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In a first for the shire, 17-year-old Brandon McClelland has been accepted to the acting course at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in Sydney, straight out of school.

The Batemans Bay High School HSC graduate and Eurobodalla Dream and Achieve 2010 scholarship recipient was overjoyed and excited after receiving a call from the prestigious school’s acting director, Tony Knight, on Friday.

“It was one of those things where I was so excited I could hear what he was saying but I don’t remember what it was,” Brandon said.

The Bay Theatre Players member says he is looking forward to being trained by the same people who trained Australian icons Mel Gibson, Toni Collette, Cate Blanchett, Simon Baker, Sam Worthington, Baz Lurhmann, Miranda Otto and Hugo Weaving.

“NIDA is a huge stepping block into the (entertainment) industry because they know what they are doing,” Brandon said.

Batemans Bay High School drama teacher Jane Fowler said, in her 17 years at the school, she could not recall any other past students ever going to study at NIDA.

“I’m very happy about his (Brandon’s) achievement,” she said.

“He’s been a talented student and very hard working.”

Ms Fowler said Brandon had a lot of talent in both acting and directing.

“I think he’s got a real challenge ahead of him but it’s his passion and I think he will do really, really well.”

Brandon has been performing since Year Three, with his first role playing a dwarf named Sneezey in Batemans Bay Public School’s production “Snow White Out of Sight”.

He joined Bay Theatre Players after Year Six and played the genie in Aladdin in 2007.

Eurobodalla Dream and Achieve hopes to raise enough money to cover Brandon’s first two years of tuition at NIDA.

The major fundraising event will be an auction and dinner at the Batemans Bay Bowling Club on March 27, with the theme Rising Stars - A Night at the Oscars. Tickets will cost $50 per person and will go on sale in February.