Sophie Carter’s dream of becoming a veterinary nurse is a step closer to being fulfilled thanks to an Arrow Energy-sponsored agricultural scholarship.
The 16-year-old and her brother Shane are among 16 students from Years 8 to 12 who will study under the scholarships next year at Dalby State High School’s (DSHS) Bunya Campus, which specialises in agricultural education.
The Arrow Energy Agricultural Scholarships, worth $5000 each, are on offer for a second year to encourage the next generation of farmers through contributing boarding feeds.
The second batch of recipients was announced at the school’s awards ceremony on Tuesday night [12 November].
Sophie, who already boards at the Bunya Campus, will complete Year 12 next year while her younger brother Shane will join her at the school to undertake Year 10.
“It is really good for us… Just to make things easier on my parents, who run a piggery outside Kingaroy, with funding for the boarding campus,” Sophie said.
“I am hoping to do vet nursing. I am doing a Certificate II in Agriculture, but the course that I have chosen to do is called Agriculture Professionals.
“I just really like working with animals. We have already done drenching and vaccinated sheep and cattle.”
Fellow scholarship recipient Brandon Wheatley hopes to become a jackaroo when he finishes Year 12 at the end of next year.
“The scholarship will basically give me the money to come here, do the course and get the qualifications,” he said.
Adam Cauley comes from a farming family at Durong (west of Kingaroy), and said he wanted to gain skills to take over his parents’ cropping and cattle property one day.
He said he enjoyed his first year at the campus in 2013 and was a member of the Cattle Show Team.
“We just go around to all the shows and we have a team of cattle we lead around and prepare them for shows,” Adam said.
Arrow CEO Andrew Faulkner congratulated the students who were among the most promising applicants to the school’s boarding campus.
“Arrow wants to contribute to the education of the next generation of farmers and these scholarships will help with the cost of first-class schooling,” Mr Faulkner said.
“Arrow takes its responsibility in helping communities to grow and develop very seriously.
“Farming and agriculture is at the very core of the Western Downs community, and encouraging its health and development is extremely worthwhile for the region.”
DSHS Head of Campus Jason Caruso said six students undertook Arrow Agricultureal Scholarships in 2013 and the commitment to increase the intake to 10 next year was welcome.
“These scholarships will go a long way to ensuring the health of the farming industry through quality agricultural education,” Mr Caruso said.
Mr Caruso said more than 200 students were expected to study agricultural subjects or be involved in the campus’ agricultural extracurricular activities next year.
Nineteen applications for the scholarship were received before the 18 October deadline.
Applicants were asked to explain why they wanted to study agriculture, what their career goals were and how they had positively contributed to their communities.
The 2014 recipients are:
- Brandon Wheatley, Year 12, Nambour
- Letisha Haldane, Year 12, Glenmorgan
- Sophie Carter, Year 12, Proston
- Elsa Browning, Year 11, Fitzroy Crossing WA
- Brooke Ralph, Year 11, Kingaroy
- Travis Embrey, Year 11, Wamuran
- Haydn Lucht, Year 10, Kulpi
- Shane Carter, Year 10, Proston
- Adam Cauley, Year 9 Durong
- Peta Anderson, Year 8, Biloela
Media Contact:
Dalby State High School
Jason Caruso
Phone: +61 7 4660 0333
Email: [email protected]