(Text and photos supplied)
Four students from Clarence High School and another from Hobart City High School have each won a prestigious Harding Miller Education Foundation Scholarship to help them continue their school studies.
Cameron Browning, Charlotte Gye, Lucy Bouwmeester and Olivia White from Clarence, and An Le from New Town Campus of City High, are amongst 11 promising female students in Tasmanian public schools to be selected for Harding Miller scholarships.
Each recipient will receive more than $20,000 worth of assistance over four years.
More than 700 Year 9 students applied for the scholarships nationally this year, which are for young women who are passionate about their studies, but who may lack opportunities to achieve their academic potential and dreams.
Through the scholarships, girls are supported in a variety of practical ways including with equipment, computers, internet connections, textbooks, tutoring and coaching, which they may otherwise not have access to.
Harding Miller Foundation Executive Director, Cara Varian, said: “Our scholarship recipients have high academic potential. They are talented and dedicated, but they simply do not currently have access to the resources that they need to make the most of their education opportunities.
“Girls are more likely to complete high school and go on to pursue further education when they are supported with equipment, money for resources, tutoring and coaching, and that’s the type of support we are providing to students like Cameron, Charlotte, Lucy and Olivia.
“We want to support these high-potential young women to stay in school and to have the option going to university.”
Ms Varian said the Harding Miller Education Foundation focused on supporting the girls’ basic needs to complete their high school education.
“We get satellites installed in homes to make sure that the kids can get access to the internet. We supply noise-cancelling headphones if they don’t have a dedicated study space. We send out supermarket gift cards if families are having trouble with the groceries,” Ms Varian said.
“These are tangible, practical things which we can do to give young women a hand to complete their schooling and fulfil their potential.”
