Jaelyn Brand is from Lexton in Western Victoria. She is an outstanding student and academic all-rounder. Jaelyn completed her Year 12 studies at Beaufort College in 2021 and was awarded School Dux.

Jaelyn was school captain at Beaufort Secondary College for two years running in 2020 and 2021 and also held the position of Treasurer of the SRC. As was evident to the directors of the Salt Creek Scholarship Trust, Jaelyn has a positive attitude and natural leadership ability that support her “can-do” attitude.

The Principal at Beaufort Secondary College described Jaelyn as considerate of other learners/students and always working collaboratively with them. Above all, Jaelyn is well regarded for being a “bridge between students and staff” given her positive relationship with peers and staff alike. Not surprisingly, Jaelyn was awarded Beaufort Secondary College’s “School Spirit” trophy in 2021.

In addition to her academic triumphs, Jaelyn has excelled in public speaking over the past several years. She has represented the Skipton Lions Club in the Lions Youth of the Year competition over several years competing at district finals and taking home the “best speaker” award three years in a row. Jaelyn also successfully competed in other public speaking competitions including with Rotary and Legacy and claims that the thing she loved most about her experience in public speaking was making friends, especially amongst the “older” community. Clearly, Jaelyn is a talented and confident public speaker.

Whilst at school, Jaelyn not only excelled academically but was actively involved in sport and extra-curricular activities. As an active member of the Lexton Football Netball Club, Jaelyn played netball and volunteered regularly with the club. She enjoyed the connections she made both with team and club members and other players.

Jaelyn is clearly a natural leader and role model to many. She is inherently resilient and tenacious – attributes that were very evident to the directors. Despite the many personal challenges Jaelyn has experienced over the past couple of years, her motivation to succeed and community contributions have not been dampened. If anything, she has demonstrated that hard work pays off and has thrived on having multiple responsibilities at school and in the community.

In 2022, Jaelyn chose to take a gap year before embarking on her tertiary studies. The Salt Creek Scholarship will assist Jaelyn significantly by paying her residential fees over the next three years while she pursues her academic studies at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus. With help from the scholarship, Jaelyn is looking forward to being able to focus on her studies without having to work full-time to fund her accommodation. Jaelyn is a fiercely independent young woman who clearly has a love of learning.

We look forward to seeing Jaelyn relish the next few years of her tertiary education and her achievements in the next chapter of her life.

Scholar Profile 2025 Update
I have thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in my Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology and Philosophy) at Deakin University, developing critical thinking skills and a deeper appreciation for culture, society, and ideas. Looking ahead, I am excited to be on track to complete my degree by the end of 2026.

Last year, I took on the role of Residential Leader with Deakin Residential Services. This position gave me the chance to support and guide other students in their university journey, much like I was supported when I first started at Deakin. It enabled me to strengthen my professional skills in leadership, organisation, and communication, while at the same time building many meaningful personal relationships that I will value for years to come. My participation in the residential community at Deakin has also presented new opportunities for my musical interests, as well as involvement in advertisements for Deakin university which I thoroughly enjoyed partaking in.

Outside of university, I have been working at The Geelong College as a swim teacher. Teaching children has been an incredibly rewarding experience, giving me the chance to have a positive influence on the next generation in my employment.

As my Salt Creek Scholarship journey concludes, I remain deeply grateful to the Salt Creek team for giving me the opportunity to access tertiary educationwhen coming from a rural community. The Salt Creek team’s support has been invaluable in making this journey possible. I would also like to make a special mention of Sally Towell, whose consistent encouragement during my decision to take a gap year and change my course, has been a source of reassurance and motivation.

I look forward to completing the final stages of my degree, continuing to grow both academically and personally, and making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead.