In Yarrabah, Charanti Andrews found her calling at home.

Her close-knit family, especially her grandfather, played a pivotal role.

After he suffered a stroke in 2019, Ms Andrews cared for him during his rehabilitation.

Once he recovered she focused on her two younger nephews, both diagnosed with ADHD, and one also with autism, dedicating time to helping them manage their challenges.

These experiences clarified her purpose: to make a meaningful impact in healthcare and transform lives with compassion.

Ms Andrews was fortunate to have supportive parents who valued hard work and resilience.

Her mum, the CEO of the local health service, and her dad, the Mayor of Yarrabah, inspired her through their leadership.

With their encouragement, Ms Andrews applied for and was accepted into the Cape York Leaders Program, securing a scholarship to attend one of Queensland's top boarding high schools.

"When I first started the scholarship, I was so quiet; I wouldn't talk to anyone," Ms Andrews said.

"Mum and Dad are leaders in their community. I feel like I look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps."

Ms Andrews first ventured out of her comfort zone when she started boarding school at The Cathedral School in Townsville.

For someone who had spent her whole life in Yarrabah, a quiet community in Far North Queensland, this was a significant change.

However Ms Andrews was ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

At her new school, she embraced leadership roles that she once would have avoided.

"I put my hand up to be on the Indigenous Student Council at school, stepping up and being a leader. We organised things like NAIDOC week and other activities," she said.

The Leaders Program also helped Ms Andrews discover potential career pathways.

With her student support officer's help, she joined the University of Queensland's Health Science Camp—a week-long program for Year 11 and 12 students to explore health sciences.

Her passion for health sciences was clear, but the opportunity to explore disciplines like occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, psychology, midwifery, and pathology provided the clarity she needed.

"I liked being surrounded by other Indigenous kids who have a passion for health, and I really enjoyed visiting the Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Centre," Ms Andrews said.

"I love interacting with people with sensory disabilities. It just makes me happy."

She has now completed Year 12 and has started turning her dream into a reality after enrolling in a Bachelor of Public Health at The Queensland University of Technology.

"I'm enjoying every bit of my degree," she said.

"I love that it's so broad and that there are multiple career areas I could go into."

CYLP Scholarship Manager, Krista Christensen said it's inspiring to see young individuals like like Ms Andrews transform their passion into purpose.

"She's come a long way since starting the program from a relatively shy student to an emerging community leader," Ms Christensen said.

"We can't wait to see what impact she has in the healthcare industry."