The Ella Bella Memorial Scholarships program has been running since 2013 and has already helped a number of local children to achieve their educational goals.

Ella Bella Scholarships director Michelle Morgan said the program was established to honour her mum, Ella, who grew up on a property at Burragate and yearned to learn, despite never having the opportunity.

“It’s to honour our mum who was a farm kid and had absolutely no schooling,” she said.

“She had to work super hard all her life to make up for it because nobody thought schooling was important.”

Ella went on to a distinguished career in health, as without schooling, nursing was the only in-service training available to her.

Ms Morgan said the scholarships are aimed at rural students who often have difficulty accessing after-school activities or educational resources.

“Most children and parents can cope with primary education, but then schooling becomes increasingly difficult, technically and financially,” she said.

There are two scholarships up for grabs for students in years seven to 10, worth $1000 each.

Not only do the recipients receive $1000 ($250 each term) for their schooling, they will also benefit from vocational mentoring in their field of interest.

To apply, eligible students must hand write a one-page letter outlining why they want to learn and an example of when they have set a goal and achieved it. Applications must be submitted by Tuesday, May 9, by post to the Lions Club of Moree, PO Box 119, Moree NSW 2400.