General News
22 September, 2026
Ellijah’s biography wins
A YEAR 11 English student at Woree State High School has had his biography selected as the best across the school’s year 11 English classes, earning the chance to have his work featured in Cairns Local News.
Ellijah (surname withheld) chose his teacher Jodi Shepherd as the subject of his biography, exploring her childhood spent around horses, a life-changing brain injury and the resilience that followed.
After completing the biographies, the year 11 English classes came together to select the best piece and Ellijah’s work was chosen.
“I genuinely loved learning about Miss Jodi. Her story is very unique and I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to write about her,” Ellijah said.
His biography recounts how Miss Jodi spent much of her childhood riding horses and describes herself as the ultimate “crazy horse girl”. At nine, she owned a white horse named Billy and later competed at a high level in showjumping, representing both her state and her country.
Her life changed after a brain injury in 2009, which ended her dream of becoming a professional rider and of one day competing at the Olympics.
Ellijah wrote that the experience taught Miss Jodi “resilience, patience and not to take life for granted”.
“I was very surprised by how Miss Jodi continues to help students every day and to put on a smile after her tragic horse accident. I am inspired by her resilience and her positive attitude towards each new day,” Ellijah said.
Ellijah said he “was shocked, honoured and surprised all at once because this is the best I have ever done in English and my work is going to be published in Cairns Local News.”
