With eight on hand to be presented with their awards at a Melbourne ceremony last night, the 15 were honoured for their work to advance educational equity, spanning classroom and school leadership, system reform, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration.
A generous supporter and significant partner of Teach for Australia (TFA), the Hansen Little Foundation donated awards of $1000 for each of the teachers and leaders recognised for their impactful work.
Congratulating the award winners, TFA founder and CEO, Melodie Potts Rosevear OAM said that over the past 15 years, the organisation’s mission has been to grow a community of leaders committed to educational equity.
“These awards celebrate the transformative influence of these education leaders – shaping classrooms, driving education reform, and expanding opportunities for kids,” Rosevear said.
“Tonight, we celebrate not just their individual achievements but their collective impact, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.”
With the inaugural awards named in her honour, Jane Hansen AO said she was proud to support TFA.
“At the Hansen Little Foundation, we are committed to creating a legacy of significant, positive and enduring change for all Australians.
“Teachers and education leaders do one of the most important jobs in the world. They help shape the futures of the young people they teach and play a critical role in building their aspirations. That’s why we are proud to partner with Teach For Australia to empower more high calibre educators and leaders to join the profession.”
Hansen said the 15 Alumni have had a profound impact on communities facing disadvantage, “inspiring children to believe in themselves, dream big and embrace curiosity”.
One of the Alumni, Jen Ames, from Cohort 2011, was acknowledged for fostering positive student behaviour and staff satisfaction.
Ames is now assistant principal at Glenroy Secondary College, where she has led a transformative whole-school instructional model and curriculum project that has seen positive behaviour rewards jump from 400 to 4202 within a year, while major disruptions have correspondingly been four times lower.
In a time of chronic teacher shortages, Ames’ leadership has also bolstered staff retention, with departures only occurring due to promotions and career advancements.
It’s an indicator of the strong and supportive school environment cultivated in no small part by the passionate educator.
Driven by her passion to unlock “light bulb moments” for her students, Ames said her teaching philosophy revolves around building genuine connections that nurture their self-belief and ambition.
“I try to lead by showing that warmth to students and trying to show a genuine curiosity in who they are and what they’re trying to achieve in their lives,” she said.
“One aspect about Teach For Australia that I really benefited from is the network of other teachers.
“From day one, you’re connected to a really strong network of like-minded teachers who are in similar schools to you. And that network has stuck with me my whole career.”
Other winners included Northern Territory classroom teacher Charles Wylie, who has established an entrepreneurial education program at Tennant Creek High School in which students from Years 7 to 12 have been supported in creating their own businesses; and English as Additional Language Curriculum Leader Grace Marsh, who has pinpointed obstacles for 600+ students and families in obtaining Australian citizenship and has led a series of innovative solutions in Victoria.
