International women’s Day – Amanda’s Journey

As part of our International Women’s Day spotlight series, we are proud to share Amanda’s story.

“The Skyline Education Foundation Program has provided me with far more than financial relief. It gave me the opportunity, encouragement and belief I needed to succeed.”

Amanda is a determined young woman from Mansfield High School who has just completed Year 12 with outstanding success. With a long held goal of studying science and pursuing a career in genetics, she has always been academically capable, particularly in Chemistry, Biology and Literature.

Her VCE journey unfolded alongside significant family hardship and instability. Like many high ability students facing disadvantage, Amanda had the talent to excel but not always the stability that makes sustained achievement straightforward.

When she joined Skyline, her mum described it simply:
“Skyline was a light in a very dark time. They gave my daughter opportunities she would have missed.”

Through academic resources, subject support and consistent guidance, Amanda stayed focused during a turbulent period. As her mum reflected, “Skyline took the pressure off. Because of their support, she stayed focused and was able to shine.”

Amanda graduated with an ATAR of 88.65 and was named Dux Proxime Accessit, excelling in the Arts and Biology. She has now commenced a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne, is living on campus at Little Hall, and has been awarded the Narrm Scholarship, the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship and a Bendigo Bank Scholarship.

Reflecting on her journey, Amanda shares:
“Skyline taught me how to exercise my agency, take ownership of my future and embrace what it truly means to lead with purpose. This became especially meaningful as I considered my life prior to joining the program and recognised a growing desire to create meaningful change, not only for myself, but for other young women from backgrounds similar to mine.”

Her story is not just about results. It is about what happens when a young woman is given the support to back herself.