News & Events
Young Indigenous leaders recognised with Young, Black and Proud Scholarships 2019
This year we received a record number of applications and awarded 60 scholarships to help young mob pursue their dreams. We award scholarships in the artistic, sporting, education and training fields.
We also partnered with the Queensland Family & Child Commission (QFFC) for another year. With their funding, we were able to continue to offer the program statewide.
Academic Category Winners
Najwa Adams
At 16, Birri Gubba girl Najwa dreams to be a professional dancer one day and is studying towards this goal. Najwa loves to dance, tap, jazz, classic ballet and hip-hop to name a few. She hopes to be an inspiration to other girls so that they also strive to achieve great things in their lives.
Shania Buyong
Shania has recently relocated to the Sunshine Coast from Cairns, away from family and friends, to study Occupational Therapy at university. She was an Indigenous leader throughout high school, which shaped her identity in the community and also gave her confidence. Shania is using her funds to purchase her required textbooks and study materials.
Mardie Cook
Mardie is a 13-year-old from Thursday Island loves athletics. Aside from his success on the track he also hopes to become an architect when he finishes high school. He has moved to the Gold Coast to better his education opportunities and is already excelling in mathematics, joining the Academic Excellence program. His funds will go towards covering his school fees, uniforms and programs.
Simon Davis
24-year-old Kalkadoon man Simon is studying a dual degree in Dental Technology and Prosthetics. His long-term goals after completing his studies are to work in Indigenous communities to promote general and oral health. He also enjoys volunteering and has worked in high-school re-engagement programs.
Laquisha Fell-Gela
Born and raised on Thursday Island, Laquisha wants to graduate with a high ATAR score and study medicine. Laquisha is currently studying her Certificate II in Health Support Services at TAFE and she also hopes to bring qualifications back to the Thursday Island community. Her Young, Black and Proud Scholarship means she can now keep up with her studies and the necessary requirements for that field of work including CPR.
Jaye Garthwaite
23-year-old Jaye is working fulltime in community organisations, including HeadSpace. She is also working to improve the lives of our young people living with mental health. Her dream is to continue supporting her local community to help people through their life journey, and to do that Jaye is using her scholarship funds to help cover the cost of her Diploma in Community Services.
Gabriel Geesu
16-year-old Gabriel from Palm Island is currently studying his Certificate in Construction and Certificate II in Engineering. His ultimate goal is to get an apprenticeship in carpentry and he would also like to one day own his own business and employ his own apprentices. Gabriel is a member of his college’s Indigenous Dance Troupe which has enabled him to be a leader for young male Aboriginal students.
Latrell Graham
14-year-old Latrell from Mundubbera has overcome some tough health hurdles, but he is still tackling life with amazing drive. He remains committed to his studies and love of sport despite his current inability to play. Latrell is also looking forward to his new future goal of joining either the Army or the Police force. His funds will be going towards school fees, uniforms and leadership camps.
Dylan Holley
Proud Kooma man, Dylan is currently studying to complete his Certificate II in Meat Processing and also currently works in a butcher shop. Dylan hopes becoming qualified will allow him to take on managerial positions in the future. With many other certificates and qualifications under Dylan’s belt he also hopes to finalise his current study soon.
Jack Kelly
Jack is a young Iningai man who is passionate about sports and education. He is currently completing his 4th year of a Bachelors in Secondary Education/ Exercise Science. Jack has an amazing end career goal of helping young indigenous students and also implementing outreach programs into remote schools to better the level of education available. He is also intending to complete his studies before embarking on his Masters in Educational Leadership.
Laura Levinge
Laura received many academic awards while a student at Riverside Christian College. She is studying a Bachelor of Nursing and Paramedicine and also recently enjoyed her placement at Mungindi Hospital. Her goal is to become a paramedic in a rural or remote community such as Thursday Island. She also currently provides respite care to a young woman with a disability.
Alicia McBride
Alicia’s story of achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication, despite the challenges she has faced. She has dedicated herself to improving her grades and is now receiving A’s and B’s across all schooling subjects after previous struggles. Alicia has also taken on tutoring and the scholarship to help keep her on track toward her goal of becoming a veterinarian.
Cher-Kirrah McCullagh
Cher-Kirrah is passionate about her community, her culture and her future. Having completed her school-based training, she also currently volunteers within the Brisbane Murri Elders Community Group. She is dedicated towards connecting the gap between young Indigenous people and their Elders and also increasing the learning of culture and identity of mob. Cher-Kirrah will be using her funds to implement a program which aims to better the lives of Indigenous young people.
Samantha Ningiga
Samantha is a 16-year-old Wulgurukaba girl who enjoys playing rugby league, cooking and also spending time with her family. One of Sam’s greatest achievements is gaining her Certificate III in Assistant in Nursing Traineeship. She hopes to continue working her way to becoming a registered nurse, and then a doctor.
