A celebration this on Thursday 4th February at the West Diggers Club in Tamworth marked the recent graduation of eight Year 12 students who have been supported by The Smith Family to reach their potential through education.

Independent State Member Peter Draper, Vice Chancellor of University of New England, Scott Williams and The Smith Family's Regional Program Manager, Sonia Ellem, met with the students and their family members to acknowledge their success in completing Year 12 and plan their next steps towards fulfilling careers.

Members of the local VIEW Club, which supports the work of The Smith Family, were also in attendance.

"The Smith Family is very proud of the students who have overcome hurdles to complete Year 12 and used our support to make the most of their lives," said Regional Program Manager with The Smith Family, Sonia Ellem.

"Three graduates have already secured places at the University of New England and this year in Tamworth we will be supporting a further 12 Year 11 and seven Year 12 students through our Learning for Life suite of programs. We hope to see even more students continuing on to complete secondary and tertiary studies in the future."

The Smith Family is a national, independent children's charity committed to helping disadvantaged Australian children by unlocking opportunities through education and learning. The Back to School Appeal is currently underway, aiming to generate 3,000 new sponsors for disadvantaged students nationally. To sponsor an Australian child call 1800 024 069 or follow the links from the homepage.