Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight

Yarlalu Thomas on The Range Project

The Range Project is a Scotch College educational podcast that draws lessons from those who have expanded their range, gained their own inter-disciplinary understanding of the world and found their passion in the process.

In Episode 17, we welcome 2016 graduate Yarlalu Thomas (2020 Young West Australian of the Year, UWA Medical Student, Precision Public Health and Fellow in Rare Genetic Diseases). Yarlalu reflects on his time at Scotch, the opportunities and support he received as a student as well as the challenges of “walking in two worlds”. Yarlalu talks about his medical work in the Pilbara, his involvement in medical and translation research projects to help Indigenous communities and his hopes for the future.

Q: What are your fondest memories / challenging times at Scotch:

Learning-wise, I realised how far behind I was, needing extra tutoring after school. My parents reminded me that this was my opportunity to gain not only a good, but a world-class education, and I always kept that in the back of my mind.

My mum always told me, “it’s a marathon, it doesn’t matter if you stumble, keep your eyes up and you will get there. Persistence is key. It’s how you respond and bounce back”. We also had a good brotherhood of Indigenous boys to help each other through tough times.

Another challenge was I didn’t have a mentor to look up to as a young Indigenous student wanting to go into medicine. Now there is an increased level of mentorship that supports kids and tells them they are not alone. So, I try and get back to Scotch. I do tutoring, mentorship with boys who have graduated, spend time in the boarding house.

Highlights: Introducing the inaugural Indigenous jumper for AFL and being the first PSA school to do this and starting events to celebrate NAIDOC Week together with other PSA schools. Scotch students were so supportive and the way they responded made me feel so happy. Also, Pipe Band!

Q: What inspired you to go into medicine?

Around Year 10, I realised I wasn’t going to become an AFL footballer! In my summer trip home, I noticed a prevalence of diseases in my family and community compared to my peers at school, such as Type 2 diabetes, renal disease, rheumatic fever. It was eye opening.

Q: What are you focusing on now in your placement in Broome?

One of my key interests is Indigenous health around Australia and in the Pilbara. I wanted to come to the Kimberley because of the research and protocols that are coming out in this area. There are also a lot of Indigenous doctors here who are being mentors to me and focusing on diseases which are typical of tropical areas such as rheumatic fevers.

Q: Are you hopeful for the next 5 years?

My end goal in my lifetime is to see an Australia where there is no disparity in life expectancy between Indigenous and non- Indigenous people. 10 years difference in a developed country is ridiculous and to see the gap widening is concerning. Realistically, these are issues that aren’t solved in the short-term, it will take longer than that. But if I can start a movement where more people are educated and walking away from University or into employment that can better contribute to solving the issues that each community faces, I will always be interested in that. It stems from education, involvement and access for our people. It will take more than me to make this change in the Pilbara, it is not something I can do on my own. Building up the capacity into that workforce is something that is vital, and it all starts with opportunity.

Watch the full interview at: youtu.be/UBwNlwJ_9bc and keep an eye out for more episodes of The Range Project.

An amazing coincidence

Around eighty years ago two sets of parents in Perth, Western Australia, independently decided to send their eleven-year-old sons to Scotch College to complete their secondary school education.

Bob Leschen (OSC 1948) and Bill Walker (OSC 1949) met one another and became friends, sharing in the education and enthusiastic sports competitions at school.

Once their education was complete the two boys went their separate ways never thinking that they would meet again. Bob gained a law degree to be used in a commercial career embracing the oil industry and retailing, and for twenty years was Executive Director of the Australian Plastics Industry Association.

Bill went in an entirely different direction being an international ship’s broker.

It happened that their careers drew them to Melbourne where each served the bulk of his working life. Both men enjoyed good health working into their seventies before moving into active retirement. But as is the way with life, they couldn’t enjoy good health forever.

In time, Bob chose to move into an aged care facility and after living there for five weeks, he was delighted to see his old school pal, Bill, enter the facility for a period of respite.

The two old friends spent many short-term times together with Bill, in particular, recalling the names of teachers and moments of their time at school during the Second World War.

But Bob noted an increasing degree of uncertainty in Bill’s behaviour such as failing to remember just where his room was located in the complex.

Two days went past when Bob noticed some increased activity around Bill’s bedroom at breakfast time. He was shocked to learn that Bill had passed away during the night. What a shame, but Bill’s and Bob’s destinies were set for them and that friendship came to an end. Perhaps best put by Bob’s son who, on learning of the developments, said, “But there you go, Dad. You were there for his beginning and the end. A rounding off as it were.”

What an altogether amazing coincidence.

Four Stripes

Through my time at Scotch College, I set off into adult life with good friendships, supporters, and a feeling of comeraderie.

Graduating from Year 12 in 2002, I embarked on a Bachelor’s Degree in Design from Curtin University, which on completion, landed me my first corporate role. However, I soon realised I wanted to see the world and experience life outside of Perth.

This thirst for life took me on a solo trip around Europe which somehow ended up in Canada’s ski fields. It was there that I made a friend who told me about the ‘yachting’ industry, which sparked a new fire in me. It sounded too good to be true; so after a season, I packed my bag and headed for Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

After a few failed months of trying, I finally landed the job I had been dreaming of, which took me on an adventure that, to this day, I look back on as the best experience of my life. Boarding a billionaire’s private yacht, I circumnavigated the globe, clocking up over 50,000 nautical miles, and earned my Yachtmasters qualification in the South of France. I made so many memories in those five years. I met my wife, travelled, worked and laughed around the globe. During this time, we even hired a younger Scotch boy on the yacht, showing how the Scotch Camaraderie lives on.

After the yacht docked in Sydney and having been away for so long, I found home was calling me. It was then, that I focused on my future career, and returned to my passion for design. This was kicked off with freelancing

while looking for work back in Perth. With the help of my brother and close friends (both Scotch boys) I won a client or two... which gave me the confidence and vehicle to establish Four Stripes – my very own brand, creative and design agency.

In recognition of my love for the sea, the Four Stripes name is a nod to the captain’s fourstripe epaulette on the shoulder. I have finally become a captain.

Four Stripes has now been in business 10 years, and we’re still growing strong. I’ve built a dedicated team who collaborate with companies who believe in the power of quality outcomes.

Our studio is located in the business heart of Subiaco and attracts an eclectic mix of clients across many industries and geographies. It’s the sort of challenge we enjoy because it fuels our imagination engine and inspires us to conceptualise new ideas for tangible and positive change. We help organisations improve credibility across all aspects of their visual identity. Our agency’s approach to creativity is steeped in equal parts of strategy, design, and execution – a model I also found successful in yachting.

Whether launching a new business or reinventing an existing one, Four Stripes transforms the way leading brands present to the world.