The Young Haleian’s Committee is delighted announce Qiang Li (2010-15) as the recipient of the 2023 Endeavour Award. The award recognises Qiang’s outstanding accomplishments and ambitions in the field of ophthalmic research and philanthropy.
Qiang’s passion for ophthalmology was ignited shortly after leaving Hale School where he met his mentor, Prof. David Mackey, an internationally renowned ophthalmologist, whilst completing a Doctor of Medicine at UWA. Under Prof. Mackey’s mentorship, Qiang graduated from Medicine with High Distinction and published award-winning ophthalmic research in 2021, completed medical internship in 2022 and is currently a Basic Surgical Program Doctor at Royal Perth Hospital.
Qiang co-founded JFF CREATE, an ophthalmic volunteering initiative that aims to empower junior doctors to fight global blindness through Charity, Research, Exchange, Awareness, Tutelage and Empowerment. Qiang hopes to raise $10,000 to cure blind patients in Indonesia.
“The 2023 Endeavour Award will allow me to launch JFF CREATE, a new volunteering initiative that aims to empower junior doctors to fight global blindness. I co-founded JFF CREATE in partnership with the John Fawcett Foundation (JFF), a pre-existing ophthalmic charity. As John Fawcett himself is an Old Haleian, I am proud to build on the legacy of an esteemed predecessor. All this would not have been possible without the Young Haleian’s support."
We look forward to following Qiang’s progress and seeing JFF CREATE’s impact in fighting global blindness.
Young Haleians committee member Kim O'Brien (L) presenting Qiang Li (R) with his award. To find out more and support JFF CREATE,
click here.The Young Haleians’ committee is very proud to announce Kyiah O'Donohue is the recipient of the Endeavour Award for 2022.
Among many strong applications, Kyiah was the standout candidate who will be awarded $5,000 to further pursue his promising basketball career in the USA. Through the award, Kyiah will be supported to return to playing college-level basketball which was briefly paused due to travel restrictions and costs.
Kyiah's resilience to continue pursuing his passion, his determination to support his family and self-fundraise his path to returning to college basketball, and his ambitions for the future, make him a wonderful representative of our Hale community. For students, the boarding community, the Aboriginal community, his family, and recent graduates, Kyiah represents a strong role model who reflects many of the values that we aspire to embody at Hale School.
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Young Haleians committee member Kim O'Brien (L) presenting Kyiah O'Donohue (R) with his award.
The Young Haleians’ Endeavour Award for 2021 recognises Rob's outstanding accomplishments and future ambitions in the field of international development, specifically examining how gender equality and equity can be brought into development processes in patriarchal contexts.
Following his time at Hale, Rob was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and completed his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Economics, graduating with first class honours. Rob worked for the Water Corporation as a chemical engineer and in doing so realised the positive global impact of water management. He then pursued a Master of Philosophy in Water Science, Policy and Management at the University of Oxford. While water management is an important social matter, particularly in developing nations, Rob has looked to further his ability to impact society in a positive manner and is currently completing his Doctor of Philosophy in Geography and the Environment at Oxford.
Rob’s Doctor of Philosophy (“DPhil”) focuses on examining the gendered impacts of Ethiopia’s development pathways to understand what is important to the women working in industrial sectors and how policies can be designed to help them. Rob hopes to use his DPhil as a launching pad to further explore inequality within Ethiopia and at a higher level, the developing nations.
The Young Haleians are extremely proud to be able to support Rob in his endeavour and look forward to seeing the meaningful impact Rob will have on those in developing nations.
The Young Haleians’ Endeavour Award for 2020 recognises Matthew's outstanding accomplishments, future ambitions and endeavours in art.
Hale School ignited Mathew's love for visual arts. By the time he was in Year 11 he would spend every free afternoon available, painting in the art department. He received the Leon Pericles Art Prize in his final year went on to persue his passion for art in 2012, studying his Bachelor of Arts at Curtin University.
Mathew's first major industry accomplishment came in 2014 when he won the City of South Perth’s Emerging Art Prize. The same year and upon graduating, he was awarded a studio residency at the Fremantle Arts Centre and undertook his first solo exhibition at Free Range Gallery in Perth.
Matthew returned to study in 2016 to complete his Honours, and also held a solo exhibition at the Art Space Collective in Scarborough. At the beginning of 2018 he was selected for a solo exhibition at c3 Contemporary Art Space in Melbourne. Since the solo show in Melbourne, he has exhibited in group shows in Brisbane, Houston (USA) and Perth; and held further solo exhibitions in Launceston and Perth. Each exhibition and the conversations that emerge from them continue to inspire Matthew to create.
