Standout students at Nhill, Rainbow and Dimboola secondary colleges are recipients of annual Rae Keam Award scholarships.

Mr Keam was Shire of Dimboola engineer from 1955 to 1979 and well respected in his role with the council.

Hindmarsh mayor Melanie Albrecht said the council each year presented a $500 scholarship in Mr Keam’s name to year-12 students at each of the shire’s three secondary colleges.

She said after Mr Keam’s death, his wife would travel to each school to present the award to students who demonstrated academic merit together with ‘well-rounded citizenship qualities’. 

The criteria has evolved as schools have gained further sponsorships, scholarships and awards from other sources.

Cr Albrecht said each school held the Rae Keam Award in high regard.

“We are incredibly proud of the quality of students graduating from secondary colleges in our region and excited that Hindmarsh Shire Council has continued to present these awards in honour of Rae Keam,” she said.

Cr Brett Ireland presented a 2021 scholarship to Dimboola Memorial Secondary College’s Kaitlyn Beeton during the school’s annual end-of-year awards ceremony.

Due to a COVID-19 outbreak late last year in Nhill, Nhill College leaders presented the award on behalf of the council, at a small ceremony, to Jasper Croot.

The Rainbow P-12 College award went to two recipients, Lachlan Staples and Gracie Hurlstone, who each collected a $250 scholarship from Cr Ireland. Cr Albrecht congratulated the pair.

“You have been recognised by your school as exceptional students and you should be very proud,” she said. 

“On behalf of council I extend our congratulations to all year-12 graduates.

“You have closed a momentous chapter in your life and the opportunities that you can explore in further studies and employment are endless. We wish you all the best with your future endeavours.”

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