From Hope Vale to the bustling streets of Brisbane, Tykeerah Cobus brought a piece of the Cape to the southeast corner and now seeks to bring the fruits of her education back to her home community and create pathways for the next generation.
Tykeerah attended St Peter’s Lutheran College as part of Cape York Leaders Program, opening doors she never imagined possible.
CYLP is a scholarship program that enables young people from the Cape to attend some of the best boarding schools in Queensland, with financial, wellbeing and academic support.
For Tykeerah, the CYLP scholarship program has been constant support. With the guidance of her Student Support Officer, Tessa, Tykeerah was able to thrive and successfully complete Year 12 “Tess has been amazing. She’s like a best friend, always keeping us on track and standing up for us when needed,” Tykeerah said.
“CYLP gave me opportunities to step away, whether it was going to see my brother or participating in term events. Those moments made a big difference.”
Graduating Year 12 is a steppingstone to adulthood.
It’s about learning to navigate life on your own, planning your next steps and figuring out how to stay connected to family while miles apart
2024 CYLP Graduate Tykeerah Cobus
Without CYLP, Tykeerah believes her story would have been very different. “I wouldn’t have been able to attend St Peter’s or access the nursing opportunities in bigger cities like Brisbane. Their financial and personal support made it all possible.”
Tykeerah’s current goal is to begin her Bachelor of Nursing at Fraser Coast or Sunny Coast, a step towards becoming a registered nurse. Yet her ambitions stretch beyond personal success and are deeply rooted in her love for her home community of Hope Vale. “I want to go higher – to become a director of nursing and eventually help expand healthcare in my community.”
Her vision includes creating pathways for young people in Hope Vale to gain healthcare qualifications while working, strengthening the local workforce and improving community health. Tykeerah also dreams of stepping into a leadership role and is even tossing up the idea of becoming mayor one day.
“It’s about creating change and making a real impact,” she said. “I want to see my community thrive, and education and healthcare are key.”
Tykeerah’s story is a perfect reminder of what can be achieved when young leaders are empowered to dream big and take action.
