22 Remarkable Toowoomba students who excelled in 2022
Whether its academics, sport, the performing arts or making a difference in their community, here’s some of the young Toowoomba people who have made an impact in the past 12 months.
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It’s been an eventful 12 months for students across the Toowoomba region after they made lots of exciting achievements in 2022.
Whether they’re getting straight A’s, kicking goals or taking giant steps towards their dream careers.
Here are 22 Toowoomba students who excelled, made an impact or soared to great heights in 2022.
1. Bo Dangerfield
Nothing charges Bo Dangerfield’s battery quite like the sound of a classic car.
The 16-year-old first developed a passion for motors when she watched the Disney-Pixar movie Cars at a young age.
As she grew, so did her passion for cars, but she recalls being told “cars were for boys” and a career in hairdressing or nursing was more suitable for women.
The comments didn’t discourage her from pursuing her dream career, and she is now an apprentice mechanic employed by Toowoomba Automotive.
Ms Dangerfield graduated from the Australian Industry Trade College with her high school certificate at the end of 2022, was appointed a senior student leader and excelled in English and maths.
Read more here.
2. Jamie O’Shea
For as long as he can remember, Jamie O’Shea was watching the country tennis tournaments from the sidelines in his hometown of Goondiwindi.
His passion for the sport only intensified when he picked up his first racquet at the age of seven and began training with a professional coach.
After battling it out on the court with several competitive Brisbane schools, Jamie said Grammar’s First IV’s team delivered plenty of upsets throughout the 2022 season.
He graduated from Toowoomba Grammar School late last year.
This June, the aspiring tennis player intends to attend a college in America and pursue the sport professionally, with scouts currently on the lookout for talent.
Read more here.
3. Fleur Steen
Whether it’s science, technology, engineering or mathematics, Fleur Steen has always thrived in STEM subjects.
So when the Toowoomba Anglican School student was encouraged to apply for the Curious Minds program, she was ecstatic to hear she was one of 120 girls nationwide to be selected.
About 500 year 9 and 10 students from across the country applied for the project which aims to empower girls who are passionate about STEM.
Read more here.
4. Rezgar Qado
Having successfully fled his war-torn home country of Iraq with his family five year ago, 17-year-old Rezgar Qado considers himself one of the lucky ones.
Knowing of other refugee families torn apart by death or relatives left behind, the Toowoomba State High School student said things could have been much worse.
The inspiring student was granted the role of the school’s 2023 school leader, alongside co-captain Daisy Reynolds.
Read more here.
5. Stephanie Rudd
High school students across the country have faced adversity like never before in the past three years and none more so than Stephanie Rudd.
The 15-year-old Highfields Secondary School student was awarded a scholarship worth more than $20,000 by the Harding Miller Education Foundation.
More than 560 students applied, but only 162 high potential girls including Stephanie, who are experiencing low socio-economic circumstances, were awarded the scholarship.
During her first two years of high school, Covid-19 sent the world into lockdown and left many students facing a ‘new normal’, but Stephanie managed to maintain her status as an A-grade student.
But the challenges didn’t stop there for the 15-year-old high achiever, after her mum sustained an injury and was unable to work and her younger sister was diagnosed with two types of Epilepsy, placing both a financial and emotional strain on the family.
Read more here.
6. Georgia Jess
At just 15-years-old, Georgia has already achieved more than some dancers do in a lifetime.
Starting at the age of seven, she has performed in the main parade at Disneyland in Hong Kong, competed in various productions and eisteddfods as both a group member and soloist and has even choreographed routines for her school dance troupe.
Georgia’s mum Sally Jess said while her daughter adores classical ballet, she also excels in lyrical and contemporary dance.
Read more here.
7. Hugh Jensen
Sugar highs, jumping castles and too much cake is how most kids choose to celebrate their seventh birthday, but Hugh Jensen is one of a kind.
Last year, the sweet-natured and energetic lad instead decided to spend his big day walking the Scenic Circuit at the Bunya Mountains, as part of the Choice Passion Life (CPL) Trek Challenge.
