Leading with heart, strength and culture

"If a younger person was to come to me and say, ‘Why does my voice matter?’, I’d tell them, your voice does matter, your culture matters and you matter.” – Lakiah Chatfield

Who am I?

My name is Lakiah. I am a proud Aboriginal student from Gamilaaraay Country in Coonabarabran, a small regional town in NSW. I am currently in Year 11 at Coonabarabran High School and serve as a school prefect at my school. I support other students through peer mentoring and assist them to meet their potential at school and in education by being a a source of encouragement and self-belief. I believe that younger students, especially those who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, should feel comfortable and confident to be themselves, something my family has always taught me in my community.

As a prefect at my school, I take great pride in being able to support my peers and be an encouraging mentor to any students that need it. I try to always make sure other students feel like they belong and have someone to talk to. I walk with them when they feel overwhelmed and I sit with them at lunch when they need someone to listen. I mentor younger students who feel nervous or unsure about reaching big goals and let them know why it's important for them to have a positive mindset. I tell them the key things my family and culture have taught me, such as knowing your voice is important and that you are able to achieve success.

My journey

I’ve grown up in Coonabarabran in regional NSW and my family have held a strong connection to Country and culture here.

Growing up in a small country town, there are ideas of achievement and about what you’re “supposed” to be good at and what our futures might look like. When my school and teachers encouraged me to enter the Whitlam What Matters writing competition 2025 through Western Sydney University, I didn’t think I would have the chance to be shortlisted or to even win. But I poured my passion and heart into it and was amazed to hear I was selected as the winner for 2025 on my written piece on the Acknowledgement of Country and why it is important.

By entering and giving it a go, it has opened doors for me and I hope other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students also look to do their best and reach that same potential. After I found out I won, I was asked to speak at the 20th Nanga Mai awards ceremony in Parramatta, NSW on my piece of writing work. Along with this, I have received other opportunities to speak further on my winning piece and to access education opportunities after I finish school, to further my learning and education.

HPGE opportunities & Nanga Mai awards

I was very lucky to be surrounded by supportive teachers at my school who encouraged me to participate in activities that challenged me to think differently, take leadership initiative and improve my skills, while not forgetting to influence and support those around me in authentic ways. I learned how to speak confidently in front of groups and even was selected as the school Prefect to support other students and model that kind of leadership to them.

Through this opportunity, I was then asked to speak at the 20th Nanga Mai Awards ceremony in Parramatta, NSW. I felt very proud and honored to be able to speak on my writing piece there and was amazed at how positive the reception was to it when I spoke. After the awards, I had people in the audience ask me about my writing and even offer further opportunities to me through this. By giving it a go and doing it based on my passion, I was able to open up opportunities I would have thought would never come my way.

“I think Lakiah has inspired other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students through her natural ability, she is a born leader. You don’t have to academically be the top student in every class, but you still have a voice that’s really important and a voice that matters” – Rachel Blazely, Head English Teacher, Coonabarabran High School

Connection to culture & identity

My culture has always played an important role in my life and helped anchor me. When I am delivering my writing piece in front of an audience or supporting other peers to be confident in who they are and their identity, I am honoring the steps my family and community have taken in the past to get me to where I am today.

When younger students see another peer speaking up, achieving their goals and becoming a leader, they realize that there are endless possibilities for them and can see themselves achieving the same.

What I've learned and where I'm heading

I want to become a social work and support others, I have a passion for helping and giving back, as well as knowing the importance of how we all play a role in creating safe and supportive communities. I am guided by my culture and family, and want to build my career out based on that and where I can advocate for others to make a positive difference.

Find out more

If you’re interested in learning more about High Potential and Gifted Education you can have a conversation with your school or check out the Advice for parents and carers of high potential and gifted students.