Two students from Coonabarabran High School have been honoured in the 2021 NSW Minister’s and Secretary’s Awards for Excellence.

Year 12 students Melinda Ryan and Lachlan Eshman were two of the 105 award recipients acknowledged for their exceptional acheivement and contribuition to public education.

Coonabarabran High School principal, Mary Doolan, said the school community was immensely proud of Melinda and Lachlan.

“Their senior years of education have been uniquely challenging,” Ms Doolan said.

“Their deserving recognition, via this award, highlights how they have been exemplary, resilient and high achieving members of our community.”

In the past 12 months, staff and students across the state have navigated the challenges of natural disasters along with a global pandemic.

While it was hoped there would be a formal awards ceremony to mark the occassion on 6 September, COVID-19 meant that for a second year running winners were recognised locally in their school environments.

NSW Minister for Education, Sarah Mitchell, said the awards revealed that regardless of the circumstances, our students, teachers, principals and the school community were always striving for learning and teaching excellence.

Award citations

Melinda Ryan: “Melinda is an outstanding young woman. She has achieved excellence in her studies through her enthusiasm for learning and willingness to work hard to achieve a goal. She has been an exemplary role model in our community through her upholding of our school’s core values of excellence, resilience and respect. She is highly, and rightly regarded by staff as a young woman of considerable talent and integrity, and a well-deserved recipient of this award”.

Lachlan Eshman: “Lachlan is an extraordinary young man. He is talented across a range of areas; academically, on the sporting field, and in a number of cultural pursuits, particularly as a musician, singer and thespian. Within our community, his concern for others and willingness to assist that has been greatly appreciated. He has mentored younger members of the robotics team as well as junior students in need of a positive role model. He can a be relied upon by staff to step up, lead and assist”.