Helping bright young people soar

Through mentoring, peer connection, financial assistance and wraparound support, the Skyline Education Foundation empowers gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds to overcome barriers, pursue their education and break the cycle of disadvantage. 

 

When Keely Xia was growing up in Melbourne’s south-east, she didn’t dare to dream too big. “I had a deep interest in STEM, particularly engineering, but I was frequently told it was a male-dominated field and not something I should pursue as a girl,” she says. 

 

As a first-generation immigrant living in a single-income household, Keely often thought of giving up her passion to pursue a more traditional pathway that would help support her family. “Academically, I was doing well, but without a clear sense of direction, I often felt lost and unsure of where I belonged.”

 

In 2022, she applied and was accepted into the Skyline Education Foundation program, which provides intensive support to gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds during their final two years of high school, helping them achieve their educational and vocational goals.

 

Through the program, Keely says, “I was able to explore different pathways and gain invaluable insight into university and career opportunities. It also alleviated the financial stress that weighed heavily on me in Year 11 and 12, allowing me to focus on my studies. Skyline completely changed the trajectory of my life.”

 

In 2024, Keely graduated from Year 12, finishing on a high note as SRC President. This year, she began studying Computer Science at The University of Melbourne after accepting the prestigious Hansen Scholarship. She has since discovered a keen interest in software engineering, technology and robotics. And she has continued her connection to Skyline as an alumnus mentor to other young people like her.

 

Keely’s success story is just one example of Skyline’s mission in action. There’s also Toby Kingston-Brown, a regional student who once doubted he’d finish high school but is now studying science at The University of Melbourne on a residential scholarship. And Dr Mai Tran, a 2009 alumnus from a single-parent household in social housing, who earned her PhD at Boston’s Tufts University. Then there’s Malaz Mohamed-Bakhit, whose family migrated from Eritrea in the 1990s. Malaz, a 2019 alumnus and recipient of the Hansen Scholarship, earned two degrees from The University of Melbourne, including law. Skyline CEO Samantha MacRae says, “It’s incredible watching our students achieve amazing things.”

 

The Skyline program is selective, collaborating with more than 40 public schools to identify students who demonstrate high academic ability but face challenges in achieving their goals due to social circumstances. Data shows that up to 50 per cent of gifted students are underachieving, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are two-and-a-half times less likely than their peers to complete tertiary education. 

 

Each student completes the two-year VCE program, which includes mentoring, peer support, access to masterclasses, free counselling services, a bespoke support framework and financial reimbursement for expenses such as textbooks. Skyline has assisted 634 students since its inception in 2006, with 96% going on to university or a career pathway of their choice. Graduates of Skyline are often the first in their families to complete a secondary education, breaking the cycle of disadvantage.

 

In 2025, Skyline received the Bank of Melbourne Foundation’s Inspire Grant, a three-year award of $150,000. “It’s a multi-year commitment, and it makes a huge difference knowing that funding is coming in,” says MacRae. 

 

For Keely, Skyline is more than a leg-up. “Skyline has become like a family to me. I’ve made many of my closest friends through the program,” she says. And it has helped her carve out a stellar future. “Skyline lifted a huge burden from my shoulders and replaced it with hope, excitement and renewed belief.”