State recognises aspiring teachers and leaders

Forty-two of Queensland’s most promising future teachers and leaders have been recognised as part of the Aspiring Teacher Grants, Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships for aspiring teachers, and the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarships for up-and-coming leaders.

Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek said the Newman Government was always working hard to revitalise frontline education services and attract high quality teachers to its schools, and scholarship programs like those announced today went a long way to achieving that.

“We’ve set ourselves some very high standards to improve the learning outcomes for Queensland students, and we know that one way to do this is to attract the very best graduates to teaching careers,” Mr Langbroek said.

“We have more than 40,000 dedicated, passionate and creative teachers working in our primary and secondary schools, but we’re always looking to find more of those special sorts of people who can inspire students to greatness inside and outside the classroom.”

Mr Langbroek said awardees would receive between $1,000 and $20,000 each to assist with their studies.

“The Aspiring Teacher Grant provides a one-off cash incentive to high-achieving Year 12 leavers who are studying to become teachers,” he said.

“The Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships provide up to $20,000 over four years for people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage to study teaching.

“Named after Pearl Duncan, Australia’s first tertiary-trained Aboriginal school teacher, the scholarships have assisted 171 people to undertake teacher training since its inception in 2000.

“This supports a wide range of the Newman Government’s strategies for improving Indigenous education and employment, including the Rural and Remote Strategy, Blueprint for the Bush and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Framework for Action.

“Boosting teacher quality is a key priority for the Newman Government. Along with the Fresh Start strategy and Great Teachers = Great Results initiative, these programs ensure state school students have access to high-quality teachers especially in rural and remote communities.”

Mr Langbroek said the TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship program awarded exemplary students who demonstrated outstanding leadership and academic excellence.

“Six Year 12 graduates from 2013 were awarded the prestigious TJ Ryan Memorial Medal and Scholarship valued at up to $10,000, with eleven receiving a Highly Commended award valued at $1000,” he said.

“The award recognises emerging leadership qualities in our young people, who are going on to study in a number of fields including medicine, law, and engineering.”

The award is named after Thomas Joseph Ryan, a teacher and barrister who served as Premier of Queensland from 1915 to 1919.

To find out more about scholarships and awards available from the Queensland Government, go to http://www.education.qld.gov.au/students/grants/scholarships.

A list of all scholarship recipients follows.

2014 TJ RYAN MEMORIAL MEDAL AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Medallist and scholarship recipients:

$10,000 scholarship over five years:

• Ebony Blackstone, Mountain Creek State High School
• Emily Rogers, Albany Creek State High School
• Sophie Ryan, St Ursula’s College (Toowoomba)
• Peter Tilleard, Matthew Flinders Anglican College
• John Upton, St John’s School (Roma)
• Bridgette Vanderwolf, St Rita’s College (Clayfield)

Highly commended recipients:

$1000 prize

• Nicolas Anning, Meridan State College
• Samuel Cree, Mansfield State High School
• Joshua Ivanhoe, Anglican Church Grammar School
• Georgina Kanowski, The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James
• Emma McDougall, Kirwan State High School
• Andrew McLean, Gladstone State High School
• Hugh Rayner, Brisbane State High School
• Ruby Russell, Wavell State High School
• Caitlin Rutherford, Pine Rivers State High School
• Sabrina Schreiber, Lourdes Hill College (Hawthorne)
• Louisa Sondergeld, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School (Ascot)

Merit certificate recipients

• Holley Morton, St Margaret Mary’s College (Hyde Park)

• Matilda Towler, Chancellor State College
• Sarah Walton, Calvary Christian College (Springwood Campus)

2014 ASPIRING TEACHER GRANTS

• Cami Ahern, West Moreton Anglican College
• Brooke Bartlem, Rockhampton State High School
• Aimee Dux, Marist College (Emerald)
• Danielle Forward, Cooloola Christian College
• Courtney Howlett, Xavier Catholic College
• Caitlin Jenner, Pimlico State High School
• Natalie Lund, St Mary’s College (Maryborough)
• Ellen McGuigan, Monto State High School
• Sheridan Scott, St Patrick’s College (Mackay)
• Lachlan Short, Brisbane Grammar School

2014 PEARL DUNCAN TEACHING SCHOLARSHIPS

School Leavers:

• Ainslie Thompson, Bundaberg State High School

Department of Education, Training and Employment staff:

• Christopher Cedar, Weir State School
• Aleesha Kostuch, Mutchilba State School

Post-school studies:

• Allira Alvoen (Cairns)
• Sara Brewster (Bowen)
• Belinda Dawney (Carrara)
• Rikka Eastaughffe (Townsville)
• Jade Hourigan-Scammell (Brisbane)
• Lola Reddy (Caboolture)
• Yvette-Maree Vanschaemelhout (Brisbane)

Post-graduate category:

• Adam Dolejs (Brisbane)
• Saraya Stewart (Townsville)

[ENDS] 30 April 2014

Media contact: Emily Eklund 0403 645 519