When Trevanna Ahoy stepped on stage at her high school graduation ceremony wearing a glittery floor-length gown, her main concern was not tripping in her heels.
“I’m a bit of a tomboy,” she says. “I felt different and weird with all the makeup and the dress on.”
Trevanna and Deslie at school
The pathway to graduation had been a difficult one for Trevanna, 22, and her sister Deslie, 20, who navigated loss, pregnancy and housing insecurity on their way to finishing high school – helped by a unique schooling model that enables young mothers to keep studying.
The Dunghutti women grew up in Kempsey on the mid-north New South Wales coast. It is a proud and culturally rich community, but one that grapples with social dysfunction born from poverty and disadvantage. Almost half of the population is unemployed, census data shows.
Deslie and Trevanna with their children at the Macleay River, Kempsey
A local high school, Macleay Vocational College, is trying to turn that around. Some of its 115 students are in and out of youth detention. Others are dealing with drug or alcohol addiction. Many have been expelled or excluded from mainstream schools due to social and emotional issues, or refused to return to school after the Covid pandemic.
The college provides food, transport and wrap-around support from psychologists, counsellors and social workers
The college provides food, transport and wrap-around support from psychologists, counsellors and social workers to help each student work towards a vocational and educational goal. Many do not have internet access at home. It may take them several years to pass enough units to finish a whole year of schooling.
“It’s sort of like that last-chance school for a lot of kids,” the principal, Megan Nicholls, says.
Trevanna was drawn to the school because of its strong ties to the Dunghutti community.
Trevanna leaves for her school formal with her son and mother-in-law
“After school hours the principal would drive around and hand out food to the community and stuff like that,” she says. “On holidays they would take kids out to the beach.”
Six years ago, the Ahoy sisters had all but given up on school. Grieving the sudden death of their father, both took an extended break from their studies in 2019. Shortly after they returned, both became pregnant – Trevanna at age 21 and Deslie at 17.
Deslie is transported in the school bus to her school formal with her family and her son
It would likely have marked the end of their education were it not for the college’s Ginda Barri Mums and Bubs Program. It provides a bus to take young mums to and from school, and onsite childcare workers to mind their kids while they attend classes. Food and cooking facilities are supplied and a social worker connects the women with health, housing and other support services.
Deslie juggles parenthood with graduation
“I probably wouldn’t have got anything done if there wasn’t a school like this,” Trevanna says.
She took six months off with her son, Daniel. For several months they lived with various relatives before the school helped Trevanna find community housing earlier this year.
Deslie was back at school six weeks after the birth of her son, Ezzard.
As the sisters juggled motherhood and HSC study, they were met with more surprises: both became pregnant again this year, adding severe morning sickness and extra medical appointments to their growing list of things to navigate.
But Trevanna and Deslie were intent on finishing high school, leaning on each other for support.
Trevanna (L) and Deslie (R) with her son in their formal gowns
“We annoyed each other,” Deslie says. “Probably rows and fights along the way, but it helped us both.”
As the sisters tentatively mounted the stage at their graduation ceremony last month – mortified at the alphabetical running order that meant they were the first to do so – there was a proud contingent watching on, including their young sons.
Deslie with Ezzard outside her family home
“It was shame because I was the second person to be called, but I ended up walking up there in front of everybody,” Trevanna says. “It was really good at the end of the day. I’m glad I did it.”
For Deslie, the memory of her father helped her stay on track.
“It was one thing our Dad wanted us to do, to finish school. I just did it for Dad,” she says.
