Meet the 14 TGS students with big plans to change the world
Whether they are flourishing in the arts, kicking goals in sport, excelling academically or making a significant impact on their community, here are the Toowoomba Grammar students with bright futures ahead.
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Every student has the ability to change the world in their own way, and for these senior high school students who are just shy of graduating from Toowoomba Grammar School (TGS), they aim to have an impact on their community.
Whether they are flourishing in the arts, kicking goals in sport, excelling academically or making a significant impact on their community, here are 14 students with bright futures ahead.
Charlie Horn, 18
Some people think rugby union is nothing more than a sport, but for the Horn family, playing the game on the Toowoomba Grammar School oval has become a sacred family tradition.
Following in the footsteps of his dad, Charlie Horn was selected for the school’s First XV squad last year and was elected captain of the team this year.
Since the Year 12 graduate enrolled at the school in 2017 and substituted league for union, he has worked tirelessly to achieve both goals.
“My dad has always played rugby union and he actually played for the school too, which made it all the more special (when I was named captain),” Charlie said.
Some of the second row forward’s biggest highlights were receiving the Toughness and Commitment award this year and claiming a win in the historic clash against Downlands College in the 2022 O’Callaghan Cup.
Originally from Northern NSW, Charlie is also a boarding student and while he loves returning home to visit family, he has never really struggled with home sickness.
With his high school graduation fast approaching, Charlie said he plans to relocate to North Queensland to do some farm work next year.
Following the gap year, his plans are to return to the footy field and study agricultural science and business management.
“The school’s motto talks about building a good character and it doesn’t matter who you are, Grammar helps shape every boy to become a better person and to get them every opportunity,” Charlie said.
Jamie O’Shea, 17
For as long as he can remember, Jamie O’Shea was watching the country tennis tournaments from the sidelines in his hometown of Goondiwindi.
His passion for the sport only intensified when he picked up his first racquet at the age of seven and began training with a professional coach.
After battling it out on the court with several competitive Brisbane schools, Jamie said Grammar’s First IV’s team delivered plenty of upsets throughout the 2022 season.
Next June, the aspiring tennis player intends to attend a college in America and pursue the sport professionally, with scouts currently on the lookout for talent.
Inspired by professional Austrian player Dominic Thiem for always remaining cool, calm and collected, Jamie said he tries to apply those qualities to his own game.
Despite many professional athletes making headlines for struggling with the pressure, the high school senior believes he’s found a strategy to overcome it.
“This year particularly has really taught me to stay calm and focused during a game and I’ll definitely be taking that over to America with me,” he said.
“It’s pretty cool to be pursuing something that I love overseas.”
The Year 12 student said while it was a tricky adjustment period moving away from home to board, it made it all the more sweeter to reunite with family on holidays and weekends.
Henry MacFarlane, 17
Before he started high school, running was barely on Henry MacFarlane’s radar, but after winning a few races, he thought he’d give it a shot.
Now it has become his biggest passion with a record time of 11.1 seconds for the 100m sprint and a flat 23 seconds for the 200m.
Paying credit to his school coaching team, Henry said they offer him motivation, advice to maintain a life balance and support to overcome injuries such as shin splints.
“It’s all kind of a blur in the moment, but stepping over that finish line, you get this feeling of relief but also a bit of a thrill,” he said.
“Sportsmanship to me is really important, so I always make sure I go over to shake the other boy’s hands no matter the result.”
After deferring his offer to study psychology at university, Henry plans to take a gap year to focus on training and consider all his options.
He hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of one of the school’s coaches by entering the World Junior Championships in athletics.
And when it comes to the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, Henry said he’d “give it a shot.”
Darcy Schmidt, 17
Report cards have never been an issue for A-grade student Darcy Schmidt, who was at the top of his maths, physics, engineering and ancient history subjects.
The Year 12 student said his most memorable achievement at school was receiving the second placed award for academics in his year level.
“I find physics really interesting, but I’ve been pretty focused on the academic side of school since primary school,” Darcy said.
“(My parents) stopped worrying about my report card pretty quickly.”
But when Darcy isn’t studying, he’s often completing projects in the woodworking shed of his family home in Kaimkillenbun.
Keen to make an impact, the high school student invented a timber bee box to relocate bees safely and received the school’s Young Creator Award for his efforts.
The boxes will soon also be available for beekeepers to purchase.
Darcy said he selected engineering as his first preference at The University of Queensland, a degree he hopes to commence next year with the intention to specialise in mining.
“There are a lot of jobs in mining engineering, but I like that there’s variety … you get to do half your work outside and then head back inside for the rest.”
Dan DaSilva, 18
Few teenagers can say they’ve sailed across the state, speak multiple languages and have been appointed the highest rank in the Australian Army Cadets program, but Dan DaSilva can.
The senior day prefect was named year 11 dux for achieving a GPA of 14.67 out of 15, as well as the school’s Belford Prize for scholarship, leadership and sport and activities.
He has also achieved the highest cadet rank of CUO after being enrolled in the program since he started high school.
But being selected for the Young Endeavour program, which involves 24 young Australians sailing from Brisbane to Gladstone for 11 days, is definitely one of his most memorable achievements.
