Yeronga State High School has been shortlisted in the Excellence in Industry Partnership category at the 2015 Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools.

The nomination recognises the productive partnership established between the south Brisbane school and Griffith Business School through the GriffithBUSINESS School Outreach Program.

Thirty five Year 12 students have taken part in this year’s program which creates pathways for high school students not only to go to university but also to prepare for life as a university student.

Along with senior teacher Kerrie Hopewell and Griffith Business Schools Engagement Manager Simone Markham, students were in the TV spotlight last week when Network 10 visited the school for filming ahead of awards night on October 30.

YerongaGroup“It is a life-changing program, not just for the individual students but for their families and for generations to come,” Kerrie Hopewell said.

“Students are welcomed into the university environment, they are engaged and challenged and moved gently out of their comfort zone.”

“It is fantastic to see how their confidence and belief in themselves grows during the course of the program, as the idea of attending university emerges as a genuinely attainable goal.”

Year 12 student, Farzana Hussaina (18), hopes to do a double degree in Business Management and Event Management at Griffith. She said the program offered her a realistic pathway to fulfil this dream.

Yeronga State High School has participated in the program since 2012. The program combines QSA syllabus content and university course content to generate a deeper knowledge about business subjects like sport and event management, human resources, accountingfinance and international relations to name a few.

Yeronga2StudentsAt the same time the program develops a stronger understanding of the tertiary environment among students.

Activities start with Year 10 and 11 business students who initially join the GriffithBUSINESS Ambassadors Program which introduces them to the university environment. In Year 12 they take part in university activities like lectures, tutorials and assessments.

“The program sets students up to succeed,” Kerrie Hopewell said. “They have the opportunity to get involved in university life and take responsibility for the way they approach this.”

Associate Professor Ruth McPhail, one of the creators of the GriffithBUSINESS Schools Outreach Program, welcomed the program’s selection as one of three finalists for the industry partnership awards.

“This nomination is testament to the quality and impact of a program that is making a real difference in the community,” she said.

The Showcase Awards, which are in their 15th year, recognise and reward Queensland state schools that are significantly improving student learning outcomes through excellent teaching practice.

Schools across the state will be celebrated in six categories when the winners are announced at the end of October at the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Western Cape College and Gympie State High School are the other finalists in the Excellence in Industry Partnerships category. Gympie State High has also engaged with the GriffithBUSINESS Program since 2013, with eight Year 12 students graduating from the program this year.

In total 389 high school students graduated from the GriffithBUSINESS Program this year from schools linked to Griffith’s Nathan, Gold Coast and Logan campuses.YerongaWidescreen