FORMER Mareeba State High School student Laura Leighton has praised the Business Liaison Association for helping her with university studies.

Ms Leighton told the annual awards presentation in Cairns earlier this month that the awards were much appreciated by students.

She said she was fortunate to get a Bachelor of Science at University of Queensland as well as places at a residential college and in the Advanced Study Program in science.

Ms Leighton said regional students had to cope with leaving their home town, living away from home, with living expenses, the culture shock of moving to a metropolitan area and the challenges of beginning tertiary study, all at the same time.

"When all of these factors add up, they make it a bit harder for students from this sort of background to compete with the students from the big smoke when it comes to things like college entry, extension programs, scholarships and similar," she said.

"However, we rural kids are lucky. Awards such as the ones that we are celebrating tonight mean more to us than just a trophy on the shelf.

"The recognition of the exceptional achievements of regional students in a formal setting such as this, and the generous financial assistance provided by many of the awards, helps us to compete with metropolitan students when we apply for scholarships, colleges and placements at city universities, and are faced with the somewhat daunting prospect of relocating ourselves to commence tertiary study."

This year's winners.

For Excellence In Information Technology: Harry Scells, Trinity Anglican School.

For Excellence In Health And Physical Education: Paige Harrison, St Andrews Catholic College.

Environmental: Jessica Kennedy, Mareeba State High School.

Excellence In The Performing Arts: Eve Waters, Trinity Bay State High School.

Excellence In Visual Arts: Morena Toffanello, Mareeba State High School.

Excellence In Natural Sciences: Kylie Keven, Tully State High School.

Keith Goodwin Memorial Scholarships In Accounting And Business: Zackary Camilleri, Tully State High School.

Legal Studies: Cameron Howlett, St Mary's Catholic College.

Legal Studies Essay Competition Year 11: Tionne Seden, Cairns State High School; Year 12: Cameron Howlett, St Mary's Catholic College.

Hospitality And Tourism: Brett Bartholomew, Cairns SHS.

Office Professionals: Luke Martin, Trinity Anglican School.

Early Childhood Practitioners: Bethany Edwards, Trinity Bay State High School.

Junior Marketing Plan: Ocean View Hotel Redlynch State College (Ms Andres, Shayla Sheen, Bailey Stevenson, Anna Ezzy).

Senior Business Plan: Spirit Of Europe, Trinity Anglican School (Ms Probst, Henry Jungnitsch).

Vocational Education And Training Co-Ordinator Of The Year: Barbara Foster, Trinity Bay State High School.

Urban School Of The Year: Trinity Bay State High School.

Employer Of The Year: Skill360 Australia.

Vet Student Of The Year: Blake Stankovich, Mareeba State High School.

Vet Teacher Of The Year: Peta Thompson, Innisfail State College.

Apprentice Of The Year: Peter Tognolini, Cairns State High School.

Trainee Of The Year: Claire Niyokwizera, Trinity Bay State High School.

Mock Court Competition: Trinity Anglican School Matthew Church, Katie Schmidt, Grace Morton, Lachlan Massey, Jordon McAvoy.

Myer Mannequin Competition: Kristie Scullen, St Andrew's College.

Bare Foot Art Competition: Nadine Rains, Mareeba State High School.

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