Former Batemans Bay High School students Carly Hay, Lizzie Jack and Claire Andrew, former Moruya High School student James Welch, former Carroll College students Daina Koote, Joseph Tegart and Timothy Piert and former St Peter’s Anglican College students Eden Faulkner Kew, Katie Staker and Millie Nicholls have each received $3000 grants from the Batemans Bay Youth Foudation, which is sponsored by Batemans Bay Rotary, Batemans Bay Soldiers Club and the Batemans Bay RSL Sub-Branch.

The grants are to to help them as they begin their university studies, and all the students were there on Thursday to say thanks.

Former Batemans Bay High School student Carly Hay will put much passion into her Bachelor of Sport and Sport and Exercise course at the University of Canberra.

“The past three years have been hard as my mother was diagnosed with leukemia three years ago and my father has had cancer in the past, so I have a passion for health and helping other people,” she said.

She said she was thrilled about the grant and aimed to establish a rural practice at the conclusion of her studies. 

Former Moruya High School student James Welch will embark on a Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of NSW.

“I grew up on a farm and I loved tinkering in Dad’s shed,” he said. 

“I also experienced the effects of climate change.  renewable energy is a rapidly growing sector of the energy industry and the number of jobs in it are increasing.

“This grant will help guide me in the right direction.”

Former St Peter’s Anglican College student Katie Staker is about to start a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at the University of Canberra, and said she was “heartened by the foundation’s heart for youth.” .

“I want to go on and become a midwife and help people in rural and disadvantaged communities,” she said.

“The grant will pay rent, buy food and woolly jumper for riding my pushy to the uni library.” 

Former Bay High student Lizzie Jack will undertake a Bachelor of Communications in Media Studies at the University of Wollongong with the aim of becoming a journalist at a newspaper, magazine or radio station.

“I have always found a lot of joy in writing, and the grant will help me with living costs,” she said.

Former Carroll College student Timothy Piert will undertake a Bachelor of Computer Science majoring in Engineering at eth University of Wollongong and thanked his teachers and the youth foundation for such an opportunity.

“I’ve always had a fascination with the interpretation of how structures work, and this will improve my understanding of systems and structures,” he said.

Fellow former Carroll student Joseph Tegart is heading south of the border for a double degree of Commerce and Science at Melbourne’s Monash University and said the grant would make a big difference in helping him move interstate to begin his career.

Former St Peter’s Anglican College student Eden Faulkner-Kew is going even further than Joseph, and will undertake a Degree in Veterinary Science at James Cook University in Townsville.

“The Eurobodalla is the best place to live, but it does have restrictions for people wanting a career,” she said.

“Moving interstate poses physical, financial and emotional challenges, so I appreciate the support of the youth foundation and the people of the Eurobodalla.”

Fellow former St Peter’s student Millie Nicholls will also study at James Cook University, undertaking a Bachelor of Physiotherapy.

“I see my future in the health field, and plan to work with indigenous communities in Far North Queensland,” she said.

Former Carroll student Daina Koote has been dedicated to sport since a young age and becoming a physiotherapist has been her “ultimate goal for many years.

She will begin a Bachelor of Exercise, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at the University of Canberra.

“I cannot thank you enough for this grant,” she said.  

Former Batemans Bay High School Claire Andrew will begin a Bachelor of Business Administration at University of Canberra, seeing it as a “practical path to a secure future.”

“”The youth foundation grant will help me and the others, so congratulations to everyone and I wish you well,” she said.

Youth foundation chairman Peter Wood said the grants were a vote of confidence from the community.

“Work hard and make us proud,” he said.