2024 OHA Outstanding Young Alumni Awards
Today, we had the honour of presenting the OHA Outstanding Young Alumni Awards, celebrating the achievements of six remarkable alumni across five fields of expertise—Arts, Business, Sport, STEM, and Community.
Congratulations to
– ARTS: Lincoln Hilton (OH 2010)
– BUSINESS: Jess Abraham (OH 2018)
– SPORT: Tory Taylor (OH 2015), represented by his brother, Ashton
– SPORT: Oscar Piastri (OH 2019), represented by his mum, Nicole
– STEM: Kenji Fujihara (OH 2013)
– COMMUNITY: Lily Ford (OH 2019)
These recipients have made significant achievements in their field of endeavour either locally, nationally or internationally, exemplifying the best attributes of youth in today’s world. As well they possess exceptional human values, which are an inspiration to others.
Congratulations to the 2024 OHA Outstanding Young Alumni Award winners and past winners who have made a significant contribution to their respective fields and the OHA community.
Arts
Lincoln Hilton (OH 2010)
Lincoln started life at Haileybury as a student back in 2007 when he was awarded a music scholarship, building on his talent on the bagpipes. He started playing the ‘pipes’ at age 11 when his Scottish stepdad gifted him his first practice chanter for his birthday. He may have been unsure at the time, but from this point forward, the chanter never left his side, and the bagpipes became his whole world.
After winning titles such as The Young Australasian Piper of the Year, performing as the lone piper in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Australia, and completing advanced piping certificates, Lincoln began teaching pipes privately from the ripe young age of 16.
In 2023, Haileybury students, superbly led by Lincoln, defeated some of the best pipers and drummers from across Europe and North America to be named world champions in Scotland!
Business
Jess Abraham (OH 2018)
Jess Abraham was School Captain in 2018. She published her first book in partnership with Mandy Money, an organisation run by Barbara Van Der Merwe (OH 2015). ‘Thriving in the Deep End’ is a handbook to help high school students around Australia transition into post school life.
It is filled with advice and resources Jess wishes she had access to as a secondary school graduate. This book aims to help graduating secondary school students along the early years of life after school – to prepare them for work, for job interviews, for discovering their identity, for saving and investing their money, and for maintaining a mentally healthy and balanced life.
Jess was also one of our incredible Haileyburians who shared their invaluable university transition tips and tricks with our Year 12 Haileybury Girls last year at the inaugural Hearts on Fire event.
SPORT
Tory Taylor (OH 2015)
Tory is an American football punter who was drafted in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears in the National Football League. Tory is Haileybury’s first ever former student to be drafted into the NFL. He has had an extraordinary college career with the University of Iowa winning the prestigious Ray Guy award in 2023 as college football’s best punter. On January 1, 2024, Tory broke the NCAA record for most punting yards in a season, with 4,479 yards. He was also named a unanimous All American in 2023. All Americans are considered “elite, the cream of the crop from any particular season. Tory sends this message here.
Oscar Piastri (OH 2019)
Oscar Piastri’s racing career began in karting, where he quickly established himself as a rising star in Australian motorsports. In 2016, Oscar transitioned to the Formula 4 UAE Championship, where he finished as the runner-up.
His success in Formula Renault opened the door to the Formula 3 Championship in 2020, where he clinched the title in his rookie season. The following year, Oscar moved up to the Formula 2 Championship, and secured the championship in 2021, becoming the first driver to win three consecutive feeder series titles.
In 2023, Oscar made his highly anticipated Formula 1 debut with McLaren, finishing ninth in the drivers championship in his debut year and of course who can forget his debut win in the Hungarian Grand Prix becoming the fifth Australian driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix. Oscar sends this message here.
STEM
Kenji Fujihara (OH 2013)
Kenji was an outstanding student of STEM related fields at Haileybury.
He is now an experienced cancer biologist and drug discovery researcher currently working at a New York hospital.
Kenji is dedicated to designing the medicines of the future for people with cancer and has the ultimate goal of developing his own Cancer research centre in Melbourne.
Kenji is a remarkable Old Haileyburian and has also won this Award in 2017 for his incredible contribution to community related activities.
Kenji sends this message here.
Community
Lily Ford (OH 2019)
Lily has demonstrated a remarkable passion for helping and leading young people to improve their overall wellbeing: mentally, physically, and spiritually. She was a passionate advocate for the BAN ON VAPES reform before parliament.
Lily is using her personal experience to highlight how young people, especially school-age students, are targeted by nicotine novelty manufacturers. Her story was recently highlighted in the Herald Sun, on Channel 10, and on the SBS TV program, ‘Insight’.
We commend Lily for putting herself out there as the Face of Quit Victoria, with a willingness to show that change starts with YOU!
