Scholarship Recipients

Ethan lives in Hervey Bay, NSW. He's a talented athlete who loves representing Australia in the 100m sprint, long jump and shot put. Ethan also loves playing pickleball and hitting balls at the golf club. He also enjoys camping with family, sunny days at the beach and catching up on Marvel movies - he can even name and spell all the characters! Ethan works part-time at EAT in the Bay, where he enjoys chatting with regular customers and making sure their orders are just right.

Ethan cares a lot about fairness, especially for people with disabilities. He wants everyone to be treated equally. Ethan is excited to meet others with Down Syndrome at Congress!

Annalise lives in Hobart (Nipaluna), Tasmania. She loves singing, dancing and musical theatre. Annalise applied for the Sherry Hogan scholarship to boost her public speaking skills and confidence. She's absolutely thrilled to represent her home state, Tasmania (Lutruwita), at Congress.

For Annalise, building her leadership skills is all about understanding others and becoming a strong voice in her community. She's excited to learn new skills and connect with people from around the world at Congress.

Jerry lives in Wai'ala, South Australia. He loves martial arts as they teach discipline, kindness and respect. He’s been practicing for seven years, earning an orange belt in karate, a yellow belt in Japanese karate and a green belt in zendekai! Jerry's also into boxing and recently took up jiu-jitsu. Plus, he's a magician! Learning tricks from YouTube, TikTok and online courses, he's wowed crowds at parties and community events, always aiming to bring a smile to people's faces.

Jerry's life goal is to help people with disabilities boost their confidence, try new things and achieve their goals. Jerry believes in the Hindu attitude that teamwork is key - "We need to work together to get the job done!"

Joseph lives in Subiaco, Western Australia. He enjoys family time and swimming with Superfins at beaches like Coogee, Mullaloo and Rottnest. He also plays for Wembley Integrated Football Club and cricket in the summer. Joseph's a big fan of the West Coast Eagles, Big Bash Cricket and the Matildas. He also sings with Voiceworks Plus community choir. Joseph works full-time as a Customer Service Officer for the City of Perth—a job he loves!

Joseph enjoys bringing people together and believes in the power of teamwork. The scholarship gives him a chance to meet people worldwide and show them how awesome Australians are. He's excited to learn, give back, have fun and develop his leadership skills at Congress!

Mia is caring, cheerful, brave and hopeful—traits that make her a fantastic developing leader. She enjoys looking out for and supporting others. She’s excited to be part of Congress to build her leadership skills, fly to Brisbane and see her best friend, Owen. Mia's favourite hobbies are: dancing, singing, cooking and drama.