Mr Siver was last week awarded the Leeton TAFE campus student of the year after graduating from his horticulture course. 

Making his story unique is the fact Mr Siver is visually impaired. He can only tell the difference between day and night, but that hasn’t stopped him. 

The Cootamundra resident studied horticulture at Leeton TAFE campus through distance education after deciding he “wasn’t going to sit back and do nothing”. 

Mr Siver was born with only 10 per cent of his sight and it gradually got worse as the years went on. 

He is a retired farmer and wanted to extend his knowledge and thought TAFE would give him that opportunity to do just that. 

Mr Siver received his student of the year honour in Cootamundra and said it meant the world to him.

“To be named the student of the year for Leeton is just amazing … I still can’t believe it,” he said.

“Let me tell you, it’s a huge honour and one I don’t take lightly. 

“I’m an old farmer that wanted to try his hand at educating himself a bit more, so this means so much to me.” 

Mr Siver started his course in May, 2015 and completed it within the last month. 

He said he would not have been able to do it without the help of many people, but namely his Leeton teacher Jannelle Beard.

“If it wasn't for Jannelle, I wouldn’t have got through it … we had a lot of trouble with technology and things, but she was the best,” Mr Siver said. 

“I studied by correspondence and then Jannelle would come over to Coota once a month so I could do the practical work. 

“With no public transport, I wasn’t able to get to Leeton on my own.”

Mr Siver would like to continue his horticulture studies in the future. 

He said those thinking about studying, even they were of mature age, they should go for it. 

“There’s not point sitting on your hands … yes it is hard work, but I’m a tenacious old bugger and if I can do it, so can everyone else,” Mr Siver said.

 “You just have to put your nose to the grind stone and get on with it.”