Tamworth teenager on the road to reaching his dreams

The 16-year-old Peel High School student has just returned from a nine-day trip to the Northern Territory as part of the Local Land Services Aboriginal Ranger Program.

"I actually got adopted into a Warddeken ranger's tribe," Mr Shepherd said.

"As soon as that happened, people started calling me nephew, grandson, brother, so it was amazing, very heartwarming and welcoming."

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Being the oldest of five siblings back home in Tamworth, Mr Shepherd is also hoping his brothers and sisters will get involved with the land council.

"I want them to do something similar so they can achieve their own goals because the lands council is very supportive," Mr Shepherd said.

"Because ever since I've started with the land council and just this year in general, my grades have gotten a lot better.

"Teachers and a lot of other people have noticed an improvement in my behaviour."

It all started about a year ago when Mr Shepherd struck up a conversation with former NRL player Matty Nean about body image issues he was having as a young teenager.

"I was very insecure about what my body looked like and it kind of impacted my behaviour with people around me," Mr Shepherd said.

"I was just really angry. And then I started the gym program and felt a lot better about myself, and just started improving from there."

And now he wakes up every Tuesday and Friday about 5.30am to hit the gym for a decent hour or so before being taken back to the land council for a breakfast of Weetbix, Nutrigrain, cornflakes, or toast.

From there, Mr Nean, who runs the gym program, drops off the group of about 12 teenagers at school.

"I see the maturity in them, and it's the fact that they are going to a place where they've got to use their manners to use the machines," Mr Nean said.

"I say to the kids that if they want to go in the right direction, then they've got to be willing to help me [by behaving in school]."

Mr Shepherd said his favourite subjects at school are P.E., English and Art, but he also has hopes of playing professional NRL, maybe for his favourite team the Rabbitohs or Parramatta Eels, who his grandparents support.

On the weekend, he co-captains the North Tamworth bears.

"I feel a lot more grateful about everything that I have, and a lot more lucky that I have people out there who are willing to help me," Mr Shepherd said.

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