Project Background
This site has a joint Steering Committee with Swan View SHS, the committee is composed of representatives from both schools, Department of Education and Training, Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation, Swan District Education Office, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Edith Cowan University, Midland Indigenous Youth Project and the local Indigenous Community.

Governor Stirling has operated as a one school site and part of the Department of Education and Training Strategy: Follow The Dream program since September 2003. Fortunately the sites within the Swan District were selected for sponsorship through Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation and the three school sites came on board at the commencement of Term 2 2008.

Over the five year operation of the site, 66 students have participated in the program, numbers of students within the program at any one time have fluctuated between approx 20 to 25, we currently have the largest group of students ever, of 27. The students all attendees of Governor Sterling Senior High School come from a large catchment area, including country boarders from Swanleigh.

The Learning Homework Centre operates after school for a period of two hours, on four afternoons from Monday through to Thursday. Depending on their year group, students attend the Centre from between one and three afternoons a week. The students partake in a nutritious afternoon tea, followed by completion of their homework or tutoring in subject areas that require improvement or extension. The Centre is operating very smoothly and almost all students attend regularly on their nominated days. The Learning Homework Centre operates out of the Maali Aboriginal Education Centre at Governor Sterling Senior High School, and has a very pleasant atmosphere with great students and enthusiastic tutors some of whom have been with us for the past 5 years.

The program has achieved 100% graduation of its Year 12 students and has been successful with two students going to university, one to teaching and the other has deferred. Three students have won apprenticeships, these being: hair dressing, diesel mechanic and mechanical at the Perth Mint; one student is training in nursing; one at TAFE in the Teachers Assistant course and three students have completed traineeships at Certificate 3 level, one of these with BHP Billiton.