Former Shooting Stars participant Nancy Murray contributes to the program that supported her early schooling journey in an internship capacity, alongside her studies at the University of Western Australia.
A participant when Shooting Stars first commenced in Carnarvon in 2016, Nancy reflects on the program’s impact on her and its growth since then.
“I was in Year 12 when Shooting Stars started in Carnarvon, doing my ATAR at the time and was the only person in my school doing so,” said Nancy.
“Coming from a small town it’s easy to get caught up in the comfortable lifestyle, but the Shooting Stars staff were really supportive, constantly having yarns with me, encouraging me and motivating me to think bigger and beyond my community for employment opportunities.”
“It’s so great coming back to Shooting Stars now and seeing the transformation of the program with the addition of Seven Sisters and the Sparks and Pathways programs. I think, especially in Carnarvon, these are really needed, and it was a big gap that wasn’t serviced by anything else.”
With her family still living in Carnarvon, Nancy is noticing the impact of Shooting Stars on her community.
“It’s been cool to see what the younger girls in my community are getting out of Shooting Stars. Back when I lived there, they used to be shy and really closed off and now they’re blossoming thanks to Shooting Stars and that’s really wicked to see,” said Nancy.
“It’s great to see how much these programs are influencing these girls lives for the better.”
Currently in her final year at UWA studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Conservation Biology and Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage, Nancy plans to work on Country assisting in the sustainable management of the environment.