Little Hugh who loves to go bushwalking and knows just about every species of trees, completed the 4km trek alongside his family and friends.
After he was born with a rare genetic deletion in the sixth chromosome and received his diagnosis at just 15-months-old, Hugh joined CPL and has been receiving assistance in occupational, speech and physiotherapy ever since.
Read more here.
8. Chloe O’Rourke
When Chloe O’Rourke played her first futsal game for Mary MacKillop, she didn’t know the rules and volunteered to be keeper because no one else would.
Now, she’s been selected for teams at a district, state and national level and will head to Brazil this year to play for Australia.
Two weeks after the trials, Chloe woke up to a phone call from her mum telling her she was one of 10 players to qualify for the squad.
Read more here.
9. Matilda Thurbin
Last year’s senior class of Fairholme College raised a combined amount of more than $60,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
At least 50 students from the Toowoomba school cut their hair or shaved their head as part of the World’s Greatest Shave campaign.
Among those who offered to go for the full shave was Matilda Thurbin, 18, who sadly lost her great aunt to blood cancer.
Funds raised helped to cover accommodation costs for those who had to relocate for treatment and also went towards further research to find a cure.
Read more here.
10. Ryan Murphy
Toowoomba Grammar School student Ryan Murphy is just one of four people to be accepted into the Bell Shakespeare Scholarship program for 2023, setting him up for a career on the stage.
This year, Mr Murphy will spend a week at the Sydney Opera House with the Bell Shakespeare Company and get a behind-the-scenes look at its production of Macbeth.
The week includes several workshops that will culminate with the four scholars presenting their audition pieces to the company, including its director John Bell.
Read more here.
11. Ayesha Saleh
If anyone knows how it feels to be held back by something out of their control, it’s Ayesha Saleh.
After excelling in cross country competitions and qualifying for the Darling Downs trials, Ayesha discovered her love for running.
Every day, the dedicated student wakes up at 4.30am to train for a half marathon which she hopes to compete in next year.
But her dreams were temporarily halted when several injuries including a strained foot, Achilles and leg, meant she had to rest for three long months.
Read more here.
12. Sienna Richardson
The Glennie School’s 2022 graduate and dux Sienna Richardson said she was relieved to be finished and was excited for her future.
A student that thrived in STEM subjects, Ms Richardson said it was a real surprise to receive dux followed by a 99.75 ATAR score.
After a 12-month break the 18-year-old hopes to study a double degree in advanced science and law at either the University of Queensland or the Australian National University.
Read more here.
13. Scarlett Van Drimmelen
While last year was full of highs and lows for Scarlett Van Drimmelen, 5, who loves rainbows, unicorns and getting her face painted, it was also one of her hardest.
In July last year, she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome – a rare condition where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, and was sent to a Brisbane Hospital for treatment after losing all motor functions.
The inspiring little trooper defied all odds in a matter of months, teaching herself how to walk, eat and write again.
Enthusiastic about attending prep this year, Scarlett graduated from the Concordia Lutheran Kindergarten in late 2022.
14.Mackenzie McCauley
A teenager on the cusp of a national award is sending a clear message to a cutthroat industry: it doesn’t matter what shape or size you are, you can still reach your dreams.
Gowrie Junction teen Mackenzie McCauley will compete in the finals of the Australian Supermodel of the Year (ASOTY) competition later this month in Bali, after only starting her career in the past 12 months.
At 161cm tall, or 5ft 2in, Ms McCauley said her height had been a disadvantage for her securing work, and the national competition was giving her an opportunity to use her voice.
Read more here.
15. Tyler Smith
Toowoomba State High School student Tyler Smith, 13, secured the 2022 Toowoomba NAIDOC Junior Education Award for his exceptional demonstration of dedication and commitment in his schooling.
Every term for the past year, Tyler received A’s in the majority of his subjects.