Maidie Page
Maidie is a young Butchulla woman working in business administration. As the oldest sister in her family, Maidie is working to mentor her younger siblings through life to also help them succeed. She is currently studying her Certificate III in Business Administration and the Young, Black and Proud Scholarship will help her cover the cost of her future education.
Jalara Wagner
Jalara descends from the Gimuy-Wallubara Yidinji mob who’s been heavy into her sport from a young age which also inspired her passion for Sport and Exercise Science. She has represented her clubs in in many sports and is now studying her bachelor’s degree to give back to her fitness community. Jalara wants to combine teaching and fitness and also work with Indigenous young people. Her plan is to use her scholarship to help with her continued education.
Jonathan Webster
16-year-old Jonathan is currently a student at the Technical College in Townsville and is also hoping to be a mechanic when he graduates from his course. He would also like to turn his learner’s licence into P plates so he can independently drive to work.
Arts Category Winners
Mieka Dos Remedios
7-year-old Mieka is a Dunghutti girl who likes swimming, dancing, practicing aerial skills, and playing violin. Mieka has been selected to play violin with the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra and also dances with Dance Energy. She dreams of being able to dance with the Bangarra Dance Theatre when she is older.
Ailia Dow
Ailia is only 12 and is already smashing her dancing goals! She dreams one day to be a professional ballerina and we have no doubt that we will see her names in lights one day. Ailia is a Torres Strait Islander descendant who is also using her Young, Black and Proud Scholarship for her Queensland Ballet auditions.
Sophia Eurell
Sophia, 13, is a proud Kombumerri girl. She is a soprano singer, can play the flute, and is learning to play the guitar. She is also a member of the Yugembah Youth Choir. She loves singing in language and has performed at the Commonwealth Games and Indigenous All-Stars NRL Game. Her goal is to become a musical theatre performer and wants to continue to use her skills to also share her language.
Rasheedah Gregory
14-year-old Rasheedah is from Mornington Island and she finds her confidence through painting. Having already sold some of her paintings, Rasheedah is also working towards furthering her education and bettering her artistic skills. Rasheedah has just picked up a Young, Black and Proud Scholarship to keep her skills in the arts growing.
Jessica Moore
Jessica, 16, is a Gunggari and Gubbi Gubbi girl. She is an aspiring professional dancer and believes you should ‘never miss a chance to dance’. She also volunteers from South West Indigenous Network (SWIN) and enjoys assisting with community events such as NAIDOC.
Lelamay Murdoch
Lelamay is a Wakka Wakka descendent with an artistic flare. She is focused on finishing high school while she continues to improve her art skills. Lelamay also hopes to one day being able to sell her work which so many people are already enjoying. She is also a 2019 Young, Black and Proud recipient who is using her funds to attend some in-depth art classes.
Jody Rallah
A peer mentor for first year university students and a member of Digi Youth Arts sees Jody work with and inspire many young people. Jody is graduating from university this year and is also working on a project that involves community as a showcase for her local community. With a Young, Black and Proud Scholarship under her belt, Jody will be able to see this artwork come to life.
Arabella Starr
Arabella has some amazing goals of pursuing her artistic dreams of becoming a photographer while also working towards becoming a nurse. She is inspired by remembering the spirit of her late nan who said, “you have the gift for finding magic through a lens”. Arabella is using her scholarship to develop her skills through several courses.
Bryson Stengel-Moore
At just 9 years old young Bryson would like to become a doctor or a teacher. Bryson is focusing his time on developing his skills in soccer, basketball and also playing the violin. He is a Young, Black and Proud Scholarship winner who is using his funds for intensive violin lessons.
Lilly Trevor
Lily is a proud Wulgurukaba and Erub Islander descendant from Townsville. She is a strong environmental advocate and is a part of the Reef Guardians Group. She also volunteers her spare time to reef restoration projects, Clean Up Australia Day and learning more about turtle rehabilitation projects at Reef HQ in Townsville. Not only this, Lily is also a budding actress with dreams to attend the National Institute of Dramatic. Lily is using her scholarship funds to further her education.
Aisha Yeatman
Aisha is on her way to a brilliant singing career, after being selected from Brisbane auditions as a featured vocalist for five songs in Education Queensland’s Creative Generation. Her dream is be in Broadway shows like The Lion King and she also hope to record her own album. She wants to share songs about living in Yarrabah community, her culture and Indigenous identity.
Sports Category Winners
Jordan Bliss
Jordan, 16, is a Kodal clan girl who enjoys playing basketball, hockey and touch football. She has also represented Queensland in hockey and hopes to play for Australia. Jordan’s goal is to make the 2020 Australian Futures with her hockey and then progress to play for the Hockeyroos at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. She would also like to go to university to become a Physiotherapist.
