Girls' academy goes extra mile

About 60 students and community members walked from Maidens Reserve to Hastie Street on Tuesday morning to raise awareness of Girls Academy Newton Moore.

The walk was part of a nation-wide program involving all 16 girls academies in Australia, who all completed a similar awareness walk to coincide with the launch of a new logo.

Academy programs manager Michelle Woosnam said the 7am walk, which was attended by about 40 students and 20 community members, was a success.

"It was successful and a really good opportunity for the students to network with councillors including Betty McCleary and Karen Steele, plus the Bunbury Youth Advisory Committee," she said.

"The focus was to bring attention to the academy."

Ms Woosnam said the academy, which focuses on education for Aboriginal girls, was the only one of its kind in the South West.

"We're trying to develop these girls to change our community - that's our catchcry," she said.

"It's a predominantly mentoring program and we have staff members that act as aunties."

Ms Woosnam said the academy had four main objectives, based around improving school attendance, Year 12 graduation rates and academic and personal development, plus helping with post-school transitions.

The Newton Moore academy started in 2008 and will have its annual awards night next week.

Girls Academy is run through Role Models and Leaders Australia, whose founder and chief executive officer is former Perth Wildcats basketballer Ricky Grace.

"It's a predominantly mentoring program and we have staff members that act as aunties" - Michelle Woosnam