Follow the Dream Carnarvon celebrates 15 years of academic excellence

Follow the Dream Carnarvon celebrated 15 years of fostering academic excellence in Aboriginal students at the Gwoonwardu Mia-Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage and Cultural Centre last Thursday. Run through Carnarvon Community College, the program offers Aboriginal students tutoring, extracurricular activities, career counselling and mentorship, all while actively celebrating Aboriginal culture. Program co-ordinator Mimi Fong said: “Follow The Dream plays a vital role in the educational journey of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. “The impact on our students’ academic achievement is clear, but more importantly, the program plays a key role in supporting our students as young people and creating a space and culture for them to thrive and grow.” Around 120 parents, students, program leaders, sponsors and teachers attended to celebrate Follow the Dream’s anniversary, and several students received awards. Carnarvon Community College student and Follow the Dream Year 6 Dux Alyssa Latham, 12, was presented with an academic excellence award by Member for North West Central Vince Catania. Founded in 2005, the program is funded and supported by Rio Tinto Dampier Salt, the WA Department of Education, and the Polly Farmer Foundation. Several representatives from each group attended the event. General manager operations at Rio Tinto Dampier Salt Brendon Brodie-Hall said the program was vital in supporting young Aboriginal people not only in Carnarvon but across WA to reach their potential. “We are incredibly proud of our long-term partnership with the Polly Farmer Foundation in Carnarvon,” he said.