Stories

How a Cape York Leaders Program scholar is going from big sister to future nurse.  From an early age, Kishtarna Minniecon has always put others first. Compassion and care come naturally. These qualities have shaped her daily life and her dreams for the future.  Growing up in Bamaga as the eldest sibling, Kishtarna was always […]

For 15-year-old Sylis Ahmat, the future is something you can build with your own two hands.  A proud young man from Weipa, Sylis is in Year 10 and part of the Cape York Leaders Program (CYLP), living and studying in Brisbane at Marist College Ashgrove. Soft-spoken and steady, he keeps his focus clear.  “I like […]

Chasten’s mission to tell the stories that matter  For Chasten Yeatman, filmmaking isn’t just a creative outlet, it’s a powerful tool for cultural truth-telling.  The 20-year-old Yarrabah man is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Film and Screen, at QUT. But his passion for storytelling began much earlier, back in high school, […]

How one brother’s example sparked a young scholars leadership journey  When Hope Vale’s Makenzie Bowen first arrived at Marist College Ashgrove as a Year 7 student, he wasn’t alone. His older brother, Dwayne, had already blazed the trail with a Cape York Leaders Program (CYLP) scholarship. His brother’s presence made those early days easier but […]

With a mix of nerves and excitement, Year 7 student Jahleriah left her family in Hope Vale to begin boarding at Stuartholme School in Brisbane through the Cape York Leaders Program.  “Wow, this is a big school, this is a big city,” were her first words stepping onto campus.   Reflecting on her first days, she […]

For Year 9 student Ava Pensio, water has always been a place of calm and connection. Growing up in Cooktown, weekends meant snorkelling, spearfishing and soaking in the world beneath the surface.  The transition to boarding school at St Peter’s Lutheran College in Brisbane brought a different kind of deep dive into independence, responsibility and […]

Celebrating 20 Years of the Cape York Leaders Program in Townsville On Wulgurukaba and Bindal Country, Townsville, Cape York Leaders Program (CYLP) marked a powerful milestone of 20 years shaping futures, strengthening culture and building leaders. Bringing together students, parents, schools, alumni and staff in the region, the room was filled with pride as generations […]

Hezra Rankin’s journey with CYLP has only just begun  Exchanging family fishing trips with the bustling streets of Brisbane and the study that comes with it at Marist College Ashgrove wasn’t easy for Hope Vale’s Hezra Rankin, but with with courage, consistency and the support of the Cape York Leaders Program (CYLP), he’s making the […]

Year 9 student Chanae Cannon still calls Hope Vale home, yet after two years at St Peter’s Lutheran College in Brisbane, her weeks follow a rhythm far removed from the Cape’s easy flow.  Boarding life is “way more planned out,” according to Chanae. “You kind of know what’s going to happen – there’s always a […]

How Desmond Bowen is making the most of boarding school, both in class and on the field.