High achieving students recognised

Ten outstanding Year 12 graduates have been awarded a T J Ryan Memorial Medal and a university scholarship worth up to $10,000 from the Queensland Government.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said every secondary school in Queensland was invited to nominate one student for the Medal each year, who displays excellent leadership and academic skills.

“The T J Ryan Medal supports our Government’s Smart State goals of encouraging students to pursue further studies or training after leaving school,” Mr Welford said.

“It is awarded to students for achieving academic excellence and leadership in their schools and communities and recognises a broad cross-section of students from city and regional centres and from state and non-state schools.”

Mr Welford presented the winners with their medals and scholarships in a presentation ceremony at Parliament House today.

“The ten medal winners were from both state and non-state schools and graduated from Year 12 last year,” he said.

“The recipients will receive a $2000 scholarship for each year they complete of a degree course, up to a maximum of five years.”

A further five students were highly commended and received $1000 prizes to assist them in their tertiary studies. Another 13 graduates have been awarded certificates of merit.

The medal is named in honour of Thomas Joseph Ryan, the Premier of Queensland from 1915 to 1919, who is widely recognised as an outstanding leader of his time.

From 1927 to 1970, the Medal was awarded to the top student in the state’s annual scholarship examination. In 1993, it was reintroduced to continue the tradition of recognising academic excellence and student leadership.

Previous T J Ryan medallists include Dr Robin Sullivan, former Queensland Commissioner for Children and Young People, and John de Jersey, a Deputy Executive Dean at the University of Queensland.

The top students are selected with the help of the Queensland Studies Authority. A full list of the 2008 T J Ryan Memorial Medal recipients, highly commended recipients and merit certificate recipients is listed below.

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000

2008 T J Ryan Medallists

Nicholas Barber, The Scots PGC College, Warwick
William Chan, Brisbane Boys College
Samuel Humbert, Noosa District State High School
Peter Major, Sandgate District State High School
Daniel Moloney, Indooroopilly State High School
Liam Nolan, Marist College Ashgrove
Melissa Polkinghorne, St John Fisher College, Bracken Ridge
Campbell Schmidt, Anglican Church Grammar School, East Brisbane
Mikaela Shorter, Isis District State High School, Childers
Carl Tessman, Kingaroy State High School

Highly Commended Recipients

Samuel Bianchi, St Edmund’s College, Ipswich
Philip Chan, Brisbane State High School
Sarah Livingstone, Hervey Bay State High School
Callan Solari, Columba Catholic College, Charters Towers
Anna Sri, Craigslea State High School

Merit Certificate Recipients

Andrew Basaglia, Good Counsel College, Innisfail
Jeremy Elich, Pittsworth State High School
Trent Grundy, Woree State High School, Cairns
Caitlin Harper, Gladstone State High School
Nathan Lim, Brisbane Grammar School
Tony McCarthy, Tullawong State High School, Caboolture
Sarida McLeod, Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Lauren Melville, St Hilda’s School, Southport
Jack Piggott, Rockhampton Grammar School
Denica Russ, Western Cape College, Weipa
Jacqueline Stacey, Kenmore State High School
Belinda Stallard, St Mary’s College, Maryborough
Natalee Williamson, Tannum Sands State High School