2021 HSC – TOP ACHIEVERS 2021
The Harding Miller Education Foundation is very proud of the excellent results achieved by its HSC class of 2021. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our scholars on their achievements. The past two years has been particularly difficult on a number of levels and our scholars worked very hard to rise above the plethora of challenges that faced them.
We would like to acknowledge the two scholars who have been recognised as Top Achievers. Top Achievers are those who achieved one of the highest places in an HSC course or VET examination and also achieved a result in the highest band (Band 6 or Band E4). We congratulate the following scholars who were honoured on the 2021 list:
- Angela Le Ranked 17th in NSW for English Advanced – Prairiewood High School
- Hibba Chaudhry Ranked 6th in NSW in Investigating Science – Bankstown Girls High School
The class of 2021 are a credit to their families/carers, dedicated teachers and the many public high schools that have guided them through their educational journeys.
2021 HSC – ALL ROUND ACHIEVERS
The Harding Miller Education Foundation is very proud of the excellent results achieved by its HSC class of 2021. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all our scholars on their achievements. The past two years has been particularly difficult on a number of levels and our scholars worked very hard to rise above the plethora of challenges that faced them.
We would like to acknowledge the two scholars who have been recognised as All Round Achievers. All Round Achievers are those who attained 90 or above (Band 6 or Band E4) in at least ten units of study. We congratulate the following scholars who were honoured on the 2021 list:
• Angela Le – Prairiewood High School
• Nhi Lu – Prairiewood High School
Angela and Nhi are among 1,476 NSW students who were recognised on the All Round Achievers list of HSC results this year.
The class of 2021 are a credit to their families/carers, dedicated teachers and the many public high schools that have guided them through their educational journeys.
Meet Isabella Ennever – Class of 2021 scholar
UPDATE JANUARY 2022:
HSC HONOUR ROLE 2021 – Congratulations to Isabella who is a Distinguished Achiever (achieved a mark of 90 or above) in Biology, Investigating Science, Mathematics Extension 1 and Mathematics Advanced.
Isabella has just completed her HSC and was Vice Captain at Casino High School. She is an exceptional student and was placed first in all of her subjects and was dux of the year. Isabella has been awarded dux every year since Year 7. This year she also participated in Professor Henry Messel International Science School and the National Youth Science Forum.
Isabella is planning on being the first person in her family to attend university and has already received a conditional offer for Griffith University to study a Bachelor of Medical Science degree. In 2021, she participated in the Griffith University Future Leaders Retreat, received a Community Recognition Statement from the NSW Parliament for Academic and Leadership achievement, a Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement and was the Casino Lion’s Youth of the Year which recognises cultural, educational and leadership pursuits. In 2019, selected as 1 of only 16 students selected for a study tour on Lizard Island, She was the 2020 NSW Country to Canberra Award Winner, from Careers with Stem,
“The Harding Miller Scholarship has provided me with incredible financial support and security that has enabled me to better focus on my education and obtain a variety of academic goals. My success during high school, which was enhanced by the Harding Miller Scholarship and its role in reducing the financial pressure on my single-parent household, has given me the confidence and self-belief to follow a career in Aerospace Medicine. As well as the economic benefits, the laptop has allowed me to be efficient and organised with my schoolwork and has been a vital tool that has assisted me in excelling academically. For many years, the reliable data and the mobility of the laptop ensured that I was able to continue travelling around NSW and Queensland to compete in [sporting] events while not being disadvantaged with my education. Additionally, the Harding Miller Scholarship created many opportunities that has allowed me to overcome the physical barriers of living rurally and the low access to educational resources. Experiences such as the workshop with the Girls in Tech Movement has solidified my vision for a future in science and has broadened my perspective of science communication as a career pathway.”
Keep an eye out for Isabella in the future – we know she is destined for great things!
Scholarship update
In 2021, the Foundation received over 550 applications from motivated girls in need of a scholarship. It has been a very rigorous and difficult task to select the scholarship recipients due to the high number of outstanding applications. Thank you to the judges who were part of this process.
