A high school student from the Sutherland Shire will pack his bags and leave the country for the first time – after being selected for an Anzac scholarship to Europe.
De La Salle Catholic College Caringbah school captain Nicholas Claridge, 16, has been selected to take part in the 2017 Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship.
Nicholas is one of 21 teenagers from across NSW heading to Belgium and France in September as part of the scholarship. The government-funded trip gives students a chance to learn more about famous Australian battles in the World Wars.
School principal Chris Agnew said Nicholas was a top student and he did well to get through a tough selection process.
“He is an academic but his real strength is he is a very gifted artist. Obviously he is a high-quality student being the school captain, but his passion is art.” Mr Agnew said Nicholas entered an outstanding art work as part of the selection process.
“The calibre of the presentations of the students was very high. It was tough to choose just one student.” Mr Agnew said this will be Nicholas’ first trip overseas.
The 12-day trip in September will visit significant battlefields in Belgium and France including Villers-Bretonneux, Bullecourt and Fromelles.
The 2017 Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship saw 21 schools in NSW drawn out of a ballot. The lucky schools then had to select one student to take part in the scholarship.
One other school from the St George and Sutherland Shire was also selected to take part, Kogarah High School. The successful student from Kogarah High School is Fatima Abdallah, 16.
