Jayden leads the way for his peers

Pilbara students should take inspiration from the success of graduated students, says Karratha’s St Luke’s College principal Tom Kavanagh.

Mr Kavanagh referred to graduate Jayden Dadleh, who recently featured in a metropolitan newspaper article about indigenous students starting university life.

Jayden has moved to Perth to study engineering at the University of Western Australia.

Gaining an Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking of 95.35, Jayden is looking forward to the many challenges which will face him in his new life.

Jayden’s mother, Ann-Maree Dadleh, is extremely proud of her son and his achievements so far.

“Neither myself or his dad went to uni,” she said.

“For the first one (in the family)

It is very exciting to see him be able to take up that opportunity.

(For his sister) seeing him going through what he is now, the excitement of going to uni, she says ‘I want to go too’.”

Much has been written about the advantages and disadvantages for students studying in rural areas rather than the city, but Ms Dadleh said anything was possible as long as they put in the effort.

“I know a lot of people have issues with the local education but I’ve always said it’s … to do with the kids themselves,” she said.

“If they want to put in the effort, I think they will go far because there is support there from the schools.”

Ms Dadleh said rural living presented challenges when it came to studying a variety of subjects, and it wasn’t always smooth sailing, but for the children who did perform it was a credit to them.

Mr Kavanagh said Jayden was an inspiration.

“Jayden has always been a dedicated student at St Luke’s College and no doubt he will acquit himself well at UWA,” he said.

“Jayden is an inspiration to us all and he proves that great things can come to those who work for them.”