Each year, Variety WA celebrates the achievements and talents of dozens of WA kids in the areas of the arts, sport and education through its annual Variety Heart Scholarships.
Scholarships to the value of $170,000 were handed out to 58 recipients this year, including three special award categories supported by the Bendat Family Foundation and the Whately Foundation.
This year's event was celebrated at Friday’s Studio in West Perth last week with Variety's new CEO Chris Chatterton, who joined the charity in June this year.
The Dream Machine, symbolic of a machine that cranks into action when someone dares to chase their dreams, was the theme for this year's event.
The event was hosted by Logie and AACTA award-winning Master of Ceremonies, Joel Jackson, who opened the celebration with a duet of ‘A Million Dreams’ alongside choir member and scholarship recipient Braydee Audrain, backed by the Variety Choir.
Isabella Cormack-Gibbons, 14, an emerging para-athlete who is achieving success at the state and national level, received the Bendat Family Foundation Youth Scholarship.
Seventeen-year-old Imogen Taylor was awarded the Bendat Family Foundation Brian Treasure Youth Scholarship, who has dreams of attending WAAPA and a career in musical theatre.
Marcus Berge, 13, awarded the Young Achiever of the Year Award supported by the Whately Foundation, is a talented pianist and trumpeter. Currently studying for his Grade 5 Practical Piano Exam and his Grade 3 Theory Exam, Marcus is passionate about a future in music and hopes to study at WAAPA to become a music teacher.
Including this year's recipients, Variety WA has awarded 716 Variety Heart Scholarships to WA kids since 1996 when the program began.
Executive Manager and long-time Variety advocate Katie O’Donnell, who has muscular dystrophy and uses an electric wheelchair, was one of the first four children to receive a scholarship from the children’s charity when she was 13.
The scholarship, which she received until she was 18 years old, helped support Ms O’Donnell to pursue her passion of singing.
"Being a Variety Heart Scholarship recipient did more than fund my singing lessons. It gave me a sense of pride and achievement knowing I had this hugely supportive community who believed in me,” Ms O’Donnell said.
“It pushed me to work hard to keep developing my talent and taught me to never be afraid of dreaming big,” she added.
“I credit Variety for helping to shape the person I am today, and I love attending the scholarship presentations each year to see the next generation on their journey.”
More information on Variety, the Variety Heart Scholarships and other programs can be found on its website.
By Hearts and Minds
