Jordan Ellis crowned AWARD School 2021 Top Student for WA: Making up the top 3 students are Grady O’Connell and Jack Robertson

The Australasian Writers and Art Directors Association (AWARD) announced this year’s Perth AWARD School student winners at a large function last night at Friday’s Studio. This year’s top student was Jordan Ellis, who will now go into the running to win the coveted 2021 National Top Student Award on August 10.

Jordan Ellis (pictured above with AWARD School WA head Liz Hammond from Rare) took out the top gong from WA’s AWARD School 2021 class for his body of creative work developed throughout the year. Ellis received a coveted AWARD School Gold Pencil for his outstanding efforts as part of the graduation event held last night.

Grady O’Connell came second and Jack Robertson was judged third.

This year’s WA winners were drawn from a national intake of 208 students which included four on Indigenous scholarships. The hugely successful online program also saw participants take part from regional Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

In going into the running to be named AWARD School’s National Top Student, Ellis will have his works reviewed by an international super jury.

This year’s AWARD School tutors were Lachy Banton, Niall Stephen from The Brand Agency Perth and Matt Wilson and Luke Williams from Wunderman Thompson Perth.

National and NSW AWARD School co-heads Mandie van der Merwe and Jack Nunn said the commitment shown by their fellow school heads and tutors in each state had been “beyond amazing”, as had the engagement from students around the country.

Says van der Merwe: “Students and tutors alike rose brilliantly to the challenge of making 2021 AWARD School one of the best yet.”

Says Nunn: “Following a change in AWARD School program last year to online only, we were thrilled to reintroduce face-to-face learning sessions, tutoring and networking events this year, with large numbers of students from across the country still able to join our program virtually.

“That’s the beauty of AWARD School, there are so many learning options available to students to best suit where they live and how they want to learn and interact with our incredible lineup of speakers, tutors and judges, whose combined efforts make AWARD School not just possible but hugely successful.”

View Jordan Ellis’s winning folio
View Grady O’Connell’s folio
View Jack Robertson’s folio

All WA folios visit here
Virtual Wall visit here

The announcement of the national AWARD School winner will be held at 6:30pm AEST next Tuesday, 10 August via Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/awardschool.

Photo credit: Fifth Avenue Consultancy.

2021 AWARD School State Top Students – WA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Top students
Jordan Ellis – Gold Pencil
Grady O’Connell
Jack Robertson

Mentorships
Jordan Ellis
Grady O’Connell
Jack Robertson

Brief 9 winner
Meg Watson

Brief 10 winner
Jordan Ellis