Shahd from Forest Lake State High School and Salman from Glenala State High School have been named the 2026 recipients of the First-in-Family Bursary, a local initiative designed to help young people take the step into higher education when no one in their family has done it before them.
Both students will be the first in their families to attend university, a milestone that carries a particular kind of weight. There is no parent who has been through orientation week, no sibling who can explain how HECS works, no family shorthand for navigating the early months of a university degree.
The bursary exists precisely for students in that position, covering the upfront costs that can derail a capable student before they even begin: textbooks, technology, equipment and other essentials.
For Shahd and Salman, the recognition is a signal that the talent and determination they have brought to their studies at Forest Lake State High School and Glenala State High School respectively has not gone unnoticed in their own community.
Two Schools, Two Suburbs, One Step That Changes Everything
Forest Lake State High School has served the western suburbs of Brisbane since 2001, building a reputation across academic and sporting programmes for over 1,600 students in Years 7 to 12. The school draws from a broad and diverse community, and Shahd’s selection reflects the kind of academic drive the school works to cultivate.
Glenala State High School in Durack has been a cornerstone of the Inala and Forest Lake area since 1996, formed from the amalgamation of Inala State High School and Richlands State High School. Its motto, “Believe and Achieve,” and its four core values of respect and responsibility, commitment to learning, pride and perseverance frame a school that serves some of Brisbane’s most culturally diverse communities. Salman’s path to university through Glenala is the kind of story that school motto was written for.
Both schools sit within the same community, a south-western Brisbane corridor where families from many different cultural and linguistic backgrounds have built their lives, and where being the first in a family to attend university is not unusual. It is, in many of these households, a quiet aspiration held for years before someone finally makes it real.
Helping Students Get Started
The bursary targets that gap directly, providing recipients with a one-off payment to establish a financial foundation. By covering these initial costs, the initiative ensures students focus on their studies rather than their bank balances from day one. The intent is not just to support the two individuals receiving it but to open a pathway for the generations that follow.
This practical support addresses a significant hurdle. Textbooks, a laptop, software licences, transport costs and enrolment fees can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the first weeks of semester. For a student without family experience in higher education, there is often no roadmap for managing those early expenses.
“Being the first in a family to attend university can be daunting, but with the right support and encouragement, it can also be life-changing,” the bursary announcement noted.
A Community Initiative from a Local Who Knows the Path
The First-in-Family Bursary is a personal initiative of Ms Margie Nightingale, the local member for the Inala electorate, which covers Forest Lake and the surrounding suburbs. Ms Nightingale has deep roots in the area, having grown up in Inala, attended local schools and raised her family in the community. She was herself the first in her family to attend university, a connection to this bursary that goes beyond policy.
The bursary reflects a view of community that is anchored in long-term investment: that supporting one student through a financial barrier at the right moment can ripple forward through families and communities for decades. Both Shahd and Salman represent, in Ms Nightingale’s words, “the talent, determination and potential that exists right in our electorate.”
Forest Lake State High School can be contacted at admin@forestlakeshs.eq.edu.au. Glenala State High School can be reached at admin@glenalashs.eq.edu.au.
Published 25-April-2026
