The Sisters resident, who is going to university to become a speech pathologist, is one of five recipients of an Academic Support scholarship.

"Receiving this scholarship has encouraged me to further my interest in health services and not only help people improve their speech and quality of life, but also help those living in rural areas to access health care services," Ms Moloney said.

"After a challenging final year at school, music was the thing that I kept coming back to for inspiration.

"This scholarship will allow me to work on my music and grow my audience in Melbourne whilst furthering my studies in speech pathology at Victoria University."

She said the money would also help with the costs of text books and household expenses.

Ms Moloney said she wanted to help people who have complications with their speech and swallowing.

She is also a singer, who has had a number of gigs throughout the shire.

"I started singing in about year four and my love for singing has grown ever since," she said.

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Ms Moloney completed VCE at Mercy Regional College in Camperdown last year. She said it had been challenging completing study during the coronavirus pandemic.

"There were a few difficult times trying to balance the two but I was lucky enough to be doing the VET music course at Emmanuel College in Warrnambool that I ended up scoring a 50 in so I could concentrate on my music while school was still occuring," she said.

Moyne Shire mayor Daniel Meade said the scholarships provided financial support to rural students as they begin tertiary studies.

"Council's Academic Support Scholarships have been running for 23 years now, assisting students from within the shire to pursue their academic goals," Cr Meade said.

"To many students, these scholarships can make a huge difference, breaking down some of the barriers to accessing further education and allowing them to focus on their studies."

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