Train Track

”My dad has a saying that education is like a train track: each year can be like a station and you can stop there or you can choose to keep going. I’ve adopted that perspective and philosophy in my life. Also when I was in Year 4, I had to ride the train from home to school alone and I guess that’s another reason I chose this photo, because it represents the time I became more independent.”

Reading Books

”I really love to read, mainly adventure books and fantasy novels, and to talk about them with my friends. I like character development and what you learn along the way, like the morals and the life quotes really. I used to hate reading books but I would see my dad read on his computer all the time and so subconsciously I was like 'oh, okay I’ll try that out.’”

Reflection

”This is my backyard. I didn’t meet my dad until I was seven but now I live with him in a bungalow on a big property with my mum’s family who are originally from the Philippines. I never feel claustrophobic because the door is always open even in winter when it’s cold and raining. We like to go down to the river in the afternoon when the light is golden. Can you tell which is the real tree and which is a reflection in the water?”

Day Dreaming

“My Dad is an avid bike rider and he gave me my first bike. I ride every day after school. I like to listen to music while I ride and daydream. There are wonderful bike tracks near my home. It’s a floodplain; all the silt from the river brings nutrition to the parklands so it’s like riding through a jungle.”

Cheshire Grin

“The Cheshire cat was a mischievous cat in the book ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and that’s my dad! He’s like a six year-old boy trapped in a sixty-four year old man. He’s hardworking, a scholar and a bum! He’s got a lot of faces but most of the time he’s like ‘go with the flow’ and that’s influenced me. I love education but it’s not the be all and end all for me.”

Self-Portrait

“This photo was taken after an intense game of soccer. It was the most fun we’ve had playing together. And we won! In the last three minutes of the match the other team were really hammering at us and I got this injury when I slide tackled an opponent. It hurt, but it was a good kind of hurt. I really like playing in a team; it’s a good way to bond with your friends. I’m grinning like a Cheshire cat, just like my dad.”