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Thank you for
supporting the
education of
students in
disadvantage
Learning for Life student stories
Mark Ryan is a Board Member
of The Smith Family. He’s also a
former Learning for Life student
who understands first-hand the
life-changing impact of The Smith
Family’s educational support.
Mark and his twin brother Andrew
grew up in a single-parent
household in public housing in
Brisbane’s north in the 1980s. His
mother had left school in Year 10,
limiting her opportunities for work.
Money was always tight for the
family and Mark remembers that he
and his brother didn’t have a lot of
things compared with their peers.
“We didn’t have a car and there
were lots of charity drop-offs at
the front door at Christmas time.
It was an upbringing where we
were well aware we were part of
the have-nots rather than the
haves,” he recalls.
Despite her own experiences at
school, Mark’s mum encouraged
her sons to value their education
and study hard. Both boys
performed well academically and
were great sportsman, competing
in cricket and tennis. With support
from teachers who also saw their
academic potential, Mark and
Andrew participated in gifted and
talented programs in high school
and set their sights on university.
Just as they were considering
how they would manage the
long commute to university, their
expenses, study demands and a
part-time job, The Smith Family
came into the lives. Both boys
joined the Learning for Life program
with a Tertiary Scholarship. The
L-R: Mark and
Andrew Ryan
financial
assistance they
received helped
to cover many
of their university
Faith Kayrooz
costs, enabling them
to focus on their studies.
“The Smith Family financial
assistance supported us in terms
of transport, textbooks, student
union fees and all the things that A professional performer since
as a family if we didn’t have. Not the age of 14, Faith has performed
having this support may have led alongside a range of artists
to some pretty hard choices as to including The Veronicas. She has
whether we would have been able also performed at Government
to take up those university studies,” House in Canberra for the Carers
Mark says. Australia 30th Anniversary event.
Her heartfelt deeply personal song
Today, Mark is the Manager of
“Mumma’s Not Doing Well” was
Strategic Communications at
inspired by her experiences as a
Queensland Rail and Chairperson
young carer. In November 2024,
for not-for-profit, Return Serve
Faith released her debut EP, which
Inc, which helps young people
features her own folk and country-
experiencing disadvantage
inspired songs.
access free or low-cost sporting
opportunities in Brisbane.
You can hear more about
Young Karingbal woman, Faith
Mark and Faith at the
is another former student who has
upcoming VIEW National
benefitted from The Smith Family’s
Convention in Brisbane, in
support. As a young student, Faith
September this year. On Day
juggled school and caring for
one of Convention, Mark
her unwell mother. In Year 9, she
and Faith will join a panel of
started receiving support through
Smith Family team members
the Learning for Life program. With
to share updates on the
ambitions to become a professional
latest Smith Family research
musician, The Smith Family’s
projects and its vital work in
Tertiary Scholarship enabled Faith
communities.
to complete a Bachelor of Music at
the Queensland Conservatorium of
Music, Griffith University. After three
Scan the QR
years of study, Faith graduated in
code to book
2024 and was selected to give
your Convention
the Student’s Speech at her
ticket now!
graduation ceremony.
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