One of the most rewarding experiences Matthew describes as an artist, has been painting a mural at the Senior Boarding House at Hale. The mural gave boarders the opportunity to reflect upon the place that they grew up and to express their love for their hometown by helping to paint a symbol of that place on a map that he painted on the wall. Matthew believes facilitating this project cemented the power of art to bring people together to celebrate their communities.
"Receiving this financial support will be an incredibly helpful way to engage in a focused and intensive period of making. It will allow me to concentrate on making a significant body of work that could be entered into a number of national art prizes and be used to apply for a solo exhibition at a respected gallery."
Kim O'Brien (R) YH Chair presenting Matthew McAlpine (L) with his Endeavour Award.
The Young Haleians’ Endeavour Award recognises Hamish's outstanding accomplishments, future ambitions and endeavours in his field, being competitive rowing.
Hamish developed his love for rowing after starting the sport in Year 8 at Hale School. Understanding just how competitive the sport is fuelled Hamish to learn everything he could to be a better athlete and rower. Resilience, determination and perseverance saw him improve physically and technically each year to become the world champion he is today.
His list of accomplishments and awards over the past three years is long, including winning multiple national titles. In 2018 Hamish became the second person at Hale to receive rowing Honours and was awarded a scholarship by the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS). He continues to train with the WAIS rowing programme.
The funds will contribute towards assisting Hamish with the cost of the seat fee each year at the World Championships.
Hamish's goal is to win in the coxless pair and the single scull at the National Championships. This will hold him in good stead to make the Under 23 Australian team where he will be able to go to represent Australia in Bled, Slovenia. His ultimate goal is to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
“Receiving the Young Haleians’ Endeavour Award will be a huge financial assistance and will allow me to concentrate on excelling and pushing my boundaries on the world stage.
I believe rowing epitomises the core values of Hale – Excellence, Resilience, Integrity, Courage, Creativity and Service – and that to be the best in the world, I need to wholeheartedly embrace these values.”
Kim O'Brien (L) YH Chair presenting Hamish Henriques (R) with his Endeavour Award.
The Young Haleians’ Endeavour Award recognises Chris' outstanding accomplishments, future ambitions and endeavours in his field, being Aerospace Engineering.
Chris commenced studies at UWA moving to Melbourne to complete his Masters’ in Aerospace engineering at RMIT. He achieved a GPA of 3.9 (out of 4.0) and was the elected Student Representative for the Masters’ program. He was also awarded the 2018 Boeing Industry Scholarship. His Masters’ Thesis in rocket nozzle efficiency was recently accepted into the Australian International Aerospace Congress to be published and presented at their annual conference in 2019.
The funds will contribute to software engineering courses separate to his degree, further develop his skills and CV and in addition assist partially with relocation costs to Melbourne and overseas if opportunities arise.
Chris was well liked at Hale, making the most of the opportunity the school provides, he embodies the criteria of the award as well as Hale's values and we are very excited to follow his progress going forward.
"I am incredibly honoured to be receiving the Endeavour Award this year. I fully intend to make the most of the award and am excited for the opportunities this opens up for me. I want to extend my thanks to the Old Haleians' Committee as well as Hale School for providing me with the resources and the environment to get to where I am today. I am so proud to be recognised by the school I was lucky enough to grow up with."
Chris Hewitt (L) pictured with Matt Haddon (R)
Connor threw himself into his studies and immersed himself in all that Hale had to offer during his time as a student. He gained Symbols for music (Choir and Ensemble), Service Learning, Drama, Football, Athletics and Academic achievement, as well as Colours for Academics and Colours and Honours for his real passion, Drama. Naturally enough it was Drama that captured his full attention and Connor took himself off to New York, straight from school, to begin full-time study. At the end of his first two years, Connor was one of just 16 young actors from around the world to be invited to join the 2016/17 Academy Company. His commitment at the Academy during this time was rewarded with a US $20,000 scholarship. He was still left way short of the actual cost of his year’s fees, however, as his visa status did not allow him to work outside the Academy. It was at this point that Connor approached the OHA for assistance. Part of his proposal said, I would like to think that my achievements in the US to date match that of mine back home in Australia. The OHA agreed that they absolutely did and was delighted to be in a position to offer some assistance. All of this was happening in tandem with the development of the Young Haleians’ group and the OHA supported Connor knowing that he would qualify for the Endeavour Award.
He strongly believes that making one’s own work is the key to success: a value taught to him at Hale and one that has stood him in good stead so far in his career.
"The support Hale and the OHA have provided me has allowed me to really focus on this dream and bring it closer – within reach. I’m seeing the results, but I am determined to go further and reach as high as possible. I’m meeting and working with amazing people and that is all I can really ask for right now. It’s an extraordinary time!"