Attending the awards with her husband Rob, Lesley knew that Jaimee’s success was not only a special achievement for her eldest, but would inspire her other daughter Ashleigh and eventually her young five-year old son Chris, to try their hardest.

When both her girls started Year 8, Jaimee in 2005 and Ashleigh in 2007, they were encouraged to join the Follow the Dream program at Governor Stirling High School in Midland.

Although good students who loved school, Lesley knew that her girls could do with some extra help when it came to the tough high school years. Jaimee started using the services provided by the program two days a week in Years 8, 9 and 10, but moved it up a notch in Years 11 and 12 to visit the homework centre every day.

“Follow the Dream meant that Jaimee had access to tutors, especially with her home work which was really important in helping her stay focussed at school,” Lesley said. “It also made her a lot more confident when it came to approaching her work.”

“As a Mum, it reassured me to know that she had people supporting her, especially with the extra technology such as computers and other bits and pieces she had access to after hours at school.”

After completing TEE subjects geography, English, discrete maths and history, Jaimee’s dream is to study communications at university and eventually work for her beloved Fremantle Dockers in marketing and advertising.

“Follow the Dream has been the best thing my girls could have got involved in and I am so grateful to coordinator Jan and the other teachers who always made everyone feel welcome and on target to achieve their goals,” Lesley said. “Looking back I’m really glad I signed the forms to let my girls participate in the program.”

“There’s’ a bit of competiveness between my two daughters; so now Jaimee has set the bar so high, I know that Ashleigh will aim to do just as well if not better.”

Lesley Jones
Governor Stirling (Midland)

Jaimee has always had strong aspirations to go to university to study law, but has changed her mind in recent times, preferring the areas of advertising and communication. Follow the Dream, and the networks provided through it, has assisted Jaimee to become aware of, and put into place, the effort, technique, and study habits required to perform at the level required for tertiary study. In July this year, Jaimee won the Department of Education and Training 2009 Aboriginal Education Awards of Achievement: Outstanding Aboriginal Female Year 12. She is a great role model to other participants of the program in demonstrating the strengths of the program and welcoming new students.

Ashleigh also aspires to go to university. She has moved from her original aspirations of dentistry to working in a sports/science field. Ashleigh is one of the school specialist netball girls and has represented the school in netball in Queensland as captain, winning the grand final. Ashleigh continues to demonstrate leadership skills and can be relied upon to assist in completing tasks asked of her.

Both girls are always presented beautifully, use all the common courtesies and have cheerful, outgoing and friendly, mature personalities. They are dependable, honest and very dedicated to their family; the girls are not afraid to show their affection for their parents and little brother. Both parents have been committed to getting the best education for their girls, with their Dad Rob being one of the few fathers that have really been involved with school and education in particular. The girls’ education has been a real joint effort, a partnership between the Follow the Dream coordinator, parents, student, and school.

Jan Miller
Project Coordinator
Governor Stirling (Midland)