Richglen Donates $10,000 to Support Local Schools
Pindi Pindi State School made the most of its $10,000 prize as the 2024 Star’s School of the Year winner — upgrading garden club equipment, installing microbat boxes, and undertaking on a whole-school fishing excursion. Pictured: Richglen’s Matt Borg and Chris Carleton with students and staff.
One lucky local school is about to receive a $10,000 boost, thanks to the return of Star’s School of the Year — and Richglen is proud to once again be the major sponsor for 2025.
The annual competition encourages schools across Mackay and the Whitsundays to get creative, show their spirit, and share how $10,000 would make a difference to their students.
Richglen Managing Director Matt Borg, who grew up in the Mackay region, says supporting the competition is a no-brainer.
“We see it as investing in our next generation,” Matt said.
“Education opens doors, and this initiative helps schools bring exciting projects to life — whether that’s new resources, excursions, or programs that support student wellbeing and development. It’s about giving local kids the best start possible.”
How It Works
Registrations are now open for principals to enter their school via a private link provided by Star 101.9. Entries close at 3pm, Friday, August 1.
Each school must share — in 100 words or less — how they would use the $10,000.
Then the public voting period runs August 2–14, with votes calculated as a percentage of total school population to keep things fair.
The top 3 schools with the highest vote percentage will receive a live breakfast broadcast from Star’s Rach & Jake from August 18–20.
The winning school, selected by a judging panel, will be surprised live on-air on August 22, receiving a $10,000 cheque from Richglen.
“The highlight for us is seeing how schools rally together,” Matt said.
“Some of last year’s entries were incredibly creative and the kids had a ball. You can really feel the community pride.”
Tuckshop Takeover: A fun, new add-on
In addition to the main prize, the promotion also includes the Tuckshop Takeover, a side competition that rewards the school with the best show of school spirit on social media.
Whether it's a talent show, a giant school-wide sign, or a heartfelt video, schools are encouraged to tag Star and Richglen in their posts. The winning school will receive a visit from the Star team on Friday, August 15, who will don aprons and pitch in at the tuckshop for a morning of food, fun and games.
Supporting Our Future
As a company that prides itself on being family-focused and future-minded, Matt says Richglen’s involvement in the competition aligns perfectly with its values.
“Our apprentices, our engineers — many of them started out in these small regional schools. Giving back is part of who we are.”
Follow Richglen and Star on social media to stay up to date as the competition unfolds — and don’t forget to vote for your favourite school from August 2!