Check out this ABC story on our first Kirsty Boden Scholarship recipient Alexander Jang. Great work Alex.
The Kirsty Boden Scholarship gives financial assistance to migrants seeking to become lifesavers at Tamarama SLSC.
President Tim Murray said it was a creative approach to keeping tourists and foreign-born Australians safe in the surf.
"Migrants are a high-risk drowning group, and rather than just saying, 'Swim between the flags', we need to be more hands-on," Mr Murray said.
He said it was a pleasure to receive permission from the Boden family to name the scholarship after their daughter.
From the city to the surf
For South Korean-born Alex Jang, swimming butterfly for 3.6 kilometres was a little too much to ask.
But as the recipient of the first Kirsty Boden Scholarship, the 39-year-old is on track to be meet his goal of becoming a lifesaver.
Mr Jang received around $1,000, which he used to pay surf club membership fees and purchase swimming equipment.
"One day I hope to be able to help tourists if they get in trouble in the water," he said.
"But even now I could tell them about rips and waves, so the Kirsty Boden Scholarship has already worked."
