New year, new school, new future

A new school year heralds a new journey for fifty students at NRL Cowboys House, as they finish up their first week at their new secondary colleges in Townsville.

Now in its second year of operation, the House welcomed an additional 25 young men into the cohort for the start of the 2018 school year, joining an existing group of House Brothers who completed their inaugural year in 2017.

NRL Cowboys House, a joint initiative between the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys, the National Rugby League and Queensland and Australian Governments, aims to give students from remote communities equal access to secondary education.

House manager Gary Cook said his dedicated team were ready for a busy and productive 2018.

“The full student cohort of 50 will see us at capacity and we’re really looking forward to working with our new intake this year,” Mr Cook said.

“All young people are entitled to a quality education and when your home is remote this can be a challenge.

“Being able to provide these young people with such a great opportunity excites us – broadening horizons through access to education is what we’re all about."

Mr Cook said that with students coming from across North and Far North Queensland – some from as far as the Torres Strait – the personal growth they achieve during their time at the House is what makes their journey all the more rewarding.

“Their attitude toward education is what we’ve noticed, they want to be here; they know that at the House, the priority is education,” he said.

“Inclusion and participation in sport, cultural activities and the arts are also really important as part of their broader education journey and the kids will continue to be very active in these areas.”

All 50 students across years 7-11 have been enrolled in Townsville schools including Kirwan State High, William Ross State High, Ignatius Park College, Calvary Christian College and TechNQ.

NRL Cowboys House is managed by the Cowboys Community Foundation, the charity arm of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys.

For more information, visit cowboysfoundation.org.au.