First students from NRL Cowboys House attend James Cook Uni

Three students from remote Aboriginal communities are the first graduates from NRL Cowboys House in Townsville to be accepted to study at James Cook University.

Ataya Pearson, 18, Mara Sewter, 19, and Nahlani Ah Kit, 18, with NRL Cowboys House career transition officers Karl Adams and Antonio Winterstein at James Cook University. The girls will be the home's first graduates to attend university.

THREE students from remote Aboriginal communities are the first graduates from NRL Cowboys House in Townsville to be accepted to study at James Cook University.

It is an opportunity which might not otherwise have been possible and one which is hoped will be repeated many times, giving hope to others to follow in their footsteps.

Nahlani Ah Kit, 18, from Mornington Island wants to undertake a degree in physiotherapy after completing a Diploma in Higher Education entrance course.

She said she never thought going to university would be an option for her.

She wanted to “give a shout out to Cowboys House for giving me this opportunity and pushing me to be the best that I can be”.

Ataya Pearson, 18, Mara Sewter, 19, and Nahlani Ah Kit, 18, check out the James Cook University campus where they will be studying this year.

“I feel excited and nervous at the same time,” Nahlani said.

The other two trailblazers are Mara Sewter, 19, also of Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and Ataya Pearson, 18, from the Yarrabah Aboriginal community south of Cairns.

Ms Pearson is studying a Bachelor of Business and Ms Sewter wants to undertake nursing after completing a Diploma of Higher Education.

They have all completed their high school education at Townsville schools by living at NRL Cowboys House in Pimlico.

NRL Cowboys House career transitions officer Antonio Winterstein said they were very proud to see the boarding facility’s first graduates attend university.

Other graduates from 2020 had been accepted into the Navy, gained apprenticeships and traineeships or taken other employment.

If it were not for the Cowboys House program, it would have made the path way for these students a lot more difficult, Mr Winterstein said.

“I think not only does it benefit the students’ lives, I think it’s made a big difference back home in their communities. They are great role models for their peers in the communities,” the former Cowboys winger said.

Mr Winterstein said it had taken a lot of courage for the students to move away from their families at such a young age.

NRL Cowboys House provides supported accommodation for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from some of North Queensland’s most remote and educationally disadvantaged communities. It was opened in 2017 and now has about 100 enrolments.

Originally published as First students from NRL Cowboys House attend James Cook Uni