“Young Endeavour worked in conjunction with cadets as a really tangible and well respected form of leadership in the community,” Dan said.
While he excels in many subjects, his favourites are French and Japanese.
Next year, Dan plans to take a gap year and work on a cattle station in the small town of Injune and use the funds he earns to travel to Europe and Thailand.
When he returns, Dan plans to enrol in a dual degree of law and the arts, majoring in social relations and French at The University of Queensland, followed by a diploma in Arabic.
“I’m leaning towards a career in international relations or the international diplomacy space and languages will definitely help with that kind of work,” he said.
“Linguistics are not as common as people being good at STEM subjects, so I think having that will open a lot of doors for me, especially French and Arabic because those languages are spoken across Europe and Africa.”
And you can’t knock his commitment. The 18-year-old who wanted to participate in a new sport every semester, missed out on an entire rugby season, after breaking his nose during the first game.
Rufaro Zimbwa, 17
Balancing life priorities has always been a challenge for Rufaro Zimbwa and understandably so, with his large list of interests and skills.
Born in Wales, he was naturally a big football fan until he moved to Australia with his family in 2012 and discovered his love for basketball.
Forced to choose between the two, he reluctantly made his choice, joined the school’s basketball team and he’s never looked back.
Rufaro who is the team captain said the biggest highlight during his time at Toowoomba Grammar was being part of the school’s first team to win the premiership in history.
“It was unreal and I couldn’t think of a better way to end my basketball career and high school journey,” he said.
The Philadelphia 76ers fan said he tries to incorporate skills from different professional players but ultimately considers Russell Westbrook one of the best.
Rufaro who plays point guard and shooting guard positions on the court, is also a drummer who plays in the school’s RnB and Big Bands.
The music lover who has been playing since he was seven, said he plays everything from Stevie Wonder and AC/DC to RnB hits.
“I was always quite an active child and tapping along to something, so it was probably a good thing my parents bought me a drum set,” Rufaro said.
“I’ve had to balance my life a lot with everything I do, but I wouldn’t change anything if I had my time again.”
The 17-year-old is looking at pursuing medicine at either James Cook, Bond or Griffith University and said while he hopes to continue playing basketball, he’s not sure if he’ll be able to bring his entire drum kit with him.
Tom Bragg, 18
Making a difference has always been something Tom Bragg has been passionate about, so being elected as president of the Interact Club this year was a well-deserved title.
The 18-year-old student first joined the school-based club when he was in year 10 because he wanted to contribute to helping the community.
Voted in by his peers, the president has executed several fundraising campaigns this year and raised hundreds for Legacy, The Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave, Clean Up Australia Day and the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service.
His proudest moment in leading the club was the efforts made to sponsor a child from Tanzania.
“To get the presidency role was a big honour and something I’m very proud of,” Tom said.
“There’s a bit of pressure because everyone has chosen you to do a job, but it means they’ve also put their trust in you and that means a lot to me.”
Excelling in French and Japanese, Tom said having teachers who were both supportive and passionate about the subjects made it all the more worth while.
He was also accepted for early entry into The Australian National University in Canberra, where he will be doing a dual degree in international security studies and languages.
While Tom is still considering his future career plans, he hopes to work in a diplomacy role for the government.
He also plans to join a service committee and continue his volunteering work in Canberra.
Tom Walker, 17
Participation and leadership are two qualities which hold significant value to Tom Walker.
Taking his role as prefect seriously, Tom said he felt privileged to be elected for the position and has enjoyed being a positive influence on younger students.
“I’ve loved doing my bit to lead the school and it’s really taught me you don’t have to be the biggest voice in the room to be a good leader,” he said.
The year 12 student said his advice for younger students was to participate in as many areas at school as possible, because the more you took part, the more you get out of the experience.
Covering every basis in the service, sport and academic areas, Tom has been an active member in the Interact Club for two years and has given it his all on the cross country, cricket and football fields.
Excelling in his mathematical methods, physics and engineering school subjects, the year 12 student hopes to pursue a career in mechanical engineering.
After completing work experience at an irrigation company, he discovered his passion for the industry and hopes to study engineering and business management in Brisbane.
Next year Tom will be taking a gap year to work on a cattle station.
Doug Ahern, 18
A strong advocate for inclusion, Doug Ahern has dedicated his schooling journey to creating a safe space for others.
This desire was formed when he saw his older brother take part in the Modified Rugby Program which teaches children living with disabilities to play rugby, build social skills and offer support.
Following in his brother’s footsteps, Doug has been involved with the program since he was in grade 7 and started out as a mentor before progressing into the role of coach two years ago.
“I used to come and watching the sessions and thought it was so fantastic – I couldn’t wait to start at Grammar so I could do program,” he said.
“For about three years I mentored this one participant and even now when I see him, he still comes up and gives me a massive hug – it’s just the greatest feeling in the world to know you’ve made such an impact on someone.”
The prefect has also fulfilled the leadership role of the school’s Acceptance Group, which supports students from several different minority groups including race, religion, culture and the LGBTIQA+ community.
This year, Doug also founded the Humanity Alliance Group with his peer, to discuss and implement strategies to further improve inclusion.
