TEACHING SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED FOR 2007

Nineteen aspiring teachers have been awarded State Government scholarships valued at up to $20,000 each to help them become teachers in Queensland.

Education and Training Minister, Rod Welford, presented seven Bid O’Sullivan Teaching Scholarships and 12 Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships to recipients at Parliament House in Brisbane today (15 February).

“These scholarships support the placement of quality teachers throughout the state, particularly in rural and remote locations,” Mr Welford said.

“They provide financial assistance to these budding teachers during their studies and also guarantee them a job in our school system at the end of their degree.

“It is appropriate the scholarships are named after Bid O’Sullivan and Pearl Duncan as they are both inspirational women who were passionate about teaching and dedicated to improving students’ lives through education.”

The Bid O’Sullivan Teaching Scholarships are awarded to high school graduates from rural and remote areas to enable them to work as teachers in these areas after they graduate from their teaching degrees.

“They are named after Bid O’Sullivan because she played a large part in bringing education to the outback – firstly as a teacher in bush schools and later establishing Queensland’s first School of the Air in Cloncurry in 1959,” Mr Welford said.

“Since the establishment of this scholarship in 1999, 21 recipients have graduated and are currently teaching in Queensland state schools. These scholarships ensure that rural and remote areas of Queensland continue to receive the high quality teachers they deserve.”

Pearl Duncan Scholarships are awarded each year to people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, in honour of Australia’s first tertiary-trained Indigenous teacher.

“Ms Duncan became a teacher in 1951 and has devoted her life to academic excellence and to encouraging indigenous people to participate in education,” Mr Welford said.

Teaching scholarships of up to four years’ duration are awarded, with scholarships of up to two years’ duration for postgraduate students. A total of 106 Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships have been awarded since 2006.

A full list of recipients for both scholarships follows.

Media Contact: Greg Milne or Marnie Stitz on 3237 1000

2007 TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Bid O’Sullivan Teaching Scholarships
Phillipa Coward, Mirani State High School
Kristina Hill, Kilcoy State High School
Matthew Lewis, Biloela State High School
Amy Nelson, Blackwater State High School
Christine Pierson, Aldridge State High School
Dean Smith, St Brendan’s Christian Brothers College (Yeppoon)
Lisa Wharton, Atherton State High School

Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships
School-leavers
Casey Coolwell, Woodridge State High School
Allison Rocca, Cannon Hill Anglican College
Jessica Wimbus, Kelvin Grove State College

Education Queensland Staff
Danielle Hedges, Gayndah State School
Elizabeth Tailby, Mount Gravatt East State School

Post-school studies
Lawrence Hagan of Toowoomba
Derek Kinchela of Riverview
Kim Peyton-Smith of Townsville
Sarah Robarts of Toowoomba
Kyryn Wright of Kallangur

Postgraduate
Phillip Breslin of Trinity Beach
Glen Fairfoot of Cairns