04
NEWS
For Updates, go to
www.kalatas.com.au/category/news/
Ang Kalatas. Bringing into focus Filipino presence in Australia
Volume 4 | Number 2
November 2013
www.kalatas.com.au
Cebuana ?nalist
in int’l student award
VOTED by the school’s 600-member student body
as Vice-Captain for her outstanding leadership and
for her willingness to listen and to take initiative.
Ms. Cherry Bo
Fernandez, a
20-year-old Filipino
student from Cebu
who is currently
studying in New
South Wales (NSW),
was recognized
as one of the 13
finalists for the NSW
International Student
of the Year Award
in a ceremony at the
iconic Sydney Opera
House on October 10.
llAccording to NSW Deputy
Premier and Minister for Trade
and Investment Andrew Stoner, the guest of honor at the ceremony, “Through these Awards,
NSW publicly recognises the
contributions that international students make to their fellow
students, their educational institutions and the wider community. These talented students have
all shown great commitment to
supporting other students, developing a range of initiatives
from anti-bullying and mentoring campaigns to advocating for
international students at their
institutions and nationally.”
Ms. Fernandez is one of 13
finalists from 11 countries representing a range of educational sectors, including higher education, vocational education
and training, schools and English language program. Of the 13
finalists, Mr. Tong Sheng Ch’ng
of Malaysia won the award for
Higher Education, Mr. Joseph
Park of South Korea won the
award for Vocational Education and Training (VET), Mr.
Junxi Tian and Ms. Yuhan Yang
of China won the award at the
Secondary School Level and
Ms. Leticia Luiz of Brazil won
the award for English Language
Intensive Courses for Overseas
Students (ELICOS).
Ms. Fernandez is currently a
Year 12 student of Casula High
School in the suburb of Casula
25 kilometers southwest of Sydney.
Ms. Jennifer Fletcher, Principal of Casula High School, said
that Ms. Fernandez was voted by
the school’s 600-member student body as Vice-Captain for
her outstanding leadership and
for her willingness to listen and
to take initiative. She also represented her school in several
conferences and seminars for
young women leaders, donated
blood, and helped organize fundraising activities for charitable
causes such as Legacy Day, Bandaged Bear Breakfast and Jeans
for Genes Day. She also gives up
two hours of her time each week
to help primary school students
learn how to read. Ms. Fletch-
er said that Ms. Fernandez is a
credit to her school, to the community, and to her country, the
Philippines.
When asked about her reaction to being a finalist for the
award, Ms. Fernandez said that
she was surprised to be nominated and that she is only interested in helping others. She said
that her parents in Cebu were
thrilled to learn of her achievement. Ms. Fernandez is staying with the family of FilipinoAustralian Ms. Jean Wagas Perez, also from Cebu, who is her
guardian while she is completing her secondary education in
NSW.
C onsul Marford Angeles
congratulated Ms. Fernandez
for making not only her family,
but all Filipinos in NSW proud.
He said that by exercising her
leadership skills in school and
by sharing her time and skills
with the community, Ms. Fernandez is an excellent example
to the Filipino youth.
Ms. Ewa Hsu, Policy Officer of Study NSW, said that
with 72,000 international students, the State of NSW commends exemplary students
such as Ms. Fernandez to highlight their achievements and to
encourage others to emulate
them. (Source: Philippine Consulate General, Sydney)
Filipino student Cherry Bo Fernandez receives a certi?cate as ?nalist for the New South Wales
International Studen of the Year Award from NSW Deputy Primier Andrew Stoner. Photo courtesy of
Study NSW)
Filipino wins study tour of Australia
One great postcard and he’s off to Australia.
Mark Gil Caparros, a Filipino Special
Education teacher working in Singapore, has
won a two-week study tour of Australia as
part of a global competition to win a year of
study in Australia.
llMark’s entry in the “Win
It‘s evident
Mark’s future ambitions
are very noble and
he wrote a very clear
rationale for wanting
to study in Australia.
Australia has real
strengths in child
development and
special education. And
the judges obviously
found the imagery fun
and innovative.
Anthony Weymouth
Austrade’s Senior Trade
Commissioner to the Philippines
your Future Unlimited” competition beat over 3,000 postcard submissions from 137
countries.
The competition, run by
the Australian Government
from 01 October to 18 November, offers the major prize
of a year of study in Australia,
including flights, tuition, accommodation, a stipend of
AU$15,000, internship, and
more. Seven weekly finalists
will be flown to Australia for
a two-week study tour in December.
To join the competition,
entrants create a digital postcard at www.futureunlimited.com.au that describes how
study in Australia will help
them achieve their ambitions.
Mark is the finalist chosen in the
second week of the competition
and has a one in seven chance to
win the year of study in Australia, commencing in 2014.
The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), the Government’s trade and education promotion agency, which is managing the competition, congratulated Mark for his submission.
“It‘s evident Mark’s future
ambitions are very noble and
he wrote a very clear rationale
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