Martina Marshall (pictured: middle), a proud Waluwarra woman, grew up in the small town of Dajarra, approximately 2 hours south of Mt Isa, with a population of 200 people.
As the second youngest of seven siblings, Martina always looked up to her older sister, Briyoni, as a role model, having graduated from a Yalari scholarship at Scots PGC College in 2022.
Her older sister was the inspiration behind Martina’s passion for ‘Pay It Forward’.
The Pay It Forward initiative empowers current Yalari students to raise funds that will provide scholarships for future Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students. Each year, our Year 9 cohort collaborates to organise a fundraiser, with the goal of supporting the educational journey of a future student.
“To me ‘Pay it Forward’ is an opportunity to give back to allow another Indigenous person to have my experience” said Martina. “I am extremely grateful for my opportunity and believe all Indigenous peoples should have an opportunity like this.”
The theme for NAIDOC week this year was ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, which gave students from Scots PGC College, The Glennie School, and Toowoomba Grammar School the idea to keep their fire burning by creating Indigenous Art that was sold at The Lighthouse Gallery in Toowoomba, with the proceeds contributing to the Pay it Forward campaign.
In addition to showcasing exceptional artwork, the students also collaborated to design and produce shirts that visually narrated the stories of past and present Yalari students. These shirts beautifully captured their homes, upbringings, and significant totems. “This was a way to share our story and have it worn by other people,” said Martina.
The Pay It Forward Art Show was held over NAIDOC Week, which included workshops, a community art wall, donations, a silent auction, and the artworks and shirts, all driven by passionate Yalari students like Martina.
“The Yalari scholarship has impacted me by giving me a once in a lifetime experience to attend Scots PGC College in Warwick to gain an education and pursue my future goals and dreams,” said Martina. “When I graduate school, I aspire to attend university to become a police officer. This is a strong passion for me as I want to give back to community and support others.”
Martina’s scholarship is generously supported by the Sinclair Charitable Trust.
