Five awardees from 13 finalists who rendered positive contributions to community
Oct. 10 – New South Wales Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner announced the winners of the prestigious NSW International Student of the Year Awards in behalf of Premier Barrie O’Farrell, during a ceremony at the Sydney Opera House last Thursday October 10.
In his opening remarks, Mr Stoner said, “It is fitting that we congratulate our five winning international students who come from Malaysia, China, South Korea and Brail, at the Sydney Opera House Australia’s internationally famous icon.
The winners are: Higher Education –Mr Tong Sheng (Thompson Ch’ng, (Malaysia) from Curtin University, Sydney; Vocational Education and Training – Mr Joseph Park (South Korea) from C3 College, Oxford Falls; Schools – Mr Junxi (James) Tian (China) from Ashfield Boys High School; Schools – Ms Yuhan (Wendy) Yang (China) from Blakehurst High School; and English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS), Ms Leticia Luiz (Brazil), from University of Sydney Centre for English Teaching.
The ceremony at the Sydney Opera House featured choir performances by a vocal ensemble featuring graduates of the Talent Development Project and the International Students Awards (ISA) House Band.
The 2013 awardees were chosen from 13 finalists who come from 11 countries, representing a range of educational sectors including higher education, vocational education and training, schools and English Language programs.
Among the finalists is Miss Cherry Bo Fernandez (Philippines) of Casula High School. Ms Fernandez is an outstanding student leader. A Vice Captain interacting with students of all ages, she has shown an ability to operate both as part of a team as well as independently. Her nomination brief says Cherry has helped organise fundraisers for Legacy Day, Bandaged Bear Breakfast and Jeans 4 Genes Day.
Many of the 13 finalists have volunteered for other organisations such as Red C organisations such as Red Cross, Legacy and the NSW Cancer Council.
Deputy Premier Stoner said, “The NSW International Student of the Year Awards celebrate the positive contribution and achievements of our outstanding international students from across the full spectrum of our educational sector – schools, English language colleges, vocational education and training institutions and higher education.”
“The awards are highly valued by educational providers and students. They enhance the experience of international students living and studying in NSW through activities that integrate them into the community,” Mr Stoner said.
“The winners and finalists have all demonstrated leadership, interpersonal skills and social engagement that will prepare them well into the future.” Stoner added.
“The winners developed a range of initiatives, including encouraging Indigenous students to study engineering; an anti-bullying video campaign; promoting multiculturalism; sharing their skills with others; and helping t establish a national body to advocate for international students.” Said Mr Stoner.
“These Awards are our way of saying “thank you” to the students and publicly recognising the contributions that international students make to their fellow students, their educational institutions, and the wider community,” Mr Stoner said.
Mr Stoner said celebrating the success of our international students and enhancing their educational and social experiences is essential to raising the profile of Sydney and NSW as an international education destination.
“There are more than 72,000 international students in our State,” Mr Stoner said