By Jordan Baker
Kamilaroi woman Isabella Fernando is the first person in her family to finish the HSC and go to university. At her high school farewell, her big brother – the eldest of eight – wept. “He said he was very proud of me,” she said.
Ms Fernando was among 71 Aboriginal students who graduated from Dubbo College Senior Campus last week, in a state and possibly national record for the largest Indigenous cohort to finish their final year.
Dubbo College Senior Campus HSC graduates Isabella Fernando (front) with Gloria-Anne Cubby (left) and Niesha Crawford (centre).Credit: Kate Geraghty
Many of them already have offers for tertiary study, ranging from teaching to law. Ms Fernando intends to take a degree in Indigenous youth work at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory, before coming home to “help the community I was reared up in”.
She made the decision to aspire to university in year 10. “It was my Mum, my Nan – they pushed me to go harder and to be the first,” she said. “It was the biggest decision that was made in my family, especially coming from being the only girl.
“I haven’t really travelled outside of NSW. Some of [my younger siblings] don’t want me to go to uni, but I said I have to.”
Dubbo College routinely has the highest number of Indigenous HSC graduates in the state. This year, they make up almost a third of the year 12 cohort. But the school’s success is no accident.
This year, 71 Aboriginal students finished their HSC at Dubbo College Senior Campus – a state and possibly national recordCredit: Kate Geraghty
Internal NSW Department of Education research shows that Aboriginal students with high aspirations in year 10, and whose teachers and family encourage those aspirations, are more likely to attain the HSC.
So when the students are still at the junior high school campus, Dubbo College encourages them to set goals and engage their families. “The clearer the goal setting … the more likely they are to see the relevance of school and continue,” Senior College principal Marisha Blanco said.
The school also invites the whole town to celebrate their achievement. Last week, 900 people attended a graduation ceremony. “It’s a community aspiration,” Ms Blanco said. “We want them to celebrate, whether or not they are related to the students graduating. We want to acknowledge the community support.”
The students’ success lifts the ambitions of those who come after them. “The role modelling, that’s really important to us,” she said. “It does have [a ripple effect]; we see that in terms of our aspirations in junior campuses.
Janaya Rose: “I’ve grown into liking school and keeping on top of classwork.”Credit: Joshua Morris
“There are still areas of improvement, but the aspiration to complete the HSC is a go-to response, where before it was something we’d need to develop as something they felt comfortable and confident with. Our Aboriginal parent body, they want for their children to complete the HSC; that’s a really strong voice.”
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell congratulated the staff and students. “I’m so proud of these incredible students and what they have achieved,” she said. “They are a credit to their school, families and local community.”
Mardigan woman Janaya Rose was one of the school’s first cultural captains, and gave a speech at the graduation in which she revealed the record broken by her cohort.
She will join the navy next year. “I wasn’t really fond of school,” she said.
“I was lucky enough to see myself graduate year 10. Afterwards, in year 11, I got help from the Girls Academy and [deputy principal Jenadel Lane, the Aboriginal studies teacher], and they helped me push myself especially during lockdown.
Dubbo College Senior Campus HSC graduate Jaren Barker, 18, with fellow Indigenous HSC graduates. Credit: Kate Geraghty
“They just helped me find the right subjects to help myself be comfortable and find the right things to do.”
She ended up leaving the year 12 graduation ceremony laden with so many awards for her final year that “I’ve got bigger muscles in my legs”.
Janaya, 17, leaves Dubbo for a Victorian naval base in mid-January.
“I’m nervous but good nervous,” she said. “You know you’re going to leave everything behind, but I’m ready.”
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