CDU students among Territory’s highest achievers

Several Charles Darwin University students have struck gold at this year’s NT Young Achiever Awards.

The students won awards in two categories at the recent awards ceremony at SkyCity Darwin, along with the winner of the Charles Darwin University Arts Award, dancer Hayley Kelly.

Hayley, 18, is the first Territorian to receive a perfect score in the Advanced 1 Ballet examination and recently was accepted into the prestigious Sydney Dance Company.

PhD candidate at the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Amanda Lilleyman won the ConocoPhillips Environment Award for her research into migratory shorebird ecology at Darwin Harbour.

Amanda’s achievements included becoming a recipient of the 2013 Holsworth Wildlife Research Award and organising the 9th Australasian Shorebird Conference in Darwin in 2014, where 120 delegates attended.

Bachelor of Psychological Science student and CDU Aboriginal Student Ambassador, Philadelphia Hughes received the AustralianSuper Career Kick Start Award.

Philadelphia won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year award at last year’s National Training Awards and recently completed her Certificate IV in Frontline Management at CDU. She also volunteers as a crisis support counsellor at Lifeline.

The Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards recognise Territorians aged between 14 and 27 whose achievements have positively contributed to the community.