Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to rise today to speak about a wonderful event I attended on 16 February: the Smith Family graduation of the Learning for Life scholarship recipients. This event was to celebrate a number of students who were graduating from year 12 and from TAFE and to look at their great achievement. The Learning for Life program helps disadvantaged children who may have barriers to achieving and finishing their studies. It really helps these young people reach the goals that they need to reach. The program applies through the child’s early years and through vulnerable transition points in their development. It really helps by linking them with opportunities, including literacy support, tutoring, mentoring or financial scholarships that help with essential school expenses such as uniforms, books and excursions.

In my electorate I was pleased to see that there was a range of graduates who finished their studies as a result of this program. I congratulate year 12 students Kayla Tyas, Anthony Allen, Adi Dedic, Gail Ward, Billie-Jade Braund, Sophie Palmer, Nikita McCall, Tayla-Maree Taipari, Katherine Gillet, Greg Pinder, Kate Topp, Faiz Sheikh, Lauren Isherwood, Shannon Lavery and Emma McIntosh. They were the graduating students from year 12. The TAFE students included Michelle Alsop, Matthew O’Connell, Jasmine O’Connell and Nikki Lemonis. It was a great achievement for these students. I would also like to pay tribute to some of the Learning for Life workers, because we know that the students would not have made it through without having those people in the schools assisting them to achieve. To Rachel Paterson, Tammy Kennedy and Leeann Koesters, congratulations on doing a great job for the local kids in my area.

Regarding the impact of this, Greg Pinder commented, ‘Being part of the Smith Family scholarship program has meant that a tough journey through school and uni has been made so much easier because I don’t have to worry where the money is going to come from. The ripple effect is that I can approach uni without having to worry. This puts me in a better mind frame to approach my studies.’ That is just one testimony to this great program, and I commend it to the House. (Time expired)