After the shire’s citizenship awards were announced, the GEO Group revealed the winners of their Youth in Focus Scholarship.

The scholarship commends those young residents who have achieved or aspire to achieve in academia, creative arts and on sporting fields.

Joel Kelly is a representative rugby league player and played with the Junee Diesels and the Bidgee Bulls last year.

His ultimate goal is to secure a contact with an NRL club.

Joel said he was happy to have received the scholarship as it’ll go towards travel and equipment expenses.

“This year I’ll keep trying my best and hopefully I’ll get selected in the future,” Joel said.

With an academic excellence scholarship under her belt, English and history student Gabriel Newman is looking to complete her degree.

“I’m very happy and appreciative, this will make a real difference,” Gabriel said.

“I won’t have to work through the weekend and also during the week during prac.”

With a keen eye for history, Gabriel said she enjoyed studying Australia’s actions during war.

“It’s eye-opening ... there shouldn’t be war, but seeing the hardships and how Australia overcame them all, it really defined the country.”

For the past four years, Junee High School’s Lucy Clarke has been in the choir singing at the NSW Schools Spectacular.

She said her creative arts scholarship would allow her to get professional tuition allowing her to better control her voice.

“It’s how you use the different tones and hit the right notes,” she said.

For law student Ebony Becquet, winning the scholarship is a weight off her shoulders. 

“I’m more excited about starting study, even if it is away in Wollongong,” she said.

Ebony said the money would be used to help pay for educational resources while she studied law.

“Law is really challenging and exciting, it’s a career you can be proud of and always be learning.”

Swimming sensation Jasmine Phillips will be using her scholarship to help her reach her goal of competing in the national competition.

Jasmine still has a way to go to qualify, needing to take three to four seconds off her lap times - which is this year’s goal.

That means accommodation, physios, dieticians and equipment.

“I want to get to state, win a medal and cut the times down,” Jasmine said.