Young Indigenous leaders praise AIEF scholarship program [Video]

Some of Australia’s brightest young Indigenous leaders want to raise the bar for what is expected of Aboriginal students while encouraging the next generation to help lift up their communities.

For 15 years, the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation has been connecting students with world-class education – opening pathways to life-changing career opportunities.

Beginning with a single scholarship in 2008, the AIEF has connected more than 1,200 students to Australia’s leading schools and universities.

More than 90 per cent of students on AIEF scholarships will complete Year 12, far higher than the current national rate for Indigenous students of around two-thirds.

AIEF scholarship recipient Libby Cook-Black represented Australia in rugby league and wants to raise the expectation for what Indigenous students can achieve in the classroom.

It is hoped that as more students complete their schooling, those expectations will change for the better, as will the outlook for their communities and for the generations still to come.