We received applications from students in more than 200 schools located in every state and territory in Australia except the ACT. Of the new students awarded a scholarship:
• 19% are first nations girls
• 31% of the scholarships are based in rural and regional Australia
• 8% have experienced or are experiencing out of home care (foster care)
• 10% of the new girls have a refugee background from a total of 43% of the students who come from a family with non-English speaking background.
Thanks to the generosity of the donors, we are in a position to award 160 new scholarships. That means in 2022 the Harding Miller Education Scholarship Program welcomed the largest group of new students to the program bringing the total scholarship program to more than 510 students, which is a record for us.
All scholarship packs were sent out by early 2022. Each year we are adding options and resources for the students to enable them to further customise their scholarship to support them in the way that meets their needs and helps them achieve their ambitions.
In 2021, we added additional online and in person enrichment activities to the calendar, published a Year 10 subject selection guide, introduced career profiling for Year 11 students and provided a new membership to Study Work Grow career resource to all year groups. It is also the second year accessing Study Skills, JobJump and our HMEF APP. Pascal Press have also donated $60 or $100 vouchers to all of the students for the 2nd consecutive year. These tools are added to our existing scholarship offering which includes a high quality laptop, data, remote IT support, tutoring, a prepaid card for school expenses, online homework help and, very importantly, support from a volunteer personal coach.
Last year also saw some active involvement from our Alumni, including the launch of ARK (Anti-Racism Kit) by Sabina Patawaran who was one of our 2020 graduates from Riverside Girls High School in Sydney. It is a toolkit of strategies and information to help high school students understand racism and combat it within their communities. It is also aimed at creating change within their schools.
We recently held our Scholarship Award ceremonies for our Year 9 scholars. These award ceremonies were held in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. We had some inspiring keynote speakers, the scholars took part in exciting events and workshops and they all met new friends.
Cara Varian, Executive Director of Harding Miller Education Foundation, gave a motivating speech emphasising the importance of scholars making the most of all the opportunities they are offered through their scholarship and encouraging them to create their own peer network by staying in touch and supporting each other.
We are very proud of all our scholars and look forward to supporting them on their journey with the Foundation.
Rozelle Interchange Project site visit
On Monday, 22 November 2021, we were invited to have a tour of the Rozelle Interchange Project which connects the extended M4 and the New M5 to the Anzac Bridge and Victoria Road in Sydney. The interchange will be a new underground motorway interchange to the City West Link and provide an underground bypass of Victoria Road. The Rozelle Interchange Project are great supporters of the local community and businesses across Sydney.
The Rozelle Interchange Project have been generous donors of the Foundation and we are delighted that they have announced another full scholarship donation for 2022.
The site tour was a great afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended including our founders, Kim Harding and Irene Miller; our Scholarship Manager, Caroline Hill and HMEF scholarship student, Annabella Granato to whom Rozelle Interchange Project currently supports. It was wonderful to meet the project team including Steven Keyser, Project Director; John Crane, Support Services Director; Steve Kiddle, Surface Works Director; Sara Galloway, Senior HR Advisor and Stephen Antonopoulos, Communications Manager.
We are so very grateful to our fabulous donors, like the Rozelle Interchange Project, as without them we could not support our girls in overcoming hardship to achieve their academic potential and to build a prosperous and successful career.
Teens in Business Awards – Pivoting Pioneer Finalists!!!
Rim Elnabouche a year 12 scholar and Khawlah Albaf a year 10 scholar both recently entered their business ideas and concepts into this year’s Teens in Business Awards. The Teens in Business Awards are run by a coalition of three entrepreneurial education experts – the Young Change Agents, Bop Industries and Tech Girls Movement Foundation. You can find out more by visiting their website here.
Both scholars won a spot on the top 5 finalist list for the Pivoting Pioneer Award. The Pivoting Pioneer Award recognises entrepreneurs who have had to pivot to evolve their business model based on validation or the changing world.
Both scholars were given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to an audience at the x Sparkfest Event on Wednesday 20 October 2021. Unfortunately, neither of them went on to win the award but they both very graciously celebrated the award winner.
Rim’s business is called Build My Event, you can find out more by visiting the website here.
