Variety WA scholarship for basketball player Kenneth Opoku

A FORRESTFIELD teenager received a scholarship from Variety WA to travel to Queensland for a basketball competition last month.

Kenneth Opoku (17) used the grant to help fund his February trip to the Ivor Burge Championship, run by Basketball Australia and the Australian Sports and Recreation Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (AUSRAPID).

Opoku said he had been playing the sport for two years, and enjoyed learning new things, meeting people and getting fit through the game.

Another Forrestfield resident, Lilyan Smith, received a scholarship for singing.

This year, 37 young people received scholarships totalling $104,000 to cover specialist tuition and related expenses in their arts, sport and education pursuits.

The scholarships help young people living with illness, disability or disadvantage to overcome adversity and explore their potential.

Applications for the 2017 round will open later this year.