News Story
Remote achievement congratulated
15 April 2008
Department of Employment, Education and Training Chief Executive Margaret Banks congratulated Lianna Brown, 21, who is the Territory’s first Indigenous person to complete senior secondary education in a very remote community and graduate from university.
The former Kalkaringi Community Education Centre student, who received the highest Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE) score for an Indigenous student in 2003, graduated today from South Australia’s Flinders University with a degree in Cultural Tourism.
The achievement of Lianna and two of her classmates, Rhonda Rankin and Meshach Paddy, was recorded in the award winning short film From Little Things, Big Things Grow produced in 2004 by the NT Department of Employment, Education and Training and Simon Says productions.
Rhonda Rankin is now employed in Darwin furthering her training as part of Mission Australia’s Indigenous Youth Mobility program, and Meshach Paddy is undertaking a Certificate in Indigenous Education Work as an apprentice at Kalkaringi School.
Also back in the Northern Territory, Lianna is now working for the Department of Natural Resources, Environment and The Arts as a park ranger in Gregory National Park just north of her traditional country.
Lianna will be joined by her parents and relatives at her graduation ceremony in South Australia on Tuesday 15 April.
In 2001 the Kalkaringi Community Education Centre (CEC) under the leadership of George and Robyn Hewitson was the first remote school in the Northern Territory to offer a secondary education program through Years 11 and 12.
To view the Ministerial Media release you will be leaving the Department of Employment, Education and Training website.