Khawlah’s business is in collaboration with her younger brother and is called BrotherSista Bubble Tea. You can find out more by visiting the Instagram page here.
We would like to take this opportunity to say congratulations to Rim and Khawlah. Go girls!!
NAIDOC Week 2021 – 4 to 11 July 2021
During NAIDOC Week, we are celebrating the achievements of our First Nations Scholars and Alumni from across Australia!
Pictured above – Year 9 QLD Scholars Alexis Fisher, Lara Parter & McKenzie Dempsey
We are shining a spotlight on Kawana Crowe, one of our First Nations alumna, who is originally from Nambucca Heads; Nambucca Heads is the current and historical homeland of the Gumbaynggirr people. Kawana is one of our scholars from our first graduating class in 2019.
Kawana’s achievements are numerous. She is the first in her immediate family to go to University. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Science/ Bachelor of Advanced Studies majoring in Genetics, Genomics, and Chemistry at the University of Sydney.
Kawana is part of the University of Sydney Dalyell Scholars Honors Group, and she was awarded a University of Sydney Early Offer Scholarship, valued at $5950. She was also awarded the University of Sydney Indigenous Entry Scholarship, valued at $10,000, and the Mana Yura Accommodation Award, valued at $18,000.
Kawana plays a key role in our alumni program, often attending events with Harding Miller’s staff to speak about her Harding Miller Scholar experiences.
Kawana has also taken on the following roles, Student Ambassador and Student Leader at University; she was recently involved in welcoming and speaking to a group of Year 12 Harding Miller Scholars who attended a Future Friday event at the University of Sydney in March.
Kawana is on target to reach her goal of becoming become a Scientist, and we couldn’t be prouder!!!
2021 Brisbane Awards Night
Congratulations to our year 9 Queensland scholars
2021 was the first year that HMEF has held an award ceremony outside of NSW. 2020 was a delayed year given the challenges of the pandemic but 2021 has given rise to a sensational event – full of excitement, positive energy, and fresh starts.
We loved being able to share the achievements of all of our Queensland year 9 scholars last Monday 21 June at the Annual Awards Ceremony at the State Library of Queensland – a fantastic venue.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting all our QLD scholars, putting faces to names and seeing them engage with each other, their coaches, and the Harding Miller team. We loved seeing them all get together from so many different schools, regions, and backgrounds.
Thank you to all the parents/guardians who joined the girls and helped make sure everything ran smoothly. We hope they enjoyed the evening also.
For those who were unable to attend, we hosted the event virtually as well.
GIVE SOME GIRL POWER THIS TAX TIME
Our scholars are bursting with GIRL POWER!!
We asked our scholars about someone in their life who inspires them – someone who exerts GIRL POWER!! The responses were magnificent, everything from their mums, sportswomen, social activists, scientists, and poets.
Through our scholarship program, we hope to tell the world that well-resourced education with personalised support can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
We know that diversity in leadership improves societal, commercial, and technical outcomes. Our program will translate to improved representation of women in Australian leadership. We hope that the HMEF program will produce future leaders across all sectors of society.
Our ambition is to have 8000 scholars on the program within the next two decades and to become an educational program leader that impacts future generations.
Sydney Awards Night- A Great Success
Congratulations to our year 9 Sydney scholars
Last week was our sixth year of HMEF award ceremonies, and there is no doubt that they are the best night of the year for us but, more importantly, for our year 9 scholars.
2020 saw the Foundation host a virtual awards night for all scholars around Australia. While this certainly wasn’t the same as a face-to-face event, it still gave us a chance to celebrate with our newest scholars and welcome them into our community.
Given the interruptions of 2020 our May 2021 event at Sydney Town Hall, in collaboration with the Public Education Foundation was even more of a celebration of achievement, freedom through education, and excitement of the futures that behold all our scholars.
We thoroughly enjoyed meeting all our NSW and ACT scholars, putting faces to names, and seeing them engage with each other, their coaches, our donors, and the Harding Miller team.
Thank you to all the parents/guardians who joined the girls and helped make sure everything ran smoothly. We hope they enjoyed the evening also.
For those who were unable to attend, we hosted the event virtually as well.
