homeland. But, despite the upheavals, she has settled well into her new life in Australia and is excelling in all subject areas. Additional financial support means she could concentrate on her studies without have to work to help support her family. She wants to study law or social work so she can give back to her new community. Cory is a young indigenous man living in a small country town. Due to family circumstances he missed two years of his schooling. He’s now living with his grandmother and his life has turned around. With the support of his school community, Cory now has near perfect attendance and has developed a passion for writing, music and drama. He needs financial support to pursue his extra-curricula interests and purchase the necessary equipment. Morgan is a Year 1 student who has been living in foster care for nearly three years. Although he has had a bumpy start to his life, he displays incredible resilience and is loving his stable school routine. Morgan adores reading and wants to be an author when he grows up. A scholarship for Morgan would provide him with some new uniforms, some of his own books to keep at home and the knowledge that he will never need to miss out on what his classmates take for granted. Kylie has three young siblings who she helps care for as her mum works 2 jobs to make ends meet. In her final years of high school, her extra home responsibilities have not stopped Kylie doing her best because she knows that education is the key to breaking the cycle of disadvantage. She credits her teachers for their unflinching support and guidance. Next year she plans to study teaching and eventually work in disadvantaged communities, so she too can help transform young lives. These students, and many more, have applied for scholarships and are sitting on our reserve list if additional funding becomes available. We need your help to raise $40,000 in 4 weeks to give students like Sara, Cory, Morgan and Kylie the additional support they need to realise their potential. • A gift of $100 can contribute to a scholarship to support a student from a refugee background All donations of $2 and above are tax-deductible and no more than 10% of your gift is put towards administrative expenses. Help us to give students in public education every opportunity. Donate by 5pm Tuesday 18 December and your donation will directly benefit a student in need. Thank you to all our supporters for helping us overcome educational disadvantage. None of our work would be possible without you, and we sincerely thank you for your generosity. You can donate online here, mail a cheque to PO Box 1393 Darlinghurst NSW 2010 or call our office to make your donation over the phone on 02 9266 8452. Very sincerely, David Hetherington, Executive Director *students names have been changed to protect their identity
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