Barry bowls over judges to win top Indigenous Australian student award
5 May 2004
Blackburn resident Barry Firebrace has been named Kangan Batman TAFE's top Indigenous Australian student, winning the 2004 Elders' Award for Outstanding Indigenous Australian Student of the Year.
The winner of this award also receives the Arnold Davis Scholarship. Arnold Davis is an Elder of the local Indigenous Australian community who overcame adversity to excel in his studies at Kangan Batman TAFE. Arnold is a role model to Indigenous Australians, as is this year's award winner, Barry Firebrace.
Barry completed the Certificate IV in Sport and Recreation at Kangan Batman TAFE's Richmond campus last year, receiving excellent results and impressing his teachers with his leadership, communication and organisational skills. In 2004 he is again studying at Kangan Batman TAFE, this time towards his diploma.
This is not Barry's first time in the spotlight, having been one of three finalists from across the state in the Outstanding Koorie Student category of the 2003 Victorian Training Awards.
He is also an accomplished sportsman, having been Captain of the Australian and Victorian Indigenous Cricket Teams, and playing in the 'Prime Minister's 11'.
Barry has worked with both Cricket Victoria and Victorian Aboriginal Youth Sport and Recreation (VAYSAR), promoting sport to young Indigenous Australians, and hopes to continue this work through his career, sport and as a role model within the community.
Barry's long-term goals include undertaking a degree in sports management, and gaining employment in sports or player management.
Kangan Batman TAFE has 24,000 students across its seven campuses in Broadmeadows, Moreland, Richmond, Craigieburn, Coburg, Avondale Heights and Essendon.
Each year in May, Kangan Batman TAFE conducts two graduation ceremonies at the Moonee Valley Racecourse to accommodate all of its graduates and award-winning students.
The first ceremony, at which Barry will receive his award, will be held on Friday 7 May 2004. Hume City Council is major sponsor of the ceremony, while the Broadmeadows Town Centre is supporting sponsor.
