On Thursday 1 September, our Blak Excellence lunch was held at The Ville Resort-Casino, which was an aspirational afternoon for Townsville Catholic Education’s graduating First Nations Year 12 students. The afternoon was hosted by the Emerging Leaders Incentive Scheme which is a Federally Funded Project facilitated by Townsville Catholic Education.  

 Blak Excellence was held prior to the Year 12 Graduation Liturgy rite of passage at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.

We believe 'you can't become what you don't see’, and want our students to spend time in the presence of exceptional Aboriginal and Torres Strait people who are successfully walking in two worlds. 
Over 120 students attended the special event. We invited a group of people who represent ‘Blak Excellence’ in their field who shared their stories, and pathways to success and provided advice to these students as they embark on their post-school journeys. 

The afternoon included speeches from Hans Pearson who was the lead applicant in the historic QLD Government Stolen Wages lawsuit. There was also a panel discussion about success and overcoming obstacles from five deadly Indigenous people and our fantastic MC was Tristan Nelliman-Adams.  

It was a truly inspirational afternoon for all who attended! 

A good quality education lays the foundation for success in life. Individuals who successfully complete Year 12 studies are more likely to find employment when they leave school.

Since the commencement of the Emerging Leaders Incentive Scheme, over 1,700 students have been invested in achieving academic growth and increasing their personal engagement levels.

According to the 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) the Highest Year of High School completed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 20 years and over in QLD is 36.6%

Furthermore, nationally in 2016, 42.3 % of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–34 years had completed non-school qualifications of Certificate III or above.

Townsville Catholic Education is committed to Indigenous Education and ensuring students have access to culture, role models and truth telling within their schools.

*Blak is a term which is used to distinguish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity from skin colour. It is also an expression of self-determination.