Mya Falla joined GVGS in Year 7 after attending both Mooroopna Primary School and Orrvale Primary School. She lives in Shepparton with her family, including younger brother Logan, Year 11 and younger sister Lacey, Year 6. Looking back on her time at GVGS, Mya shares that she has really enjoyed her high school years, describing the environment as a good place to learn and grow.
The highlights have definitely been the extracurricular opportunities I’ve had,” she says. “The camps, sports days and ICCES competitions have all been great experiences.”
One of the standout moments for Mya was the Yakapna Programme in Year 9, which she found incredibly rewarding. “Year 9 is such a big year and there’s a lot of change,” Mya reflects. “We had to complete volunteer hours, which really pushed me to explore opportunities I might not have considered otherwise.”
In Year 9, Mya volunteered with local event management company JL Productions and Hire and in Year 10, she completed work experience with the Greater Shepparton City Council.
I helped with Activities in the Park, which is a council-run program where local residents can get out and explore all the region has to offer. It was great because I got to visit surrounding towns and speak to local communities,” she says. “Now I have a casual job with the council, which all started because of the connections I made through school. If I hadn’t been encouraged to volunteer, I might not be doing what I’m doing now.”
Outside of school, Mya works casually both at the local council and Kaiela Arts, where she also sells her own art. Kaiela Arts is one of only two Aboriginal art centres in Victoria, located in Shepparton on Yorta Yorta country.
I’ve always loved making art and about 12 months ago I started selling my pieces, I’ve sold 15 artworks so far,” she shares. “I do acrylic painting on canvas and wood. I’m the only creative person in my family, so art has always been my thing. After a long day at school, I can come home and spend hours painting without noticing the time pass. It helps me relax and unwind.”
At school, Art Creative Practice is her favourite subject, with Accounting coming in a close second.
The funny thing is that I’m not very math-oriented, but I enjoy Accounting because it gives maths context,” she explains. “You apply what you’re learning to real-life situations, like business management and that helps it all make sense.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Mya plans to take a gap year before heading to La Trobe University in Bundoora to study business. During her gap year, she hopes to work full-time at Kaiela Arts while continuing to grow as an artist. “Next year will give me a chance to focus on my art, build my portfolio and develop new skills before starting uni,” she says. “I’d love to have my own business one day creating and selling art.”
