A groundbreaking initiative driven by the North Queensland Cowboys Community Foundation is successfully reversing chronic school absenteeism in one of Queensland’s most remote communities. Source: Townsville Bulletin.
The “Try for 5!” program is transforming classrooms on Palm Island, with two local schools recording massive spikes in attendance and student engagement during the first half of 2026.
St Michael’s Catholic School led the charge, boasting a staggering whole-school attendance increase of more than 10 percentage points compared to its 2025 average.
Neighbouring Bwgcolman Community School also recorded strong progress across its primary and secondary cohorts, proving the targeted mentoring and incentive-based program is working.
At St Michael’s, one student turned their academic life around by boosting their attendance from 30 to 53 per cent.
St Michael’s year 5 teacher Eldon Bizaare said poor attendance remained one of the biggest hurdles for remote communities, but the Cowboys initiative was finally bridging the gap.
“Having the incentive of Try for 5! has helped significantly in this space, providing them with the encouragement needed to get across the line,” Mr Bizaare said.
“We’re now getting extra days from students who previously weren’t coming to school, giving them more learning and more opportunities.”
The program, backed by the Waratah Education Foundation, encourages students to attend school five days a week through regular check-ins, mentoring, and rewards.
It engaged more than 400 students across the island in the first semester alone.
Cowboys Ambassador Tahlulah Tillett, who recently visited the island to celebrate the turnaround, said it was special to see kids taking ownership of their education.
“Every day at school gives students another chance to connect and work towards their goals,” Ms Tillett said.
“We’re encouraging them to recognise their own progress, support their classmates and celebrate what they can achieve together.”
FULL STORY
Remote Queensland classrooms see attendance jump as Cowboys program transforms Palm Island schools (Townsville Bulletin)
