Like many in her age group, Charlee Roulston hardly remembers what it’s like not to have an educational year disrupted by some major disaster, but along with 11 other Goulburn-Murray recipients of a Lift Off scholarship, she’s not going to let them hold her back.
Ms Roulston’s high-school years were marred by the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating floods that hit her home town, Rochester, in 2022.
Fortunately, her family’s home was not inundated with floodwaters in 2022, but her VCE exams had to be held in Bendigo instead of her own school when the floods flowed through the town’s streets.
“Most of my high-school experience was interrupted by COVID or the floods,” Ms Roulston said.
“Year 9 to Year 11 were impacted by COVID, then we thought our Year 12 was going to be the first year without any interruptions, but then the floods hit.”
After taking a gap year last year, Ms Roulston is now one of 12 recent school leavers ready to pursue further education, boosted by financial support through the Lift Off Education Scholarship program.
Celebrating its 10th year, the program is a partnership between the Greater Shepparton Foundation, the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project and local sponsors to help students make the transition from high school to further education.
“It helps with everything in relation to going on to study because I’m moving from home,” Ms Roulston said.
“Obviously, I need to buy home supplies and stuff and then paying for accommodation as well. It’s not cheap in Melbourne, and then also fuel and expenses like that.”
Scholarships range from $2000 for one year up to $10,000 over three years.
Recipients are also presented with a laptop through the Laptops with Love program run by the Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project.
“The Lift Off scholarships are a community-driven scholarship program,” Greater Shepparton Foundation executive officer Amanda McCulloch said.
“We rely on donations, but all those donations go back to these kids. So it’s a wonderful cycle of encouraging young people to go off and strive towards their further education goals, knowing that the community are 100 per cent behind them.”
Ms McCulloch said philanthropic donors, community organisations and businesses ensured the scholarships could be provided.
“We have such a generous community here in Greater Shepparton, and having worked with the Greater Shepparton Foundation for a period of time now, I am always blown away by just how generous the business community and also our philanthropic community are in wanting to support those that really need it,” she said.
Ms Roulston said the scholarships provided recipients with more than just a financial boost, especially those who had taken a few knocks during their lives.
“It feels good because even though we’ve had so many disruptions and a lot of things holding us back from study and getting into our dream courses, it just proves that you can get to where you want to be, regardless of what happens in the world and what’s going on,” Ms Roulston said.
“It’s a really proud moment for myself and the rest of the class that I went to school with.”
Lift Off scholarship recipients:
- Ned Doyle - Youth Op Shop Cobram scholarship - Bachelor of Education, Monash University
- Mya Jesperson - La Trobe University scholarship - Nursing degree, La Trobe University
- Cabe Roberts - La Trobe University and Margaret Attwood Trust scholarship - Bachelor of Health Science, La Trobe University
- Elleina Suarez - Kyabram Business Scholarship scholarship - Bachelor of Psychology, Monash University
- Charlee Roulston - Shepparton Women’s Health Centre scholarship - Bachelor of Nutrition Science, Deakin University
- Tierney McGowan - District Careers Association and Margaret Attwood Trust scholarship - Holmesglen Glen Waverley, Patisserie and Commercial Cooking
- Tessa McMahon - Early Childhood Professional Development scholarship - Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Deakin University
- Caitlin Welch - Margaret Attwood scholarship - Bachelor of Nursing/Psychology, Deakin University
- Kaytlin Coonerty - GS Lighthouse Foundation scholarship - Diploma of Nursing
- Ella Kightly - Rotary Club of South Shepparton scholarship - Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science (diagnostic)