Kyan, a vibrant teenager who would have marked his 17th birthday in March, tragically passed away October 28, 2022, after suffering a brain aneurysm while at school.

His uncle Damian Armstrong created Fishing for Kyan in his nephew's honour, with the first event held in 2022 which saw thousands raised for the Brain Foundation for research.

On Sunday Fishing for Kyan handed over another $20,000 to the Brain Foundation which was raised during the 2023 Fishing for Kyan charity event.

During the handover, Wagga High School also presented a check for $503 to the Brain Foundation.

The funds had been raised by the year ten students who had been Kyan's peers and good friends, many with whom he grew up with.

Given Kyan's talent in woodwork, the students raised the funds by making and selling wooden Christmas trees.

Mr Armstrong said the gesture meant a lot to the family, particularly to see Kyan's friends getting involved.

"It's touching that they wanted to be involved and it just shows how important Kyan was to them," he said.

"For them to go out and raise that money on their own is just extraordinary."

Brain Foundation Australia CEO Trevor Thompson was invited to speak at the handover on Sunday and gracefully accepted the donations.

"It's everything," he said.

"We need more money for research because we can't rely on the government.

"We have only received $300,000 in 54 years from the government."

The prevalence of brain disorder, disease and injury is high, yet brain research remains little.

"Chances are you or someone you love dearly has been touched by a brain disorder, disease or injury," Mr Thompson said.

"There is so much opportunity to address that and do the research to reduce the impact from those things.

"We can make better patient outcomes by finding better treatments. It's everything, that's why we exist, we depend on fundraisers."

During the handover, funds raised through Fishing for Kyan were also presented to Turvey Park Primary School, where Kyan had attended, and Kooringal High School.

It is the first time the charity has presented grants through its youth grants program which was set up to support Wagga kids around Kyan's age.

Kooringal High School was given a cheque for $500 to go towards its Reflecting Fishing outings which is part of the school's wellness program, and Turvey Park Primary School was given $1980 for new shade shelters.

Mr Armstrong said it was exciting to be able to present the first lot of grants to two deserving causes.

"The fishing program is fantastic, it's young kids Kyan's age getting the opportunity to go out, fish, and get the opportunity to talk, and Turvey Park Primary School is important to us and to see them get some shade for kids is very rewarding," he said.

Kooringal High School student support officer Josh Larwood shares Kyan's love for fishing and uses it as an outlet for his students.

"We take a bunch of students out on a weekly basis to the lake, we get hot chips and have a good chat," he said.

"We have a conversation reflecting on our week, the good, the bad and everything in between.

"The program is about the social and emotional wellbeing of everyone.

"Actual conversation and being social is one of the best things you can have in life."

It was bittersweet for the Armstrong's as they presented a cheque for $1980 to Turvey Park High School in which Kyan also attended.

Assistant principal Anne Cowell taught Kyan in year six and said it was a group in which she has never forgotten.

"That year six class really sticks in my head for the comradery they had and their jokes, sometimes to the destruction of their learning but we got them back on task, and that group went on to high school and they still have a really strong bond," she said.

"My husband teaches at Wagga High School and had also taught Kyan and he speaks really highly of that group and of Kyan.

"Kyan was a student that for the time I taught him always stood up for what he believed in.

"I remember him often standing up for the underdog and standing up for what he believed in.

"He left a really big mark on so many people and I am so thankful to have received this grant and to be able to purchase these shade shelters."