The Zonta Education Award was introduced by the Zonta Club of Brisbane in 2000 in response to a paper by Zonta Club of Brisbane member, Dr Gabrielle Caswell.
The original intent was to provide encouragement to financially disadvantaged young women to complete Year 12; to encourage young women to enter professions in maths, science, technology and engineering; to improve the status of younger women in educational institutions and in society at large; and to introduce young women and the wider community to the aims and goals of Zonta.
Twenty years later the awards still aspire to provide similar opportunities to young women with the award available to Year 10 and 11 female students.
Originally these awards were presented to students in a small number of schools identified by Education Queensland as disadvantaged in Year 11. In 2001, awards were extended to students in Year 10. The award value is $500 with $250 available to the student in each of years 11 and year 12 for their educational needs. In 2018, the Educational awards were reviewed. As a result the year 11 prize was phased out from 2019 and the award for the Year 10 student was increased to $500 to be available to them over two payments in their year 11 and year 12.
Selection is made by the school principal or their nominee/s in accordance with criteria determined by the Club.
This criteria states:
- the students must demonstrate sound
academic progress in the view of the school Principal or his/her nominee/s - the student must demonstrate participation
in cultural and / or community activities in line with the objects of Zonta.
On the recommendation of school principals, cash prizes are not given directly to the students but funds are held by the school for the student to use to assist their education (e.g. for purchase of books or other learning resources, school excursion fees).
A certificate of recognition and information about Zonta is presented to winners at their school awards ceremonies, and a representative of the Zonta Club of Brisbane is invited to present the Awards to the winners.
The award goes to students at these high schools: Mabel Park State High School; Bundamba State Secondary College; Glenala State High School; Aviation High; Marsden State High School; and Yeronga State High School.
2020 award winners
Aviation High Francella Gabuogi
Bundamba State High School Holly Thompson
Glenala State High School Lisa Pham
Mable Park State High School Jemma Attard
Marsden State High School Farida Rezaie
Yeronga State High School Aleena Eapen
Also, a retrospective award was provided to Alanna Beaumanis, Year 11, Aviation High.
2018-2019 award winners
2018:
Aviation High Yr 10: Georgie Gahn; Yr 11: Hannah Brown
Bundamba State Secondary College Yr 10: Jade Gibson; Yr 11:
Madison Ahern
Glenala State High School Yr 10: Trinity Leahy; Yr 11: Emma Toomey
Mabel Park State High School Yr 10: Gina Rambold-Dent Yr 11: Drucilla
Tinson
Marsden State High School Yr 10: Grace Po Ching; Yr 11: Isabelle Negrillo
Yeronga State High School Yr 10: Yalda Asady; Yr 11: Lyan Ding
2019
Aviation High Yr 10: Sarah Wade
Bundamba State Secondary College Yr 10: Dream Brady
Glenala State High School Yr 10: Felicity Pritchard
Mabel Park State High School Yr 10: Quire Kaire
Marsden State High School Yr 10: Samantha Bayer
Yeronga State High School Yr 10: Tina Faiz Mohammad