A NEW honour board is on the cards for Warwick Clontarf Academy after the group received a donation from Southern Downs Regional Council yesterday.

Based at Warwick State High School, the academy is part of a national foundation that assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys with schooling.

Academy director Tom Sullivan said the philosophy was to draw on the boys' passion for football to help them perform in the classroom.

"At the end of the day these boys sometimes have a choice about whether they come to school or not and if we can make it fun they're more likely to come,” he said.

Rugby league training sessions are run twice a week before school.

The boys are picked up and taken to each session, given a healthy breakfast before being taken to class afterwards.

Riley Walker, a Year 8 student at the academy, said the early morning sessions were the most enjoyable part of the academy.

"I like getting up and training and staying active,” he said.

"It gets me up early and ready for school, instead of being late.”

Mr Sullivan said ongoing employment support was also offered to students.

"Once you've graduated you're part of the Clontarf family,” he said.

"We're trying to mould them into confident, good, successful young men.”

Southern Downs Mayor Tracey Dobie presented the donation of $200 to Mr Sullivan yesterday, saying the academy had flown under the radar.

Mr Sullivan said the money would be used to buy timber for an honours board for the annual awards ceremony.

"It should be a good project for the boys,” he said.