He continues to push himself to achieve his best and is an inspiration to his friends, family, and classmates.
Read more here.
16. Mahsa Nabizada
At just 18, Mahsa Nabizada has already made huge strides in representing young people of Toowoomba, as well as become a voice of the local Afghan community.
The former Fairholme College student who graduated in 2022, served as the school’s Service and Interact president and a news reader at a Toowoomba’s community radio station on a volunteer-basis.
Ms Nabizada, who migrated with her family from war-torn Afghanistan in 2014, has also represented Toowoomba South at the Queensland Youth parliament.
In July 2022, she also fulfilled the delegate role with community leaders participating in an international conference in Malaysia
Read more here.
17.Darcy Schmidt
Report cards have never been an issue for A-grade student Darcy Schmidt, who was at the top of his maths, physics, engineering and ancient history subjects last year.
The student who graduated from TGS last year, said his most memorable achievement at school was receiving the second placed award for academics in his year level.
But when Darcy isn’t studying, he’s often completing projects in the woodworking shed of his family home in Kaimkillenbun.
Keen to make an impact, Darcy invented a timber bee box to relocate bees safely and received the school’s Young Creator Award for his efforts.
The boxes will soon also be available for beekeepers to purchase.
Read more here.
18. Trevor King
While he is a relatively new face in Toowoomba, Trevor King is already making a big impression.
The 17-year-old front rower has excelled in the Downlands system since making the move from Gladstone, adding an incredibly special honour to his resume.
“Over the last 12 months I’ve made the Reds U16s, the Reds U18s Junior Academy and the Australia A Schoolboys,” he said.
“I was pretty surprised when I made it.”
King’s journey to the heights he has experienced in union started in a rival code.
He eventually made the switch as a young teenager, following in the footsteps of his father.
Read more here.
19. Claire Murphy
Few students would say they enjoy the academic side of school, but Claire Murphy is one of them.
The boarding student who lives on a cattle station in a small town near Hughenden was awarded dux in 2021 for receiving the highest academic achievement in the grade.
While intelligence and ambition have something to do with her impressive grades, the year 9 student said she believes it comes down to two things – self-motivation and supportive parents.
The 2022 general merit and Original and Significant Contribution to College Life recipient hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of her mum who works as a general practitioner.
Read more here.
20. Harriet Lloyd-Jones
When speaking of rising Toowoomba athletics stars, perhaps none shine brighter than Harriet Lloyd-Jones.
The 16-year-old has a national title to her name in her chosen discipline of steeplechase, and the chance to represent her country against international opposition.
She describes the thrill of claiming an Australian gold medal as an incredible feeling, on the back of an intense regimen to get her firing on the day.
Read more here.
21. Jannali Suey
The 2022 school captain for Wilsonton State High School, Jannali Suey has continued to lead by example, and be a strong voice for other Indigenous students.
Jannali was awarded the Toowoomba NAIDOC Senior Education Award for her dedication to the region, including helping to implement culturally safe and appropriate events and school projects while encouraging all students to become the best versions of themselves.
A hardworking student, Jannali is involved with the Beyond the Broncos program at her school, RATEP, the school’s community committee, and helps other Indigenous students to complete their work for the region’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AP academic challenge.
In the future, Jannali hopes to study education, law or medicine, while continue to pave the way for emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Read more here.
22.Miah Hickman
Times are changing for the better and Toowoomba’s Miah Hickman is proof that no matter where you come from, all dreams are possible.
The 19-year-old is studying medicine at the University of Queensland after she received the Peter Hoj Mandy Thomas Scholarship.
As part of the prestigious award, the First Nations student was also offered a place in the first intake at the university’s new residential building.
Named after UQ alumni and Indigenous musician Kev Carmody, who grew up in the Darling Downs, the multistorey building was designed to increase enrolments of undergraduates from regional and remote areas.
Passionate about helping others, Ms Hickman hopes to one day work in the emergency department, as well as make an impact in rural and regional healthcare.
Read more here.
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