Akaysia Boyle
Akaysia is an amazing 13-year-old netball player and also a member of the under 14 Budgies Indigenous Netball team. She competed at the International Netball festival on the Gold Coast in July 2019 and also hopes to combine her love for sport with future studies in either physiotherapy or health.
Bella Challenor
Year 5 student, Bella already has her focus set on studying veterinary Science, teaching or medicine. She keeps busy by participating in sport in her local community. Bella has represented her school in soccer, rugby league and also cross country. She has recently won a Young, Black and Proud Scholarship to help cover the costs of sporting carnivals.
Ezekiel Clark
Wangkamahdla boy Ezekiel, 17, loves playing rugby league and watching the NRL. After completing Year 12 Ezekiel would like to return to his community to get a traineeship in mining or an apprenticeship in carpentry. He also enjoys volunteering and being involved in school activities as much as possible.
Kirralee Costelloe
17-year-old, Mandandanji girl Kirralee is a keen touch football and AFL player and also currently plays in the NRL Touch Premiership Competition for the North QLD Cowboys. Kirralee is also working towards balancing her elite sporting career with tertiary studies in sports science or physiotherapy. She also enjoys being involved in local fund-raisers and is seen as a leader by her peers.
Timothy Doll
Timmy is a young Ngarrindjen lad from Kirwan who has recently been selected for the North Queensland Hockey under 11 team and the North Queensland Cross Country championships in Toowoomba.
Riley Eggmolesse
Yidinjdi, Mbabaram, Kalkadoon and Waanyi boy, Riley, is an 11-year-old boy who enjoys hanging out with friends, spending time with family, going out bush, fishing, camping, singing and also playing sports. Riley’s dreams of playing in the NRL professionally. His goals are to continue working towards getting good grades at school and also being the best possible House Captain and School Council member.
Jace Fraser
Jace’s achievements include competing in the Queensland State School Championships for soccer and AFL and being selected in the U14 First Nations Soccer Team competing against New Zealand Maori’s team last year. He also misses Doomadgee where he’s from but returns often to run soccer clinics to help other children improve their sporting abilities.
Matthew Gorry
Matthew has been selected in the Oceania Australian Para Team to compete as a Para T20 athlete in Townsville. He loves athletics and has also won silver and gold medals at National Athletics and Cross-country Championship between 2016 to 2018. Matthew was also selected for the State Swimming Squad in 2016 and 2017 and competed for Queensland in the Arafura Games in Darwin this year. He aims to qualify for the Tokyo Para Olympic Games in 2020.
Meghan Guthrie-Quinn
From swimming to violin to cheerleading, young Meghan does it all. She is a three-time state champion across several strokes for her age group. With a 2019 Young, Black and Proud Scholarship Meghan will also now be able to complete at a national level for swimming.
Aaliyah Gyemore
Aaliyah is a 15-year-old Gungalu girl who loves to play touch footy, rugby league, and rugby union. Her goal is to become a Park Ranger like her dad and also work on Gungalu traditional lands. She likes being a positive role model in her community by passing on what she has learnt from her Elders, Aunties and Uncles. Aaliyah also wants to continue to practice her art skills so she can become a known local artist.
Jordell Hopkins
Jordell has a dream that he will become an NRL player, and he is well on his way. For two years, he played in under 11 and under 12s for the Toowoomba Clydesdales and in April, he was also approached by a Brisbane Broncos’ scout and a representative from the Gold Coast Titans! He is a proud member of his community and has also danced in the Wilga Brolgas for school celebrations.
Brooklyn Ivey
Brooklyn, a 12-year-old Undanbi, Wiradjuri and Birra Gubba boy has a passion for sport, but his favourite is Rugby League. He is looking forward to travelling the State representing North Queensland in the Under 12’s Ruby League Schoolboys Team. Brooklyn also dreams of playing in the NRL one day.
Isaac King
Isaac is currently ranked 8th across Queensland for his age group, and his performance at recent tournaments has also progressed him into some new competitions. He is a 2019 Young, Black and Proud recipient who will be using his funds to cover the cost of tournaments. If you’re around the Sunshine Coast you also might spot Isaac at your local Bunnings where he volunteers for his club to raise funds for maintenance of the courts.
Callum Lavelle
14 year old Waka Waka boy Callum has a keen interest in sport and enjoys Muay Thai and Outrigger Canoeing. He has also been training hard in the hopes of getting to the World Sprint Titles in 2020 for his canoeing. After high school, Callum wants to go to university to study Engineering, and also own his own business.