Next year, Doug will move to the coastal Bundaberg town of Bargara to work as a bartender and save for a six-month-long trip he has planned in the Northern Territory.
The following year, he has his sights set on pursuing a career in law and studying at The University of Queensland.
Archie Lord, 18
When Archie Lord discovered he had been voted in as school captain (senior prefect), he was mixed with different emotions.
Proud to represent the school he loved, but nervous by what his senior year had in store, with the added pressure to lead the school.
But as time went on and with the support of his teachers, principal and cohort, Archie quickly grew to love everything about the role.
“(Being voted senior prefect) really showed that everyone believed in me to do this and that really helped,” he said.
“My greatest achievement has been to represent the blue and gold and it has really broadened my perspective of leadership.”
When the head boy isn’t fulfilling his duties or studying, he can be found volunteering with the Interact Club, where he holds the position of vice president.
After initially considering a career in medicine, Archie has instead decided to enrol in engineering for his love of design and has a particular interest in chemical or civil.
Heading to The University of Queensland, he will be staying at the university’s residential building St Johns College, where several TGS old boys have also stayed while studying.
His biggest tip for next year’s senior class is to stay organised and manage time wisely.
Ryan Murphy, 17
Ryan Murphy was born to perform.
Whether it’s singing, acting or dancing, the arts prefect has showcased his variety of skills on the stage of his school and several community theatres over the years.
From playing Sammy in TGS’ production of The Wedding Singer to Claude Frollo in The Choral Society’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, his growing resume is varied.
Dedicating an estimated 12 hours a week to his co-curricular activities, Ryan said while he busy schedule can be “pretty full on”, it doesn’t feel like work when he’s doing what he loves.
And despite his years of experience, the triple threat who can sing, act and dance, the talented performer still gets nervous to this day.
“For me, I channel that nervous energy into something exciting and I find the more nervous I am before I go on stage, the better my performance is,” Ryan said.
“The best feeling I’ve ever felt is that moment when you’re up on stage and you enter for the first time or when you’re taking a final bow after the show.”
The Dance Central student loves ballet, jazz, hip-hop and tap and secured a place on the studio’s semi-professional squad this year.
With the dream of exploring a career in musical theatre or acting, Ryan has applied at prestigious performing art colleges across the country including the WAAPA and VCA.
Gabe Donaldson, 18
Ever since he was a young child, Gabe Donaldson knew he wanted to write.
Initially, he wanted to become an author but soon discovered his true passion for screen and playwriting.
So after three years of writing his own play called Greek Mythology For Millennials, it was a dream come true when the production featured on the Armitage Centre stage of the Empire Theatre in June.
The comedy follows Zeus who discovers he doesn’t have a god of technology and sends a group of heroes on a quest to prove themselves worthy of becoming this new god.
“I’m still processing it all because I never thought I would have a play produced at this point of my life – it’s monumental,” Gabe said.
“Taking the final bow at the end was very bittersweet.”
While Gabe has also performed in plays before, he prefers writing because he feels that’s where he really shines.
He said he loved to create worlds and characters and to convey meaning through them.
The aspiring writer has also been working in the Queensland Theatre’s Young Writer’s Ensemble Program and will have another piece read professionally this year.
Gabe has applied for several creative writing courses in Melbourne and hopes to have a career in theatre writing.
Henry Ford, 17
After spending many hours working on projects in the shed alongside his dad, it came as no surprise when Henry Ford decided to pursue a trade.
Upon completing his work experience at Western Truck Groups in Toowoomba, the high school senior was offered an auto-electrician apprenticeship and happily accepted.
Attending the workplace once a week as part of the apprenticeship, Henry said the business assists with fitting lights, fixing airconditioners and diagnosing problems in trucks.
Following in the footsteps of his dad who played for Grammar’s First XV squad, Henry also made his debut for the team this year, filling the position of loosehead prop.
“I made the team last year but was on the bench so I got to play for the first time this year,” he said.
“It was pretty exciting to run on the field for the first time and have the whole school watching.”
Henry plans to complete his four-year apprenticeship and has also considered moving up north to Mt Isa in the future.
Keen to continue playing footy, he will be taking his talent to the Dalby side next year.
Hunter Gould, 17
Hunter Gould loves nothing more than keeping busy and creating something with his two hands.
Originally from the west of Roma, the boarding student is currently enrolled in a four-year boilermaker apprenticeship with The Davey Group.
“Mum taught me how to weld when I was 14 and once dad found out I could weld, he had me welding gates and fence lines all the time,” Hunter said.
“When you drive along this road coming from west of Roma, there are about 30 Grainmaster silos up the side of the road and you just think ‘wow, my company made that and I’ll be building them in the future’ and that’s pretty cool.”
With a diploma in business and certificate II in engineering already under his belt, Hunter hopes to also one day complete a dual trade in finishing, as well as fitting and turning.
Despite living away from home, Hunter said he never struggled with homesickness as everyone was like-minded and “most of the boys in the boarding house are farmers.”
When the school-based apprentice isn’t on the tools, he’s winning state titles for the Wandoan Polocrosse Club.
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