With drought, bushfires, flooding rains and the COVID-19 pandemic battering various parts of Australia all at once, Country Education Foundation of Australia (CEF) is pleased to provide support for school leavers in affected areas with the announcement of a five-year partnership with The Snow Foundation.

The five-year partnership will deliver $375,000 to students in need. Through the generosity of the Foundation, students can apply for scholarships and support in the Yass, Snowy Monaro, Braidwood, Goulburn and Shoalhaven regions.

For more than a decade, The Snow Foundation has been supporting CEF to assist rural and regional youth via social, financial and organisational support.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Snow Foundation and are grateful for their commitment and support to our organisation during ongoing challenges of drought, bushfires, flooding and the COVID pandemic. This partnership and significant financial assistance are vitally important to ensure rural and regional students still pursue post- school education,” said CEF Chief Executive Officer, Juliet Petersen.

CEF exists to support students of any background or ability to ensure they can access the resources they need to fulfil their personal potential and contribute fully to the communities in which they live. School leavers that want to pursue any post-school education and training, such as university, VET sector, traineeships or apprenticeships, are eligible to apply for grants and scholarships.

“The Snow Foundation are passionate about students from rural and regional areas gaining access to tertiary or further studies and are intent on helping to close the participation gap which exists between country and city students,” says Georgina Byron, CEO The Snow Foundation.

The recipients for 2021 are:

BRAIDWOOD

Rosie Crawford – Bachelor of Nursing and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University

Lily Jones – Bachelor of Biology, Archaeology, Visual Arts & German, University of Sydney

GOULBURN

Ella Fennamore – Bachelor of Health Science, University of Wollongong

Holly Caffery – Bachelor of Medicine, Western Sydney University

YASS

Emily Targett – Bachelor of Nursing, University of Wollongong

Talissa Polsen – Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Biology, Charles Sturt University

SNOWY MONARO

Sophie Petty – Bachelor of Midwifery, University of Canberra

Claudia Tonks – Bachelor of Arts, University of Wollongong

Sarah Lambert – Bachelor of Social Work (Hon)/Bachelor of Social Sciences (Psych), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

Cassandra French – TAFE, Bachelor of Community Services

SHOALHAVEN

Karlee Symonds – Bachelor of Psychology, University of Wollongong

Ashleen Rigney – Bachelor of Health, Australian Catholic University

Tiana Ceissman – Bachelor of Paramedicine, Charles Sturt University

Joshua Fisher – Bachelor of Medicine, University of Wollongong

Sarah Hamilton – Bachelor of Politics and Economics, University of Wollongong

Romeny O’Neile Henderson – Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy, Charles Sturt University

Julian Stephens – Bachelor of Psychology, University of New South Wales