Every student leaves Mackay North State High School with a different story to tell.
Over the coming months, we're sharing some of those stories — celebrating former students whose careers, passions and ambitions have taken them in many different directions since leaving our classrooms.
Next up is Brooke Naylor, who attended North from 2016 until the beginning of 2021.
Going from a primary school with just 25 students in her year level to about 250 at North High was a huge adjustment, but Brooke said she soon found her place through the performing arts, with some of her favourite memories being of Dance Troupe and Rock Pop Mime.
"A lot of the choreography and performances were student-led, which made it feel really collaborative and gave everyone a chance to contribute," Brooke said.
"It was always nice to feel like I was part of something bigger than just my classes."
Modern History was another favourite.
"I still remember all the classes coming together in the auditorium, and the way the teachers delivered the content made history so engaging," she said.
"Looking back, some of the best teachers I had at North were my Modern History teachers, and they definitely helped inspire my love of learning."
Brooke had, in fact, been telling people she wanted to become a teacher since Grade 2 — although her original motivation was a little different.
"At that age, I think I mostly liked the idea of being the boss!" she said.
As she got older, her reasons changed.
"In high school I was probably what you'd call a stereotypical 'nerd,' and I often found myself helping classmates understand their work or tutoring friends," Brooke said.
"I realised how rewarding it was to help someone finally understand something or gain confidence in themselves. That feeling is what really confirmed that teaching was the right career for me."
Brooke took her first steps towards that career in Year 11 when she received a Future Teachers Bursary, allowing her to complete two education subjects through Griffith University while still at North High.
"It was an incredible opportunity because it gave me a head start before university," she said.
"When I officially began my teaching degree, I had already completed those subjects, which meant my workload was lighter than many of my peers. It really helped me ease into university life."
After leaving North High, Brooke moved to Brisbane to study a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) at Griffith University, where she completed four professional placements.
Three were at large state high schools.
Her third placement was at an independent special assistance school.
"When Griffith allocated me to Ohana College for my third placement, I honestly had no idea what to expect," she said.
"I wasn't specialising in special education, and at the time my goal was to teach ATAR Modern History, Ancient History and General English to senior students. I'd never worked with students diagnosed with Autism or ADHD, or with young people who had experienced significant barriers to education.
"I remember being incredibly nervous and telling myself that I just needed to survive the five-week placement.
"Very quickly, though, I fell in love with it," Brooke said.
"The students, their stories and the progress they were making in a flexible learning environment completely changed my perspective.
"'Ohana' means family, and by the end of the placement I genuinely felt like I was leaving one. The experience taught me so much about myself and showed me that there is so much more to education than academics alone."
The following year, Ohana College contacted Brooke and offered her a Teacher Aide position working alongside her supervising teacher.
After graduating from Griffith, she was offered a full-time teaching position and has "never looked back".
Today, Brooke teaches about 55 Year 7 students across four classes and is completing a Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies through Griffith to further develop her knowledge and better support diverse learners in her classroom.
While her career looks very different to the one she had pictured, the part Brooke enjoys most is seeing what happens when students begin to believe in themselves.
"When you're on the other side of the classroom, it's incredibly rewarding to watch students make new friends, try things they never thought they could do and begin to believe in themselves," she said.
"Those moments are often much more meaningful than any assessment result.
"If students feel valued, supported and understood, they're much more likely to take risks, grow and succeed."
Brooke says her years at North High gave her opportunities to explore her interests, build confidence and learn from teachers who genuinely cared about their students.
She also had some advice for current North High students.
"One thing I learnt from being part of such a large cohort is how easy it can be to become a follower and simply go along with what everyone else is doing. My advice to current North students is to be a leader instead," she said.
"Stand up for your peers, be the voice for someone who might not yet know how to use theirs and remember that there's almost always a reason behind someone's behaviour. A little kindness and understanding can make a huge difference."
For those considering a career in education, Brooke's advice comes back to the unexpected opportunity that changed hers.
"Don't close yourself off to opportunities that might seem outside your comfort zone," she said.
"I never imagined I'd end up teaching in a flexible learning environment but taking that unexpected placement completely changed the direction of my career.
"Teaching isn't always sunshine and rainbows, and it certainly has its challenges. But once you find your passion and the community where you belong, it's one of the most rewarding careers you could ever choose."
Brooke may not have ended up in the classroom she pictured during her North High days, but she found the one where she belongs — and we're proud to see where her journey has taken her.