Star graduate wins big prize

Manea Senior College graduate Chloe Barber has been named as one of the two winners of the Rob Riley Memorial Prize.

The award recognises WA’s top performing Aboriginal students who studied in public schools with Chloe named as the VET prize winner for the 2018 academic year.

“It was a huge surprise... to be told such good news just before starting something really big in my life was amazing,” she said.

The announcement was made last week by education and training minister Sue Ellery who commended both Chloe and ATAR winner Claudia Walton-McDermott from Perth Modern School on their successes.

“Chloe’s work ethic has laid a strong foundation for her future and she will undoubtedly succeed in her academic pursuit in biomedical science,” she said.

Both winners will receive a grant of $5000 to help cover the cost of their future studies, funds that Chloe said would make a huge difference to her studies.

“It will definitely help me pay my uni fees or accommodation or even just text books... they can be quite expensive,” she said.

During her studies at Manea, Chloe completed four VET courses while working two jobs and was reserved a place at the University of Western Australia after attending the UWA Year 12 Leadership Seminar.

After finishing the university’s Aboriginal Orientation course she is set to start a degree in biomedical science.