Primary Producers SA, Naracoorte Community News
Primary Producers SA has awarded $14,200 on behalf of the E.W. Stevens Trust to students from remote and regional areas of South Australia, assisting them to continue with their studies.
The grants are designed to help relieve pressure on regional families in difficult financial circumstances, by providing support to meet the costs of education.
PPSA as an organisation is proud to be able to provide opportunities through the Trust to help students in rural and regional South Australia pursue further education, as it aligns with our core values.
Four students from areas including the South East, Mid North and Riverland each secured up to $5,000 to provide for essential study costs. The successful applicants include two Riverland youth passionate about the shearing and aviation industries, an 18yo from Robe who is looking to break into the IT sector and an 18yo from Neales Flat, near Eudunda, who is studying psychology and passionate about promoting positive mental health, particularly in farming communities.
When selecting the successful applicants, consideration was given to a range of areas including their future career goals and aspirations, their commitment to support rural and regional South Australia and whether the student had any ties to primary production.
Primary Producers SA Chair Prof Simon Maddocks said PPSA saw the Trust as a key vehicle to address some of the inequity faced by students living in regional SA, allowing them to access education opportunities and recognising the higher cost of living away from home.
This current round of successful scholarship recipients will receive funding for their study in 2023.
The fund was originally established at the request of former builder, the late Mr Earnest William Stevens, from the Fleurieu Peninsula, who provided funding for the scholarship in his Will.
Primary Producers SA is responsible for appointing a Board of Trustees to select the recipient or recipients annually. The E.W. Stevens Trust Board of Trustees look forward to opening applications again later this year.
Geordie Pryde
Hometown: Robe
Age: 18
About: Geordie’s passion is for computers and technology, which resulted in him building his first computer at the age of 10.
His aim is to become a software engineer and, with this goal in mind, he is undertaking a Bachelor of IT in software engineering through the University of South Australia.
He has gained hands-on experience working with computers through work experience with Computer World in Adelaide, where he learnt how to repair phones and disassemble laptops for repair.
During his semester break, Geordie is working at his father’s cleaning business in Robe, seven days a week, to save enough money for his return to his studies in Adelaide.
Geordie has been a strong academic performer at the University of South Australia, achieving a GPA of 6.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
