Ballajura Community College student Liban Rind has been offered an amazing opportunity to take part in a nine-day residential program in Queensland in December.

The Year 10 has been granted a scholarship to travel to Townsville for the Aboriginal Summer School for Excellence in Technology and Science (ASSETS), a program for high-achieving Indigenous Year 10 students with an interest in science. 

ASSETS is held in Adelaide, Newcastle and Townsville each year. Liban applied for the Townsville school as it has a marine science focus and said he couldn’t wait to go. 

“There will be students there from all over Australia,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting them and learning more about Aboriginal culture and the land. 

“This will also be a good opportunity to gain knowledge I can use for the future. I chose the marine science stream as I am interested in studying the ocean and the animals in it. It could be a career path I would like to follow.” 

Students attending the program will have an opportunity to connect with their culture and be involved in a variety of cultural experiences, learning about traditional medicine, bush tucker, art, music, dance and cooking. 

There will also be immersive scientific activities with two academic providers from the local area. In Townsville these will be James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. 

Workshops on leadership and personal development will also allow students to explore career options and help with planning for senior schooling and beyond. One of the benefits of the ASSETS program is that it also offers ongoing leadership and support to help nurture students through Years 11 and 12.  

The scholarship includes return airfares, meals and accommodation. ASSETS is managed by CSIRO and funded by the BHP Billiton Foundation.

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