Harley-Cruz Nathan (middle) with his sister and dad as he fondly looks back on family drives to the beach for the AFL Cape York House ME. Exhibition: Connection. Photo: Adllins Media.
While most Australian Year 7 students go home and have dinner with their family each day, Cape York high school students face a different reality.
In pursuit of a quality education many make the choice to go to boarding school, but the cost is being away from their families and communities for 10 weeks at a time from as young as 12-years-old.
As a showcase of their strength, resilience, culture and home, AFL Cape York House opened its third ME. Exhibition in Cairns on 15 November, which features photographs exploring student identities as they navigate the many challenges and opportunities of boarding life and schooling.
When given this year’s theme, Connection, 13-year-old Harley-Cruz Nathan immediately thought of driving to the beach with his family back home in Lockhart River.
In the photograph, Harley is pictured with his dad and sister and a car door brought by his uncle. He also gave a special mention to his mum, who could not be there on the day.
“I was thinking back to what we did the most on the Cape, and it just came to mind that we mostly went for cruises to the beach to cool off,” he said.
“[Doing the photoshoot], it felt pretty good seeing my family, and spending some time with them doing some fun stuff.
“[When people look at my photo], I just want them to think, love your family and hold them closely.”
AFL Cape York transition support teacher Amanda Black, who helped the students brainstorm what they wanted their photographs to represent, said the exhibition was a great way to get to know the students further, and break up the school term away from home.
“The idea of Connection is to allow these young people the opportunity to remember that they’re not alone down at AFL Cape York House, navigating school by themselves,” she said.
“They are always connected and linked in with their family, with their community, so it’s an opportunity to bring family members together, and it’s a great way to watch the young people explore who they are, what interests them, and what’s important in their lives.
“To be able to capture those moments just breaks up the very long school term, and helps the young people remember why they’re away, why they’re down here, and why their families are investing so heavily in them getting a great education down in an urban setting.”
Ms Black said she hoped exhibition attendees got a glimpse of what life was like for a young boarding student from a remote community.
“My hope every year is that we get a crowd that comes along and ponders the photos, and considers just how incredibly strong these young people and their families are,” she said.
“I hope that they can enjoy the moments and see the special people, and maybe take a breath and realise that these young people aren’t going home every day after school to go for a car cruise, they’re not coming home every afternoon to their significant family members.”
