Dubbo Senior College has broken the record for HSC completions for Aboriginal students in New South Wales with 71 graduates finishing up their secondary studies last week.
It's a momentous feat that they invited the entire town to celebrate, with 900 proud residents attending the graduation ceremony last Saturday.
Jarren Barker, Wiradjuri and Muruwari man and Dubbo College graduate told NITV News that he was proud of his cohorts' success.
"It is an amazing achievement... I kept reminding myself that my family and my ancestors would be proud," he said.
"At my school, Aboriginal culture is celebrated every day. When you walk in you see the Aboriginal flag flying high and we have amazing Aboriginal staff...
"My Aboriginal Studies teacher Mrs. Lane would often say, 'don’t be shame, be game'."
Mr Barker, who plans to become a primary school teacher's aide, encouraged his peers to be proud of their identity.
"It can be difficult to live in two worlds, but as long as you have your family, culture, and ancestors, you can do and be anything," he said.
Many of the graduates have already received impressive offers from a wide range of university courses, spanning from teaching and Indigenous community work through to arts and law courses.
With Dubbo College priding itself on its reputation for a catered and culturally-sensitive learning environment, they say that the success of their students is not coincidental.
Mr Barker told NITV he had the opportunity to take on a leadership role during his HSC year, being awarded the title of 'Cultural Captain' which he believes wouldn't have been possible without the school's culturally supportive environment.
2021 Indigenous graduates and staff at Dubbo Senior College.
Principal Marisha Blanco told NITV News that the school "works tirelessly" to foster a culturally safe environment.
"This (achievement) has significant meaning to me as a school leader, as (it) is reflective of the power of public education and a community working together to better the life outcomes of Dubbo youth," Ms Blanco said.
Local MP Dugald Saunders aid the college's achievement was "outstanding".
"71 is a huge number and they're all absolutely stoked to be amongst that achievement, it's great and everyone is really proud of it," he told NITV News.
The school begins encouraging Indigenous students to set goals while they are still at the junior school campus, while they also have an Aboriginal Parent Body and 'cultural captains' assigned each year.
The outstanding accomplishment comes off the back of the publication of fresh research, released via a report today, which acknowledged that students perform better in settings with cultural context, and where exams have culturally-phrased questions.
One of the report’s authors, Professor Adrian Piccoli, released a statement emphasising the importance of local context in education; he said that that the more interested the student is in the content, the more likely they are to understand and engage in it.
"They have proven they can do whatever they choose in life, and we are proud as a community, particularly after such a difficult year for all HSC students across the state..."
