Art with Purpose Supporting the Next Yalari Student

The generosity and creativity of students from The Glennie School, Toowoomba Grammar School, SCOTS PGC College and John Paul College were on full display at this year’s Pay It Forward Art Exhibition, at The Lighthouse Toowoomba.

Yalari’s Founder Waverley teaches students and alumni ‘If you can be anything in life, be kind and humble’. This kindness is expressed through the “Pay it Forward’ initiative where the Year 10 cohort create ideas and projects, such as the art exhibition, to raise funds so another student can receive a Yalari scholarship. Thanks to the generous support of everyone who purchased artwork or made a contribution, over $3000 was raised.

The exhibition showcased a diverse collection of artworks created by students and Yalari alumni, highlighting not only their artistic talents but also their commitment to supporting the next generation of young Indigenous leaders.

Painting a path between two worlds

One of the artworks featured in this year’s exhibition was created by Yalari student Kayleigh, a proud Gomeroi woman from Moree. Produced in collaboration with her father Jamie, a Yalari alumnus from the Class of 2011, Kayleigh’s artwork tells the story of family, culture, and the journey of walking confidently in two worlds. Together, they have captured their shared experience of leaving home to attend boarding school while staying connected to culture and identity.

My name is Kayleigh, and I am a proud Gomeroi Yinarr from Moree. I created this artwork alongside my Dad. It tells the story of our journey from leaving home to attending boarding school, while staying connected to our culture and identity.

The U-shaped symbols in the left corner represent my Dad, Mum, and little sister, who I love living with at home. They are my strongest support system. The Yurrandali (Goanna) is our family totem. It represents our journey from our home in Moree to the larger setting of boarding school. The larger Yurrandali represents my Dad, who is guiding me on this journey. He completed his own Yalari journey in 2011, and now is helping me begin mine.

In the top right corner, my symbol is surrounded by many others. These represent the new people who support me, including Yalari, my teachers, friends, and Student Support Officers (SSOs).

The image in the bottom right shows my Dad and me performing the traditional Gomeroi dance, Dhinawan Yilugi. This dance is deeply significant and reflects our strong connection to culture.

In the top left corner, my Dad and I are shown wearing our school uniforms. This highlights how we move between two different worlds, our cultural world and our school world, and learn to walk confidently in both.

The Dhinawan (Emu) above our heads represents that our culture will always be with us. It reminds us that our connection to culture is a lifelong part of who we are and our identity.

A special thank you to The Lighthouse Toowoomba for generously providing the exhibition space and helping create a welcoming setting for the event. We also extend our gratitude to Geneene Meijer for her moving Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, accompanied by Yalari and SCOTS PGC College student Taygen on didgeridoo.

The success of the exhibition would not have been possible without the support of students and their families, alumni, our four partner schools, volunteers, and community members, including Channel 7 Toowoomba who featured our staff and volunteers on the day. Every artwork purchased and every contribution made is set to support a future Yalari student.