Oxley High School, in the NSW regional town of Tamworth, is one of the first schools in the country to be given federal funding to trial a program called the Indigenous Girls' Academy.
The program is intended to encourage Indigenous students to finish high school, and has already shown positive results.
There was a time when Lahkeisha Cook, 16, only attended one term of school a year.
Struggling with instability at home at the time, she simply did not want to go to her classes.
"It's important that I aim up high all the time, because that's what we want."
"I hated it. I absolutely hated it," she told SBS.
"Like, I didn't come at all. And then I just started coming in Year 9 because I thought I had to."
The youngster is now one of the top students at her school and a recent recipient of the NSW government's Indigenous Leadership Award.
"I focused more on my work, and I started engaging with people more," she said.
The change was brought about by one woman's plan to help Indigenous students reach their potential.
After watching countless students, including Lahkeisha, skip school, Indigenous education officer Janine Way said she decided something needed to change.
"There has been an increase in, obviously, teen pregnancy, a lot of drug and alcohol abuse," Ms Way said.
"I've seen a bit of an increase with students in the community that are going down that path. So I guess, for me, it was to try and combat some of these issues, and I guess build my girls into strong women."
Ms Way founded the school's Indigenous Girls' Academy, intended to help her students finish high school.
Students of the Indigenous Girls Academy (SBS) Source: SBS
The program teaches everything from maths and English to life skills classes.
"A lot of our Aboriginal parents want their children to be doctors, lawyers, whatever, so we don't set the bar down low," she said.
"It's important that I aim up high all the time, because that's what we want."
The Academy is now part of a $24 million federal funding trial and is already showing results.
More than 50 students are taking part in the program now.
Oxley high school's Indigenous Girls Academy (SBS) Source: SBS
Every student who completed the program last year ended up graduating from Year 12, and went on to either secure full-time employment or go to university.
Tamworth Nationals MP Kevin Anderson said the program had changed the future for many of its participants.
"It's about providing opportunities, providing pathways, and giving them life skills to be able to be worthwhile citizens of their community," he said.
Lahkeisha is now preparing to start her HSC studies, with the goal of eventually becoming a careers counsellor.
She credited the Indigenous Girls' Academy with helping to unlock her potential.
"There's a lot of girls out there like me that probably are at home doing nothing right now, but I think it'll help them at school and stuff," she said.
"If a lot of other schools get it, it'll be good."
