Joel Blashki has certainly finished 2020 on a high note.
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The former James Sheahan Catholic High School student was recently awarded the New Colombo Plan Scholarship which will see him become an Australian ambassador at events in Singapore and India.
"I was very surprised," he said.
"My attitude towards it was that I'm giving it my best shot and that whatever happens is for the best, especially with the Covid climate as I wasn't too sure if it would happen."
Mr Blashki will be spending 18 months studying and interning in Singapore and India with a focus on all facets of development, in particular learning about the development philosophies of Singapore and India.
In his third year studying a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Commerce double degree at Deakin University in Melbourne, he is one of the youngest to be awarded the scholarship.
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"A lot of the other students are in their honours years, so they've got more focused projects than I do," he said.
"So I'm quite humbled and I feel very proud that the government took a chance on me.
"I think it's a great opportunity to grow and develop into the person I'm looking to become, looking to find my direction a bit better."
He isn't the only one feeling pleased either.
Peter Meers, principal of James Sheahan, where Mr Blashki attended and completed his HSC in 2017, said they were immensely proud of his achievement.
"My strong memory of Joel at school was of a kind, caring and very genuine young man, hardworking, a good leader and a person with a strong social conscience," Mr Meers said.
"Joel's achievement also is a reflection of his academic success, resulting from hard work and a strong focus on learning and having clear goals and aspirations.
"To have a young person from our city and region gain such a highly sought after and nationally recognised award is something for Orange to be very proud of. A very deserving achievement."
But as for when he goes abroad, that is still up in the air.
"Usually I would have to go between January and December next year," he said.
"Normally I would be planning to go in January. With Covid and timelines for vaccines, they are going to take those precautions, so halfway through next year is my hope at the earliest and at the latest it could be 2022."
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