For the second year in a row, students from Kiama High have been accepted into the prestigious London Youth Science Forum (LYSF).

The two week Forum in July will see the year 12 students - Hallie Richmond and Sophie Yates - join 500 others from around the world in attending lectures by high-profile scientists, including Nobel prize winners, and exploring some of the finest research labs in the UK.

“The enormous benefits they will get from the facilities they see and the people they will get to meet worldwide makes it an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed,” says Kiama High science teacher Ruth Power.

After attending the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in January with three other Kiama High students, Hallie and Sophie are ready to see science on an international scale.

“In attending NYSF, we saw a very small pocket of what Australia has to offer in science,” Sophie says.

“Going to London, visiting Oxford and Cambridge universities and hearing different speakers and their journeys will really help me to understand how I can enter into the science field in the most impactful way possible,” Sophie says.

Hallie was inspired by last year's students who attended the LIYSF.

“They told me how much it has helped them and how much they enjoyed it. They said it is similar to the NYSF but even better,” Hallie says.

“I think the LIYSF will help me because I went into the National Forum to find what university course and subjects I wanted to do next year, but it opened my horizons and left me even more confused. So, I want to use this experience to see what I am most interested in.”

Hallie is currently considering biomedicine and molecular biology, while Sophie wants to tackle a double degree of law and science with biology as a major.

The pair are now turning to the community to help them get to London.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and we know the Kiama and broader community are so helpful and supportive of educational opportunities. We have a gofundme page if there is anyone willing to help us get on our way,” Sophie says.

You can donate to their gofundme page here or take the more traditional route of buying a sausage sizzle at Kiama High on election day.