Hamish Lavelle
Hamish, 14 is a proud Waka Waka lad. He also participates in Mauy Thai, Karate, and Outrigging. Hamish hopes to represent Australia in the world title sprints for outrigging in 2020 in Hawaii. After finishing school, Hamish would also like to go on to study at university as his career goal is to become a barrister.
Bella Mahoney
Bella is a 14-year-old Bundjalung girl with a passion for football. She dreams of being an Australian Touch Football Player and travel the world playing the sport. Bella is also a gifted violinist and plays in her high school’s string orchestra. She also wants to study law and become a prosecuting criminal lawyer after graduating high school.
Sam Morgan
As an avid sportsman, Sam is setting his sights on studying sports nutrition and sports psychology when he graduates from school. A current athletics superstar, community role model and also peer mentor, Sam is kicking goals. He has been awarded a Young, Black and Proud Scholarship to help him continue with his sporting commitments at both a school, district and state level.
Orlana Morgan
Orlana is an 11-year-old girl with ties to the Morgan and Penny mobs. She is a keen gymnast and her favourite apparatus is the floor exercise, as she gets to leap, jump and fly high. Orlana dreams of competing in gymnastics nationally and is also working hard with training to achieve this goal. She enjoys getting involved with her community through school activities and fundraisers.
Flora Nona
Flora is from Badu Island in the Torres Strait. She recently moved to Townsville as she wants to better her education for her future dreams of attending university to study either teaching, nursing or social work. Flora plays on many school teams across touch football, basketball, netball and also rugby. Flora was recently selected to play in the North Queensland rugby league team and is also looking to use her scholarship funds to help cover the cost of her sporting fees.
Tyrone Owen
Tyron is a 13-year-old Butchulla/Badtjala boy who enjoys being involved with the Deadly Boxing Academy. He dreams of one day walking out at the Commonwealth Games or Olympic Games carrying the Aboriginal flag, showing the world how proud he is to be an Aboriginal man, and also to ‘show that the statistics and stereotypes do not define us and our people’.
Jasmine Peters
Jasmine’s sporting achievements list goes on and on. A Rugby League Queensland Academy of Sport representative, under 18 Origin Squad member and a Queensland Athletics representative is just some of the many achievements to her name. Jasmine also hopes to take her skills to the top and one day play Rugby 7’s at the highest level. Her Young, Black and Proud Scholarship is also going to help cover the costs of the associated trials, carnivals and clinics.
Kailu Phineasa
Kailu has played a lot of sport since he was six years old, but mostly rugby league and rugby union. He’s also good at both, playing for his school and in the Mackay Junior Rugby League. Kailu has also been selected to play in the NQ Rugby League Championships and the CQ Bushrangers Team. He also aims to be a coach working with Indigenous kids.
Lily-Rose Quinlan
Lily-Rose dreams about playing netball or rugby league for Australia and exploring the world. She played in the NSW Indigenous Netball team for two years and was also selected to the Australian Indigenous Budgies Team. Lily-Rose has just gained entry to the Girls Academy at Keebra Park State High School. She will also play Rugby League in the Titans Cup and also the Karen Murphy Cup.
Dominique Sandow
Dominque is a young Biggabul and Gungaloo descendant who has joined the Broncos Development Squad. He is a committed role model for his community. The Young, Black and Proud Scholarship will support some of cost associated with playing representative sport.
Heidi Talbot
AFL, hockey, cross country, track and field… the list goes on for 13-year-old Heidi. An Ait Kedal Clan descendent, Heidi recently won (and set the record) for the Peninsula cross country trials. She has a big goal of one day playing for the AFL Women’s league or representing her country at the Olympics in track and field or hockey. Heidi’s scholarship funds are also going towards the registration fees.
Dallas Upkett
Dallas is a young 14-year-old from Ebbw Vale who is a 2019 Young, Black and Proud recipient. He is working hard at school, managing some learning challenges which he is not letting get the better of him. A star on the sports field with football and basketball, Dallas is going to use his scholarship to cover the costs of his local basketball club where he can keep developing his skills.
Larroy-Charles Watson
13 Year old Leeroy is a KukyyaJangi, Wakka Wakka, Kullilli and Birri-Gubbi boy who enjoys playing basketball. His goal is to play basketball professionally and be in the NBA and represent Australian in the sport at the Commonwealth and Olympic games. Leeroy wants to grow up to be the best person possible and be a proud Aboriginal man achieving his dreams.
ATSICHS hosted an official presentation for the recipients at the Queensland Museum. Special guests Ms Jody Currie, Honourable Yvette D’ath MP Attorrney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr Phillip Brooks joined us. Also joining were Ms Cheryl Vardon and our MC Mr Chris Tamoy.
Congrats to these deadly young mob for their drive and determination to follow their dreams for the future.
Check out the video and photos below!
Keep your eyes on our application page for your opportunity to apply next year.
