Students studying at one of the Foundation homework centres Graham “Polly” Farmer had a vision: to improve opportunities for young Australians.

That vision was shared by others and led to the establishment of the Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation, an organisation committed to helping aboriginal young people achieve their potential.

For eleven years Rio Tinto has worked in partnership with the Foundation to enhance educational opportunities by providing homework centres for young people in the communities of Carnarvon, Karratha, Roebourne, Tom Price and Kununurra.

Each homework centre provides secondary students with access to individual tutoring, career mentoring and educational resources. In return students and their families make a commitment to attend school and the centre regularly and try their best at school.

The achievements of the Farmer Foundation projects in improving educational outcomes for aboriginal students have been incredible, with more than 160 students going on to university, apprenticeships, traineeships or full time employment after completing secondary schooling. In contrast, before the Polly Farmer Foundation was established, only 4% of WA indigenous students reached Year 12, and the absentee rate of aboriginal students was four times higher than non-aboriginal students.

One of the Rio Tinto supported centres, Garnjurri Minumurri Ngurr-unga in Tom Price, has had some recent results that are making the whole town proud. Established in 2002, the Centre assisted the first ever aboriginal student in Tom Price to complete Year 12 in 2007, and an amazing seven students graduated Year 12 in 2008. All students were part of the Polly Farmer Foundation programme.

The centre coordinator Debbie Douglass said the seven students had achieved many great things. Two of the students are now off to study at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, one going on to Curtin University and another taking up an apprenticeship at Rio Tinto.

"The seven graduates, two of whom completed TEE exams, are also having a big impact on younger Aboriginal students in the community. The students and their families are now more positive about their education and know that they can achieve," Ms Douglass said.